Nad Murugan: Pioneering trade unionist
Published:Oct 05, 2008
He excelled as a part-time senior commissioner at the CCMA
NAD Murugan, 53, who was found hanged in Durban this week, was one of South Africa’s most militant trade unionists with outstanding negotiating, mediating and legal skills.
As a white-collar professional at the City of Durban in the 1980s, Murugan cut his teeth in trade unionism with the Durban Indian Municipal Employees’ Society, where he rubbed shoulders with blue-collar workers.
For almost a decade, he battled severe depression and alcoholism, triggered by the brutal murder of his wife Rebecca in 1992, and possibly the post-traumatic stress of the apartheid era.
Rebecca had been planning a homecoming celebration for her husband, who had completed a year-long course in labour law at Harvard University in the US, when she was bludgeoned to death by her domestic worker.
Despite this painful personal tragedy, Murugan stayed the course. After championing the grievances of poorly paid municipal workers in Durban, he moved to Johannesburg, where he excelled as a part-time senior commissioner at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration.
The birth of the South African Municipal Workers’ Union was to change the way municipalities dealt with workforces, reflecting Murugan’s passion — to ensure that workers enjoyed the fruits of the new nation’s march to equity.
Murugan featured in many landmark hearings, notably settling the issue of allowances and salary increases between Eskom and the National Union of Metal Workers of South Africa and Solidarity trade unions, as well as disputes involving the South African Revenue Service and the Media Workers’ Association of South Africa.
Recently, back home in Durban, family members rallied around Murugan in the aftermath of another personal setback, a divorce from his second wife, Kantha Naidoo, and her emigration to Australia.
Then came a surprise call from Murugan, brimming with confidence about a new labour of love — a book about trade unionism, the new culture of conciliation, mediation and arbitration and how he viewed labour politics in a transforming South Africa.
Murugan leaves his sons, Denver and Renard.
— Marlan Padayachee
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Tragic Death of Trade Unionist Nad Murugan
Nad Murugan dies tragicallyFormer trade unionist Nad Murugan, 53, pictured, was found dead at a Windermere Road lodge on Monday afternoon.
Nad Murugan - Marlan Padayachee Comments on SABC Newsbreak Lotusfm Radio
Broadcast by Ashok Ramsarup to me show details Oct 1 SABC South Africa Lotusfm Radio NewsBreak 06h30 Central African Time
trade unionist... Former trade union activist Nad Murugan, who pioneer the militancy of the municipal union of Durban during the apartheid era has died under tragic circumstances at a lodge near the city centre. 53 year old Murugan was instrumental in re-engineering DIMES - Durban Indian Municipal Employees Society - into an integrated union and later into the powerful South African Muniicipal Workers Union. Newsbreak's Prabashini Naicker asked family spokesperson Marlin Padayachee to elaborate on Murugan's death... in: out: dur: outtro: that was family spokesperson Marlan Padayachee of former trade unionist Nad Murugan, who died under tragic circumstances..
trade unionist... Former trade union activist Nad Murugan, who pioneer the militancy of the municipal union of Durban during the apartheid era has died under tragic circumstances at a lodge near the city centre. 53 year old Murugan was instrumental in re-engineering DIMES - Durban Indian Municipal Employees Society - into an integrated union and later into the powerful South African Muniicipal Workers Union. Newsbreak's Prabashini Naicker asked family spokesperson Marlin Padayachee to elaborate on Murugan's death... in: out: dur: outtro: that was family spokesperson Marlan Padayachee of former trade unionist Nad Murugan, who died under tragic circumstances..
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
A Tribute to a Fiery Trade Unionist - Nad Murugan
Tribute to Nad Murugan – Militant Trade Unionist – by Marlan Padayachee
SOUTH Africa has lost one of its most fiery and militant trade unionists with outstanding negotiating, mediating and legal skills this week. Nad Murugan, aged 53, died under tragic circumstances in Durban.
For almost a decade he had battled a severe bout of depression and alcoholism, triggered by the brutal murder of his wife by a domestic worker in 1992 and possibly the post-traumatic stress of the apartheid era.
Despite this painful personal tragedy, Murugan stayed the course. After championing the grievances of poorly paid municipal workers in Durban, he relocated to Johannesburg where he excelled as a part-time senior commissioner at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration.
But amid his successful professional role-playing, he appeared to be dogged and shadowed by the gruesome death of his teacher-wife Rebecca. She was busy planning a homecoming celebration for her husband, who had completed a year-long course in labour law at Harvard University, when she was bludgeoned to death by her maid at her flat.
Murugan’s year-long scholarship at the famous Ivy League landmark in Boston in the United States of America had prepared him adequately to play a powerful role in the labour movement in a democratic South Africa.
As a white collar professional at the City of Durban in apartheid- era 1980s, Murugan cut his teeth in trade unionism with the Durban Indian Municipal Employees Society, where he rubbed shoulders with the blue collar workers.
As the leader of a small union of street-sweepers and labouring gangs, established at the city’s communal Magazine Barracks by Indian indentured sugar cane labourers, he won many labour issues and staged protest marches and brought the municipality to a standstill in his confrontation with the old city council. He also pitted his talents against the might of the city’s leading corporate labour law firms.
Racial and ethnic politics was anathema to Murugan.
During this watershed period of racial turbulence, Murugan was sucked into the maelstrom of anti-apartheid politics and he nurtured and re-engineered his labour movement into an all-race union, bringing African and coloured workers into a single bargaining unit.
The birth of the powerful South African Municipal Workers Union was to change the face of how municipalities dealt with its workforce and rekindled one man’s passion to ensure that workers enjoyed the fruits of the new nation’s march to workplace equity and economic prosperity, hence the birth of the CCMA.
At the CCMA, he applied his legal mind effectively while using his mediation and arbitration skills to change rigid mindsets of employers while ensuring that aggrieved employees were treated with fairness. He also contributed his intellectual property to many caseworks and publications.
Murugan featured in many landmark hearings, notably settling the issue of allowances and salary increases between Eskom and Numsa and Solidarity trade unions, and disputes involving the South African Revenue Services and the Media Workers Association of South Africa.
Back home recently, family members in Stanger and Durban rallied around Murugan in the aftermath of another personal setback, a divorce from his second wife, Kantha Naidoo and her emigration to Australia.
Then out of the blue came a surprise call from Murugan, brimming with confidence about a new labour of love to pull together a book about the face of trade unionism, labour disputes and the new culture of conciliation, mediation and arbitration and how he viewed labour politics in a transforming South Africa.
A dream deferred, a book in the making, the labour movement is poorer without Nad Murugan.
