CHENNAI: Popular Bharatanatyam dancer Rajashree Warrier is all set to perform in Chennai ahead of Women’s Day. In an interview with the Online Team of New Indian Express, she tells us her journey as an artist and also explains her view on what womanhood is all about.
Who inspired you the most in your life?
When it comes to dance, the first name that I remember is Balasaraswathi. But all through my life, there were so many people who inspired me and the list is endless. My gurus always enlightened me and I am thankful to them.
How does it feel when you represent India and its classical dance on a larger platform?
As an artist, I always feel blessed to be born and brought up in India since the very soul of India is art. If one pursues dance seriously from her heart, she will learn to enjoy spiritualism in her life. Art has the power to spread goodness to the entire universe. I personally think, an artist must always be blessed and therefore I always get a positive energy from dancing.
As you performed at various places around the world, Which place has the best audience?
Chennai is always a place that any artist would love to perform because the kind of audience we get here is very different from other places in India. Chennaiites appreciate and enjoy concerts more than any others. At the same time they do criticise which is in a way helpful for all artists to improve. There are three kinds of people who come for concerts- one who are serious about dance, the other who is a diehard fan of that artist and the third who comes to learn the art of classical dance or music. The people in Chennai always had the culture of enjoying a performance and for them art is a part of life. Any artist will be blessed to perform in Tamil Nadu.
What do you think about the attitude towards women artist and the challenges they face?
All artists should command respect. If an artist is focused on her passion without compromising her values, she can earn respect easily. People will behave with us according to how we live our lives. A woman artist always has to self market her skills. Every artist will face challenges in early stages when she does it truthfully and sincerely.
You have been a dancer, vocalist, anchor, teacher and a writer. What was your ultimate goal in life?
Goal was always the need of a spiritual growth. As a dancer, I should do maximum performance, need a good stage and beyond that a broad mind to welcome the new generation into the world of dance. I should have a mind to appreciate good things and a cleansed and purified mind which I get through dancing.
What is your take on the current scenario of women?
We all know that the current topic of discussion is women’s safety and the dreadful threat i.e. rape. What prevails in the society is a male psyche which needs to be changed. There are two extremes of treating a woman in our society- either she is praised as a godly figure or else she is stooped down in the society. There is always a sadistic approach towards women in India.
How important is Women’s Day according to you?
I do not celebrate Women’s day on one particular day since everyday is my day... a woman’s day. As long as you are happy and proud to be a woman, you don’t need a special day to celebrate it. Beyond my role as a dancer, mother, daughter and sister, I enjoy the different phases of womanhood each and every day.
According to you, should ‘India’s Daughter’ be banned or not?
It is very difficult for me to have a say on this topic since I have to consider two sides of the issue. First of all, through this documentary people were able to know the harsh reality that women’s position in our society is pathetic. On the other hand, authorities give strange statements which are very difficult for us to accept and the psychopaths justify their statements later on. A mother can never stay peacefully after giving birth to a girl child. She always thinks about how to stay away from those diseased minds in the society.
According to you, what is women empowerment?
It means understanding the real strength of a woman’s mind and waking it up when it is asleep. Both her positive and negative qualities should be her strength.
How do you enjoy womanhood?
I just enjoy being a woman and it is a beautiful experience. But again, society asks ‘Is it so beautiful?’