However, amidst the humdrum of his chequered life and times, Murugan was a great single-parent to his two sons, Denver and Renard, who overcame their own personal battles, challenges and prejudices of their physical impairment and disabilities. Hamba Kahle, Nad Murugan.
Marlan Padayachee is an international freelance journalist who covered the historic political, labour and social frontline battles during the apartheid era.
SOUTH Africa has lost one of its most fiery and militant trade unionists with outstanding negotiating, mediating and legal skills this week. Nad Murugan, aged 53, died under tragic circumstances in Durban.
For almost a decade he had battled a severe bout of depression and alcoholism, triggered by the brutal murder of his wife by a domestic worker in 1992 and possibly the post-traumatic stress of the apartheid era.
Despite this painful personal tragedy, Murugan stayed the course. After championing the grievances of poorly paid municipal workers in Durban, he relocated to Johannesburg where he excelled as a part-time senior commissioner at the Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration.
But amid his successful professional role-playing, he appeared to be dogged and shadowed by the gruesome death of his teacher-wife Rebecca. She was busy planning a homecoming celebration for her husband, who had completed a year-long course in labour law at Harvard University, when she was bludgeoned to death by her maid at her flat.
Murugan’s year-long scholarship at the famous Ivy League landmark in Boston in the United States of America had prepared him adequately to play a powerful role in the labour movement in a democratic South Africa.
As a white collar professional at the City of Durban in apartheid- era 1980s, Murugan cut his teeth in trade unionism with the Durban Indian Municipal Employees Society, where he rubbed shoulders with the blue collar workers.
As the leader of a small union of street-sweepers and labouring gangs, established at the city’s communal Magazine Barracks by Indian indentured sugar cane labourers, he won many labour issues and staged protest marches and brought the municipality to a standstill in his confrontation with the old city council. He also pitted his talents against the might of the city’s leading corporate labour law firms.
Racial and ethnic politics was anathema to Murugan.
During this watershed period of racial turbulence, Murugan was sucked into the maelstrom of anti-apartheid politics and he nurtured and re-engineered his labour movement into an all-race union, bringing African and coloured workers into a single bargaining unit.
The birth of the powerful South African Municipal Workers Union was to change the face of how municipalities dealt with its workforce and rekindled one man’s passion to ensure that workers enjoyed the fruits of the new nation’s march to workplace equity and economic prosperity, hence the birth of the CCMA.
At the CCMA, he applied his legal mind effectively while using his mediation and arbitration skills to change rigid mindsets of employers while ensuring that aggrieved employees were treated with fairness. He also contributed his intellectual property to many caseworks and publications.
Murugan featured in many landmark hearings, notably settling the issue of allowances and salary increases between Eskom and Numsa and Solidarity trade unions, and disputes involving the South African Revenue Services and the Media Workers Association of South Africa.
Back home recently, family members in Stanger and Durban rallied around Murugan in the aftermath of another personal setback, a divorce from his second wife, Kantha Naidoo and her emigration to Australia.
Then out of the blue came a surprise call from Murugan, brimming with confidence about a new labour of love to pull together a book about the face of trade unionism, labour disputes and the new culture of conciliation, mediation and arbitration and how he viewed labour politics in a transforming South Africa.
A dream deferred, a book in the making, the labour movement is poorer without Nad Murugan.
However, amidst the humdrum of his chequered life and times, Murugan was a great single-parent to his two sons, Denver and Renard, who overcame their own personal battles, challenges and prejudices of their physical impairment and disabilities. Hamba Kahle, Nad Murugan.
Marlan Padayachee is an international freelance journalist who covered the historic political, labour and social frontline battles during the apartheid era.
Monday, September 29, 2008
A Bharata-Natyam Star Is Born - Aneka Naidoo
A New Bharata Natyam Star Is Born – Aneka Divyarupa Naidoo
Bharata Natyam's latest graduate, 14-year-old Aneka Divyarupa, made a "scintillating" dance debut before an appreciative audience at the Coast of Dreams in Durban on Sunday.
The Grade 9 Crawford College schoolgirl, looking radiant and ravishing and wearing five outfits in splash of colour, elegance and exuberance, fascinated the 300 guests during her two hour-long performance at the weekend.
Her baptism of fire in the ancient art of south Indian classical dancing culminated in five years of training and tutelage by renowned dance teacher and singer Kumari Ambigay.
To the lilting songs and tunes of Kumari Ambigay and her musicians, ranging from Pillayaar, an invocation dance, to Makan Chor, a Hindi bhajan set to the leelas of little Lord Krsna, Aneka Divyarupa excelled beyond expectations with her rhythm, striking poses, timing and her myriad of brilliant facial expressions.
Her colourful graduation ceremony and ritual, known as Arangetram, was roundly endorsed by applauses, thereby paving the way for to undertake another six-month rigorous course towards become a Bharata Natyam dance tutor.
Ever since she was a little girl, Aneka Divyarupa was inspired by Bollywood screen icon Rani Mukerjee's spectacular sequence of the Bharata Natyam dance on the big screen. She has not looked back and five years later, she has earned the title, "Natyamanni" and will be referred to as Natyamanni Aneka Divyarupa. Her middle translates into the "Many divine forms of Lord Vishnu".
Interestingly, when she is not dancing with bells on her feet and waxing lyrical on stage, she assists her parents, Dr Lochan Naidoo and Julie Naidoo at the family-owned medical and drug rehabilitation centres in Merebank in Durban South and the Gateway complex in Umhlanga.
Speaking at the graduation, Dr Ronnie Pillay, leading pediatrician and executive deputy member of the South African Tamil Federation, said he was impressed by how Aneka Divyarupa combined her studies, extra-curricular dance activities in one of the world's most complex and intricate dance forms while showing compassion in her part-time work among youth and adults battling drug and alcohol addiction and abuse at the family-owned facilities.
"At her age, Aneka Divyarupa is leaving footprints for other young people to follow the pathway of an ancient dance that was almost discarded by the British Raj during the reign of colonialism in India. Fortunately, this dance form was resurrected by visionaries and its beauty and glory continues to inspire us in a rainbow nation where multiculturalism and cultural diversity has become the norm in the new South Africa," Dr Pillay said.
eThekwini Municipality Deputy Mayor Logie Naidoo said he had attended dance graduations for almost a decade in political office, but was taken aback by the graduate's "stunning performance".
"I have often marveled at the passion, and exuberance displayed on stage by dancers such as Aneka Divyarupa. This unique dance form, though taxing and punishing in the run-up to the graduation, teaches young people life skills and core values such as discipline, focus, dedication, courage, perseverance, resilience, right living, personality development and respect and tolerance for others," said Naidoo.
"As you take your quantum leap into professional dance tutelage, put your best foot forward and dance and dance as if no one is looking at you."
In the Indian arts and culture world, Bharata Natyam is a classical dance originating in Tamil Nadu, a state in South India. This popular dance is said to be a 20th century reconstruction of Cathir, the art of temple dancers and derived from ancient dance forms. Bharata Natyam is accompanied by classical carnatic music, as displayed by a tight-knit musical troupe of singers and musicians who provided the Kumari Ambigay Dance Institute's 97th graduate with lilting music, bhagans and recitals.
Presenting a certificate of competence, Kumari Ambigay described her protégé as an "extraordinary candidate who had performed from heart beyond all expectations".
Proud parents Lochan and Julie Naidoo had last words: "Our third child has lived up to her name and today holds our attention and makes us reflect on our divinity and unconditional love for the Supreme Lord. She was motivated by actress Rani Mukerjee. She epitomizes youthful culture and energy in a changing social landscape where our young people are faced with western culture and the advent of technology gadgets."
Apart from dancing, Natyamanni Aneka Divyarupa loves animals, horse-riding, golf, cycling and assists at the family's addiction treatment centres.
Ends
Bharata Natyam's latest graduate, 14-year-old Aneka Divyarupa, made a "scintillating" dance debut before an appreciative audience at the Coast of Dreams in Durban on Sunday.
The Grade 9 Crawford College schoolgirl, looking radiant and ravishing and wearing five outfits in splash of colour, elegance and exuberance, fascinated the 300 guests during her two hour-long performance at the weekend.
Her baptism of fire in the ancient art of south Indian classical dancing culminated in five years of training and tutelage by renowned dance teacher and singer Kumari Ambigay.
To the lilting songs and tunes of Kumari Ambigay and her musicians, ranging from Pillayaar, an invocation dance, to Makan Chor, a Hindi bhajan set to the leelas of little Lord Krsna, Aneka Divyarupa excelled beyond expectations with her rhythm, striking poses, timing and her myriad of brilliant facial expressions.
Her colourful graduation ceremony and ritual, known as Arangetram, was roundly endorsed by applauses, thereby paving the way for to undertake another six-month rigorous course towards become a Bharata Natyam dance tutor.
Ever since she was a little girl, Aneka Divyarupa was inspired by Bollywood screen icon Rani Mukerjee's spectacular sequence of the Bharata Natyam dance on the big screen. She has not looked back and five years later, she has earned the title, "Natyamanni" and will be referred to as Natyamanni Aneka Divyarupa. Her middle translates into the "Many divine forms of Lord Vishnu".
Interestingly, when she is not dancing with bells on her feet and waxing lyrical on stage, she assists her parents, Dr Lochan Naidoo and Julie Naidoo at the family-owned medical and drug rehabilitation centres in Merebank in Durban South and the Gateway complex in Umhlanga.
Speaking at the graduation, Dr Ronnie Pillay, leading pediatrician and executive deputy member of the South African Tamil Federation, said he was impressed by how Aneka Divyarupa combined her studies, extra-curricular dance activities in one of the world's most complex and intricate dance forms while showing compassion in her part-time work among youth and adults battling drug and alcohol addiction and abuse at the family-owned facilities.
"At her age, Aneka Divyarupa is leaving footprints for other young people to follow the pathway of an ancient dance that was almost discarded by the British Raj during the reign of colonialism in India. Fortunately, this dance form was resurrected by visionaries and its beauty and glory continues to inspire us in a rainbow nation where multiculturalism and cultural diversity has become the norm in the new South Africa," Dr Pillay said.
eThekwini Municipality Deputy Mayor Logie Naidoo said he had attended dance graduations for almost a decade in political office, but was taken aback by the graduate's "stunning performance".
"I have often marveled at the passion, and exuberance displayed on stage by dancers such as Aneka Divyarupa. This unique dance form, though taxing and punishing in the run-up to the graduation, teaches young people life skills and core values such as discipline, focus, dedication, courage, perseverance, resilience, right living, personality development and respect and tolerance for others," said Naidoo.
"As you take your quantum leap into professional dance tutelage, put your best foot forward and dance and dance as if no one is looking at you."
In the Indian arts and culture world, Bharata Natyam is a classical dance originating in Tamil Nadu, a state in South India. This popular dance is said to be a 20th century reconstruction of Cathir, the art of temple dancers and derived from ancient dance forms. Bharata Natyam is accompanied by classical carnatic music, as displayed by a tight-knit musical troupe of singers and musicians who provided the Kumari Ambigay Dance Institute's 97th graduate with lilting music, bhagans and recitals.
Presenting a certificate of competence, Kumari Ambigay described her protégé as an "extraordinary candidate who had performed from heart beyond all expectations".
Proud parents Lochan and Julie Naidoo had last words: "Our third child has lived up to her name and today holds our attention and makes us reflect on our divinity and unconditional love for the Supreme Lord. She was motivated by actress Rani Mukerjee. She epitomizes youthful culture and energy in a changing social landscape where our young people are faced with western culture and the advent of technology gadgets."
Apart from dancing, Natyamanni Aneka Divyarupa loves animals, horse-riding, golf, cycling and assists at the family's addiction treatment centres.
Ends
Sunday, September 28, 2008
A Bharata-Natyam Star Is Born - Aneka Naidoo
OPENING ADDRESS BY COUNCILLOR LOGIE NAIDOO, DEPUTY
MAYOR OF THE ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY, AT THE BHARATHA
NATYAM ARANGETRAM OF NATYAMANNI ANEKA DIVYARUPA
NAIDOO AT THE COAST OF DREAMS, DURBAN EXHIBITION
CENTRE, ON SUNDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER 2008 AT 12H30.
THANK YOU, PROGRAMME DIRECTOR
GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AND CHILDREN, DISTINGUISHED DIGNITARIES AND GUESTS OF HONOUR.
THIS WEEK HAS BEEN A MOMENTOUS WEEK IN POLITICS, BUT I CAN ASSURE ALL OF YOU THAT THESE CHANGES ARE AIMED AT PROVIDING A BETTER LIFE FOR ALL.
THIS AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY BRIEF IS TO FOCUS ON THE MOMENTOUS OCCASION OF AN EXTRAORDINARY DANCING CANDIDATE, OUR CENTRE OF ATTRACTION, NATYAMANNI ANEKA DIVYARUPA NAIDOO.
NATYAMANNI IS THE TITLE HER INIMITABLE DANCE TUTOR KUMARI AMBIGAY HAS CONFERRED ON HER AS THE DANCE INSTITUTE'S 97TH GRADUATE.
AS THE YOUNGEST CHILD, SHE WAS NAMED ANEKA DIVYARUPA BY HER PARENTS AND OUR HOSTS, DR LOCHAN NAIDOO AND MRS JULIE NAIDOO.
I HAVE JUST LEARNT THAT HER MIDDLE NAME 'DIVYARUPA' TRANSLATES INTO THE 'MANY DIVINE FORMS OF LORD VISHNU'.
AS MANY HINDUS IN THE AUDIENCE MAY KNOW THE SIGNIFICANCE OF LORD VISHNU, BUT KINDLY ALLOW ME TO HIGHLIGHT WHY OUR LATEST BHARATA-NATYAM GRADUATE WAS NAMED AFTER ONE OF THE GODS OF ANCIENT INDIA.
LORD VISHNU IS THE PRESERVER GOD OF THE TRINITY WITH FOUR HANDS.
THE FIRST HAND HOLDS A CONCH SHELL (SANKHA) INDICATING SPREAD OF THE DIVINE SOUND "OM"; ONE HOLDS A DISCUS (CHAKRA), A REMINDER OF THE WHEEL OF TIME, AND TO LEAD A GOOD LIFE; ONE HOLDS A LOTUS (PADMA) WHICH IS AN EXAMPLE OF GLORIOUS EXISTENCE AND THE FOURTH HANDS HOLDS A MACE (GADA) INDICATING THE POWER AND THE PUNISHING CAPACITY OF THE LORD IF DISCIPLINE IN LIFE IS IGNORED.
THE EQUALLY MULTI-DIMENSIONAL PERSONA AND PROFILE OF LORD VISHNU IS ALSO MIRRORED IN THE FACE OF OUR YOUNG GRADUATE AS SHE CONTINUES TO FASCINATE US WITH THE GRACE AND BEAUTY OF THE ART OF THIS DANCE FORM.
I HAVE ALSO LEARNT THAT LOCHAN AND JULIE NAIDOO FIRMLY BELIEVED THAT IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD OF CROSS-CULTURAL EXPLOSIONS THAT IMPACT ON OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THAT IT WAS IMPERATIVE THAT THE YOUNGEST SIBLING OF THEIR THREE CHILDREN SHOULD FOLLOW THE ANCIENT PATHWAY OF THE CENTURIES-OLD ART FORM OF BHARATA-NATYAM DANCING.
THEY BELIEVE THAT THIS INTRICATE AND TAXING DANCE FORM TEACHES YOUNG WOMEN LIFE-SKILLS AND CORE VALUES SUCH AS DISCIPLINE, FOCUS, DEDICATION, COURAGE, PERSEVERANCE, RESILIENCE, RIGHT LIVING, PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT AND RESPECT FOR OTHERS.
I BELIEVE THAT HAVING SUCCESSFULLY UNDERGONE KUMARI AMBIGAY'S RIGOROUS TRAINING, TUTORING AND MENTORING, NATYAMANNI ANEKA DIVYARUPA NAIDOO HAS LEARNT TO PUT HER BEST FOOT FORWARD ON STAGE THIS AFTERNOON.
HENCE THIS WONDERFUL GATHERING OF WITNESSES AT THIS ARANGETRAM – AN OFFICIAL CEREMONY – IN WHICH THE GRADUATE MAKES HER BIG-STAGE DANCING DEBUT TO TEST HER SKILLS AND TECHNIQUE BEFORE ALL OF YOU AS WITNESSES.
THEREFORE YOUR APPROVAL, ENDORSEMENT AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THIS DISPLAY OF DANCING ARE CRUCIAL TO THE DANCER'S FUTURE CAREER-PATHING.
ONCE THIS MONUMENTAL CHALLENGE OF BEING CERTIFIED AS AN EXPONENT OF BHARATA-NATYAM IS OVER, I UNDERSTAND NATYAMANNI ANEKA DIVYARUPA NAIDOO WILL SOON TAKE THE QUANTUM LEAP OF UNDERGOING A SIX-MONTH COURSE WITH THE KUMARI AMBIGAY DANCE INSTITUTE TOWARDS FULFILLING HER DREAM OF BECOMING A FULLY-FLEDGED DANCE TEACHER.
IMAGINE HOW MANY OTHER STARRY-EYED GIRLS ARE GOING TO BENEFIT FROM A NEWLY-QUALIFIED TUTOR?
SINCE BEING IN OFFICE FOR ALMOST TEN YEARS, I HAVE BEEN INVITED TO MANY ARANGETRAMS AND I OFTEN MARVEL AT THE PASSION AND DEDICATION THE GRADUATES DISPLAY ON STAGE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT IS OFTEN A JOY WATCHING THIS VISUALLY STRIKING AND YET ELEGANT DANCE POSES TO SOUND OF LILTING MUSIC AND TUNES.
FOR ALMOST 148 YEARS SINCE WE HAD INHERITED THIS ANCIENT DANCE FROM THE 1860 INDIAN INDENTURED LABOURERS, THE INDIAN COMMUNITY HAS ADDED A SPLASH OF COLOUR AND CULTURAL HERITAGE TO THE CITY OF DURBAN.
THERE ARE MANY CITIES ON CONTINENTAL AFRICA OR THE REST OF THE WORLD THAT ENJOYS THIS MULTICULTURAL DIMENSION.
AS DEPUTY MAYOR OF A GROWING AFRICAN CITY, I AM PROUD OF OUR CULTURAL DIVERSITY THAT HAS ENHANCED OUR STATUS AS A LANDMARK TOURIST DESTINATION WHERE EAST MEETS WEST AGAINST THE TAPESTRY OF AFRICAN AND ISIZULU CULTURE, HISTORY AND LEGACY.
SINCE 1994, MORE AND MORE NON-HINDU DANCERS AND SINGERS HAVE FOUND CULTURAL HOMES IN INDIAN CULTURE AND I TRUST THAT THIS TREND TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE WITH OUR PREVIOUSLY DISADVANTAGED BLACK AFRICAN COMPATRIOTS WILL CONTINUE TO PORTRAY A CROSS-CULTURAL CHOREOGRAPHY OF OUR CULTURAL ASSETS AND HUMAN CAPITAL.
I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY OF ENCOURAGING PARENTS TO INVEST IN YOUR CHILDREN'S EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES BECAUSE IN ORDER TO DEVELOP FUTURE LEADERS THERE HAS TO BE THE COMPONENT OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND PROWESS IN ARTS AND CULTURE AND SPORTS.
ON THIS GRAND AND JOYOUS OCCASION OF NATYAMANNI ANEKA DIVYARUPA'S PUBLIC DANCE DEBUT, I AM REMINDED ABOUT A PAPER DELIVERED BY RENOWNED SCHOLAR AND EXPONENT NIRMALA RAMACHANDRAN ON 'CLASSICAL DANCE OF ANCIENT TAMILS' AT THE MUSIC & DANCE FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE SEMINAR OF TAMIL STUDIES
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, IN 1966.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, SHE TOLD HER AUDIENCE: "BHARATANATYAM IS A CLASSICAL DANCE FORM ORIGINATING IN TAMIL NADU, A STATE IN SOUTH INDIA. THIS POPULAR SOUTH INDIAN DANCE FORM IS A 20TH CENTURY RECONSTRUCTION OF CATHIR, THE ART OF TEMPLE DANCERS. CATHIR IN TURN, IS DERIVED FROM ANCIENT DANCE FORMS. BHARATANATYAM IS USUALLY ACCOMPANIED BY THE CLASSICAL CARNATIC MUSIC."
FINALLY, I EXTEND MY BEST WISHES ON BEHALF OF THE ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY AND THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF DURBAN TO OUR NEW GRADUATE AND MAY YOU DANCE AND DANCE AS IF NO ONE IS LOOKING AT YOU.
I THANK ALL OF YOU AND ESPECIALLY LOCHAN AND JULIE NAIDO OF GIVING ME THE HONOUR AND PRIVILEGE OF GRACING THIS CULTURALLY ENRICHING AND COLOURFUL DEMONSTRATION OF CLASSICAL DANCING.
Compiled/researched/written by marlanpadayachee/greengoldafrica communications/for further information/contact pinkynaidoo/marlan.padayachee@greengold.co.za/greengold@telkomsa.net/pnpinkynaidoo@gmail.com/0837961762/0837971762/0312661762/faxmail0866989343/0312669202/www.marlanpadayacehe.com/www.greengoldcom.com/www.leftofwhatsright/blogsite.com
GreenGold – Communicating with Passion Precision & Purpose
MAYOR OF THE ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY, AT THE BHARATHA
NATYAM ARANGETRAM OF NATYAMANNI ANEKA DIVYARUPA
NAIDOO AT THE COAST OF DREAMS, DURBAN EXHIBITION
CENTRE, ON SUNDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER 2008 AT 12H30.
THANK YOU, PROGRAMME DIRECTOR
GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AND CHILDREN, DISTINGUISHED DIGNITARIES AND GUESTS OF HONOUR.
THIS WEEK HAS BEEN A MOMENTOUS WEEK IN POLITICS, BUT I CAN ASSURE ALL OF YOU THAT THESE CHANGES ARE AIMED AT PROVIDING A BETTER LIFE FOR ALL.
THIS AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY BRIEF IS TO FOCUS ON THE MOMENTOUS OCCASION OF AN EXTRAORDINARY DANCING CANDIDATE, OUR CENTRE OF ATTRACTION, NATYAMANNI ANEKA DIVYARUPA NAIDOO.
NATYAMANNI IS THE TITLE HER INIMITABLE DANCE TUTOR KUMARI AMBIGAY HAS CONFERRED ON HER AS THE DANCE INSTITUTE'S 97TH GRADUATE.
AS THE YOUNGEST CHILD, SHE WAS NAMED ANEKA DIVYARUPA BY HER PARENTS AND OUR HOSTS, DR LOCHAN NAIDOO AND MRS JULIE NAIDOO.
I HAVE JUST LEARNT THAT HER MIDDLE NAME 'DIVYARUPA' TRANSLATES INTO THE 'MANY DIVINE FORMS OF LORD VISHNU'.
AS MANY HINDUS IN THE AUDIENCE MAY KNOW THE SIGNIFICANCE OF LORD VISHNU, BUT KINDLY ALLOW ME TO HIGHLIGHT WHY OUR LATEST BHARATA-NATYAM GRADUATE WAS NAMED AFTER ONE OF THE GODS OF ANCIENT INDIA.
LORD VISHNU IS THE PRESERVER GOD OF THE TRINITY WITH FOUR HANDS.
THE FIRST HAND HOLDS A CONCH SHELL (SANKHA) INDICATING SPREAD OF THE DIVINE SOUND "OM"; ONE HOLDS A DISCUS (CHAKRA), A REMINDER OF THE WHEEL OF TIME, AND TO LEAD A GOOD LIFE; ONE HOLDS A LOTUS (PADMA) WHICH IS AN EXAMPLE OF GLORIOUS EXISTENCE AND THE FOURTH HANDS HOLDS A MACE (GADA) INDICATING THE POWER AND THE PUNISHING CAPACITY OF THE LORD IF DISCIPLINE IN LIFE IS IGNORED.
THE EQUALLY MULTI-DIMENSIONAL PERSONA AND PROFILE OF LORD VISHNU IS ALSO MIRRORED IN THE FACE OF OUR YOUNG GRADUATE AS SHE CONTINUES TO FASCINATE US WITH THE GRACE AND BEAUTY OF THE ART OF THIS DANCE FORM.
I HAVE ALSO LEARNT THAT LOCHAN AND JULIE NAIDOO FIRMLY BELIEVED THAT IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD OF CROSS-CULTURAL EXPLOSIONS THAT IMPACT ON OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THAT IT WAS IMPERATIVE THAT THE YOUNGEST SIBLING OF THEIR THREE CHILDREN SHOULD FOLLOW THE ANCIENT PATHWAY OF THE CENTURIES-OLD ART FORM OF BHARATA-NATYAM DANCING.
THEY BELIEVE THAT THIS INTRICATE AND TAXING DANCE FORM TEACHES YOUNG WOMEN LIFE-SKILLS AND CORE VALUES SUCH AS DISCIPLINE, FOCUS, DEDICATION, COURAGE, PERSEVERANCE, RESILIENCE, RIGHT LIVING, PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT AND RESPECT FOR OTHERS.
I BELIEVE THAT HAVING SUCCESSFULLY UNDERGONE KUMARI AMBIGAY'S RIGOROUS TRAINING, TUTORING AND MENTORING, NATYAMANNI ANEKA DIVYARUPA NAIDOO HAS LEARNT TO PUT HER BEST FOOT FORWARD ON STAGE THIS AFTERNOON.
HENCE THIS WONDERFUL GATHERING OF WITNESSES AT THIS ARANGETRAM – AN OFFICIAL CEREMONY – IN WHICH THE GRADUATE MAKES HER BIG-STAGE DANCING DEBUT TO TEST HER SKILLS AND TECHNIQUE BEFORE ALL OF YOU AS WITNESSES.
THEREFORE YOUR APPROVAL, ENDORSEMENT AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THIS DISPLAY OF DANCING ARE CRUCIAL TO THE DANCER'S FUTURE CAREER-PATHING.
ONCE THIS MONUMENTAL CHALLENGE OF BEING CERTIFIED AS AN EXPONENT OF BHARATA-NATYAM IS OVER, I UNDERSTAND NATYAMANNI ANEKA DIVYARUPA NAIDOO WILL SOON TAKE THE QUANTUM LEAP OF UNDERGOING A SIX-MONTH COURSE WITH THE KUMARI AMBIGAY DANCE INSTITUTE TOWARDS FULFILLING HER DREAM OF BECOMING A FULLY-FLEDGED DANCE TEACHER.
IMAGINE HOW MANY OTHER STARRY-EYED GIRLS ARE GOING TO BENEFIT FROM A NEWLY-QUALIFIED TUTOR?
SINCE BEING IN OFFICE FOR ALMOST TEN YEARS, I HAVE BEEN INVITED TO MANY ARANGETRAMS AND I OFTEN MARVEL AT THE PASSION AND DEDICATION THE GRADUATES DISPLAY ON STAGE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT IS OFTEN A JOY WATCHING THIS VISUALLY STRIKING AND YET ELEGANT DANCE POSES TO SOUND OF LILTING MUSIC AND TUNES.
FOR ALMOST 148 YEARS SINCE WE HAD INHERITED THIS ANCIENT DANCE FROM THE 1860 INDIAN INDENTURED LABOURERS, THE INDIAN COMMUNITY HAS ADDED A SPLASH OF COLOUR AND CULTURAL HERITAGE TO THE CITY OF DURBAN.
THERE ARE MANY CITIES ON CONTINENTAL AFRICA OR THE REST OF THE WORLD THAT ENJOYS THIS MULTICULTURAL DIMENSION.
AS DEPUTY MAYOR OF A GROWING AFRICAN CITY, I AM PROUD OF OUR CULTURAL DIVERSITY THAT HAS ENHANCED OUR STATUS AS A LANDMARK TOURIST DESTINATION WHERE EAST MEETS WEST AGAINST THE TAPESTRY OF AFRICAN AND ISIZULU CULTURE, HISTORY AND LEGACY.
SINCE 1994, MORE AND MORE NON-HINDU DANCERS AND SINGERS HAVE FOUND CULTURAL HOMES IN INDIAN CULTURE AND I TRUST THAT THIS TREND TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE WITH OUR PREVIOUSLY DISADVANTAGED BLACK AFRICAN COMPATRIOTS WILL CONTINUE TO PORTRAY A CROSS-CULTURAL CHOREOGRAPHY OF OUR CULTURAL ASSETS AND HUMAN CAPITAL.
I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY OF ENCOURAGING PARENTS TO INVEST IN YOUR CHILDREN'S EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES BECAUSE IN ORDER TO DEVELOP FUTURE LEADERS THERE HAS TO BE THE COMPONENT OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND PROWESS IN ARTS AND CULTURE AND SPORTS.
ON THIS GRAND AND JOYOUS OCCASION OF NATYAMANNI ANEKA DIVYARUPA'S PUBLIC DANCE DEBUT, I AM REMINDED ABOUT A PAPER DELIVERED BY RENOWNED SCHOLAR AND EXPONENT NIRMALA RAMACHANDRAN ON 'CLASSICAL DANCE OF ANCIENT TAMILS' AT THE MUSIC & DANCE FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE SEMINAR OF TAMIL STUDIES
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, IN 1966.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, SHE TOLD HER AUDIENCE: "BHARATANATYAM IS A CLASSICAL DANCE FORM ORIGINATING IN TAMIL NADU, A STATE IN SOUTH INDIA. THIS POPULAR SOUTH INDIAN DANCE FORM IS A 20TH CENTURY RECONSTRUCTION OF CATHIR, THE ART OF TEMPLE DANCERS. CATHIR IN TURN, IS DERIVED FROM ANCIENT DANCE FORMS. BHARATANATYAM IS USUALLY ACCOMPANIED BY THE CLASSICAL CARNATIC MUSIC."
FINALLY, I EXTEND MY BEST WISHES ON BEHALF OF THE ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY AND THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF DURBAN TO OUR NEW GRADUATE AND MAY YOU DANCE AND DANCE AS IF NO ONE IS LOOKING AT YOU.
I THANK ALL OF YOU AND ESPECIALLY LOCHAN AND JULIE NAIDO OF GIVING ME THE HONOUR AND PRIVILEGE OF GRACING THIS CULTURALLY ENRICHING AND COLOURFUL DEMONSTRATION OF CLASSICAL DANCING.
Compiled/researched/written by marlanpadayachee/greengoldafrica communications/for further information/contact pinkynaidoo/marlan.padayachee@greengold.co.za/greengold@telkomsa.net/pnpinkynaidoo@gmail.com/0837961762/0837971762/0312661762/faxmail0866989343/0312669202/www.marlanpadayacehe.com/www.greengoldcom.com/www.leftofwhatsright/blogsite.com
GreenGold – Communicating with Passion Precision & Purpose
Aneka Divyarupa Naidoo A New Bharata Natyam Star is Born
OPENING ADDRESS BY COUNCILLOR LOGIE NAIDOO, DEPUTY
MAYOR OF THE ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY, AT THE BHARATHA
NATYAM ARANGETRAM OF NATYAMANNI ANEKA DIVYARUPA
NAIDOO AT THE COAST OF DREAMS, DURBAN EXHIBITION
CENTRE, ON SUNDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER 2008 AT 12H30.
THANK YOU, PROGRAMME DIRECTOR
GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AND CHILDREN, DISTINGUISHED DIGNITARIES AND GUESTS OF HONOUR.
THIS WEEK HAS BEEN A MOMENTOUS WEEK IN POLITICS, BUT I CAN ASSURE ALL OF YOU THAT THESE CHANGES ARE AIMED AT PROVIDING A BETTER LIFE FOR ALL.
THIS AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY BRIEF IS TO FOCUS ON THE MOMENTOUS OCCASION OF AN EXTRAORDINARY DANCING CANDIDATE, OUR CENTRE OF ATTRACTION, NATYAMANNI ANEKA DIVYARUPA NAIDOO.
NATYAMANNI IS THE TITLE HER INIMITABLE DANCE TUTOR KUMARI AMBIGAY HAS CONFERRED ON HER AS THE DANCE INSTITUTE'S 97TH GRADUATE.
AS THE YOUNGEST CHILD, SHE WAS NAMED ANEKA DIVYARUPA BY HER PARENTS AND OUR HOSTS, DR LOCHAN NAIDOO AND MRS JULIE NAIDOO.
I HAVE JUST LEARNT THAT HER MIDDLE NAME 'DIVYARUPA' TRANSLATES INTO THE 'MANY DIVINE FORMS OF LORD VISHNU'.
AS MANY HINDUS IN THE AUDIENCE MAY KNOW THE SIGNIFICANCE OF LORD VISHNU, BUT KINDLY ALLOW ME TO HIGHLIGHT WHY OUR LATEST BHARATA-NATYAM GRADUATE WAS NAMED AFTER ONE OF THE GODS OF ANCIENT INDIA.
LORD VISHNU IS THE PRESERVER GOD OF THE TRINITY WITH FOUR HANDS.
THE FIRST HAND HOLDS A CONCH SHELL (SANKHA) INDICATING SPREAD OF THE DIVINE SOUND "OM"; ONE HOLDS A DISCUS (CHAKRA), A REMINDER OF THE WHEEL OF TIME, AND TO LEAD A GOOD LIFE; ONE HOLDS A LOTUS (PADMA) WHICH IS AN EXAMPLE OF GLORIOUS EXISTENCE AND THE FOURTH HANDS HOLDS A MACE (GADA) INDICATING THE POWER AND THE PUNISHING CAPACITY OF THE LORD IF DISCIPLINE IN LIFE IS IGNORED.
THE EQUALLY MULTI-DIMENSIONAL PERSONA AND PROFILE OF LORD VISHNU IS ALSO MIRRORED IN THE FACE OF OUR YOUNG GRADUATE AS SHE CONTINUES TO FASCINATE US WITH THE GRACE AND BEAUTY OF THE ART OF THIS DANCE FORM.
I HAVE ALSO LEARNT THAT LOCHAN AND JULIE NAIDOO FIRMLY BELIEVED THAT IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD OF CROSS-CULTURAL EXPLOSIONS THAT IMPACT ON OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THAT IT WAS IMPERATIVE THAT THE YOUNGEST SIBLING OF THEIR THREE CHILDREN SHOULD FOLLOW THE ANCIENT PATHWAY OF THE CENTURIES-OLD ART FORM OF BHARATA-NATYAM DANCING.
THEY BELIEVE THAT THIS INTRICATE AND TAXING DANCE FORM TEACHES YOUNG WOMEN LIFE-SKILLS AND CORE VALUES SUCH AS DISCIPLINE, FOCUS, DEDICATION, COURAGE, PERSEVERANCE, RESILIENCE, RIGHT LIVING, PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT AND RESPECT FOR OTHERS.
I BELIEVE THAT HAVING SUCCESSFULLY UNDERGONE KUMARI AMBIGAY'S RIGOROUS TRAINING, TUTORING AND MENTORING, NATYAMANNI ANEKA DIVYARUPA NAIDOO HAS LEARNT TO PUT HER BEST FOOT FORWARD ON STAGE THIS AFTERNOON.
HENCE THIS WONDERFUL GATHERING OF WITNESSES AT THIS ARANGETRAM – AN OFFICIAL CEREMONY – IN WHICH THE GRADUATE MAKES HER BIG-STAGE DANCING DEBUT TO TEST HER SKILLS AND TECHNIQUE BEFORE ALL OF YOU AS WITNESSES.
THEREFORE YOUR APPROVAL, ENDORSEMENT AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THIS DISPLAY OF DANCING ARE CRUCIAL TO THE DANCER'S FUTURE CAREER-PATHING.
ONCE THIS MONUMENTAL CHALLENGE OF BEING CERTIFIED AS AN EXPONENT OF BHARATA-NATYAM IS OVER, I UNDERSTAND NATYAMANNI ANEKA DIVYARUPA NAIDOO WILL SOON TAKE THE QUANTUM LEAP OF UNDERGOING A SIX-MONTH COURSE WITH THE KUMARI AMBIGAY DANCE INSTITUTE TOWARDS FULFILLING HER DREAM OF BECOMING A FULLY-FLEDGED DANCE TEACHER.
IMAGINE HOW MANY OTHER STARRY-EYED GIRLS ARE GOING TO BENEFIT FROM A NEWLY-QUALIFIED TUTOR?
SINCE BEING IN OFFICE FOR ALMOST TEN YEARS, I HAVE BEEN INVITED TO MANY ARANGETRAMS AND I OFTEN MARVEL AT THE PASSION AND DEDICATION THE GRADUATES DISPLAY ON STAGE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT IS OFTEN A JOY WATCHING THIS VISUALLY STRIKING AND YET ELEGANT DANCE POSES TO SOUND OF LILTING MUSIC AND TUNES.
FOR ALMOST 148 YEARS SINCE WE HAD INHERITED THIS ANCIENT DANCE FROM THE 1860 INDIAN INDENTURED LABOURERS, THE INDIAN COMMUNITY HAS ADDED A SPLASH OF COLOUR AND CULTURAL HERITAGE TO THE CITY OF DURBAN.
THERE ARE MANY CITIES ON CONTINENTAL AFRICA OR THE REST OF THE WORLD THAT ENJOYS THIS MULTICULTURAL DIMENSION.
AS DEPUTY MAYOR OF A GROWING AFRICAN CITY, I AM PROUD OF OUR CULTURAL DIVERSITY THAT HAS ENHANCED OUR STATUS AS A LANDMARK TOURIST DESTINATION WHERE EAST MEETS WEST AGAINST THE TAPESTRY OF AFRICAN AND ISIZULU CULTURE, HISTORY AND LEGACY.
SINCE 1994, MORE AND MORE NON-HINDU DANCERS AND SINGERS HAVE FOUND CULTURAL HOMES IN INDIAN CULTURE AND I TRUST THAT THIS TREND TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE WITH OUR PREVIOUSLY DISADVANTAGED BLACK AFRICAN COMPATRIOTS WILL CONTINUE TO PORTRAY A CROSS-CULTURAL CHOREOGRAPHY OF OUR CULTURAL ASSETS AND HUMAN CAPITAL.
I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY OF ENCOURAGING PARENTS TO INVEST IN YOUR CHILDREN'S EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES BECAUSE IN ORDER TO DEVELOP FUTURE LEADERS THERE HAS TO BE THE COMPONENT OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND PROWESS IN ARTS AND CULTURE AND SPORTS.
ON THIS GRAND AND JOYOUS OCCASION OF NATYAMANNI ANEKA DIVYARUPA'S PUBLIC DANCE DEBUT, I AM REMINDED ABOUT A PAPER DELIVERED BY RENOWNED SCHOLAR AND EXPONENT NIRMALA RAMACHANDRAN ON 'CLASSICAL DANCE OF ANCIENT TAMILS' AT THE MUSIC & DANCE FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE SEMINAR OF TAMIL STUDIES
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, IN 1966.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, SHE TOLD HER AUDIENCE: "BHARATANATYAM IS A CLASSICAL DANCE FORM ORIGINATING IN TAMIL NADU, A STATE IN SOUTH INDIA. THIS POPULAR SOUTH INDIAN DANCE FORM IS A 20TH CENTURY RECONSTRUCTION OF CATHIR, THE ART OF TEMPLE DANCERS. CATHIR IN TURN, IS DERIVED FROM ANCIENT DANCE FORMS. BHARATANATYAM IS USUALLY ACCOMPANIED BY THE CLASSICAL CARNATIC MUSIC."
FINALLY, I EXTEND MY BEST WISHES ON BEHALF OF THE ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY AND THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF DURBAN TO OUR NEW GRADUATE AND MAY YOU DANCE AND DANCE AS IF NO ONE IS LOOKING AT YOU.
I THANK ALL OF YOU AND ESPECIALLY LOCHAN AND JULIE NAIDO OF GIVING ME THE HONOUR AND PRIVILEGE OF GRACING THIS CULTURALLY ENRICHING AND COLOURFUL DEMONSTRATION OF CLASSICAL DANCING.
Compiled/researched/written by marlanpadayachee/greengoldafrica communications/for further information/contact pinkynaidoo/marlan.padayachee@greengold.co.za/greengold@telkomsa.net/pnpinkynaidoo@gmail.com/0837961762/0837971762/0312661762/faxmail0866989343/0312669202/www.marlanpadayacehe.com/www.greengoldcom.com/www.leftofwhatsright/blogsite.com
GreenGold – Communicating with Passion Precision & Purpose
MAYOR OF THE ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY, AT THE BHARATHA
NATYAM ARANGETRAM OF NATYAMANNI ANEKA DIVYARUPA
NAIDOO AT THE COAST OF DREAMS, DURBAN EXHIBITION
CENTRE, ON SUNDAY, 28 SEPTEMBER 2008 AT 12H30.
THANK YOU, PROGRAMME DIRECTOR
GOOD AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN AND CHILDREN, DISTINGUISHED DIGNITARIES AND GUESTS OF HONOUR.
THIS WEEK HAS BEEN A MOMENTOUS WEEK IN POLITICS, BUT I CAN ASSURE ALL OF YOU THAT THESE CHANGES ARE AIMED AT PROVIDING A BETTER LIFE FOR ALL.
THIS AFTERNOON, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, MY BRIEF IS TO FOCUS ON THE MOMENTOUS OCCASION OF AN EXTRAORDINARY DANCING CANDIDATE, OUR CENTRE OF ATTRACTION, NATYAMANNI ANEKA DIVYARUPA NAIDOO.
NATYAMANNI IS THE TITLE HER INIMITABLE DANCE TUTOR KUMARI AMBIGAY HAS CONFERRED ON HER AS THE DANCE INSTITUTE'S 97TH GRADUATE.
AS THE YOUNGEST CHILD, SHE WAS NAMED ANEKA DIVYARUPA BY HER PARENTS AND OUR HOSTS, DR LOCHAN NAIDOO AND MRS JULIE NAIDOO.
I HAVE JUST LEARNT THAT HER MIDDLE NAME 'DIVYARUPA' TRANSLATES INTO THE 'MANY DIVINE FORMS OF LORD VISHNU'.
AS MANY HINDUS IN THE AUDIENCE MAY KNOW THE SIGNIFICANCE OF LORD VISHNU, BUT KINDLY ALLOW ME TO HIGHLIGHT WHY OUR LATEST BHARATA-NATYAM GRADUATE WAS NAMED AFTER ONE OF THE GODS OF ANCIENT INDIA.
LORD VISHNU IS THE PRESERVER GOD OF THE TRINITY WITH FOUR HANDS.
THE FIRST HAND HOLDS A CONCH SHELL (SANKHA) INDICATING SPREAD OF THE DIVINE SOUND "OM"; ONE HOLDS A DISCUS (CHAKRA), A REMINDER OF THE WHEEL OF TIME, AND TO LEAD A GOOD LIFE; ONE HOLDS A LOTUS (PADMA) WHICH IS AN EXAMPLE OF GLORIOUS EXISTENCE AND THE FOURTH HANDS HOLDS A MACE (GADA) INDICATING THE POWER AND THE PUNISHING CAPACITY OF THE LORD IF DISCIPLINE IN LIFE IS IGNORED.
THE EQUALLY MULTI-DIMENSIONAL PERSONA AND PROFILE OF LORD VISHNU IS ALSO MIRRORED IN THE FACE OF OUR YOUNG GRADUATE AS SHE CONTINUES TO FASCINATE US WITH THE GRACE AND BEAUTY OF THE ART OF THIS DANCE FORM.
I HAVE ALSO LEARNT THAT LOCHAN AND JULIE NAIDOO FIRMLY BELIEVED THAT IN A RAPIDLY CHANGING WORLD OF CROSS-CULTURAL EXPLOSIONS THAT IMPACT ON OUR YOUNG PEOPLE THAT IT WAS IMPERATIVE THAT THE YOUNGEST SIBLING OF THEIR THREE CHILDREN SHOULD FOLLOW THE ANCIENT PATHWAY OF THE CENTURIES-OLD ART FORM OF BHARATA-NATYAM DANCING.
THEY BELIEVE THAT THIS INTRICATE AND TAXING DANCE FORM TEACHES YOUNG WOMEN LIFE-SKILLS AND CORE VALUES SUCH AS DISCIPLINE, FOCUS, DEDICATION, COURAGE, PERSEVERANCE, RESILIENCE, RIGHT LIVING, PERSONALITY DEVELOPMENT AND RESPECT FOR OTHERS.
I BELIEVE THAT HAVING SUCCESSFULLY UNDERGONE KUMARI AMBIGAY'S RIGOROUS TRAINING, TUTORING AND MENTORING, NATYAMANNI ANEKA DIVYARUPA NAIDOO HAS LEARNT TO PUT HER BEST FOOT FORWARD ON STAGE THIS AFTERNOON.
HENCE THIS WONDERFUL GATHERING OF WITNESSES AT THIS ARANGETRAM – AN OFFICIAL CEREMONY – IN WHICH THE GRADUATE MAKES HER BIG-STAGE DANCING DEBUT TO TEST HER SKILLS AND TECHNIQUE BEFORE ALL OF YOU AS WITNESSES.
THEREFORE YOUR APPROVAL, ENDORSEMENT AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THIS DISPLAY OF DANCING ARE CRUCIAL TO THE DANCER'S FUTURE CAREER-PATHING.
ONCE THIS MONUMENTAL CHALLENGE OF BEING CERTIFIED AS AN EXPONENT OF BHARATA-NATYAM IS OVER, I UNDERSTAND NATYAMANNI ANEKA DIVYARUPA NAIDOO WILL SOON TAKE THE QUANTUM LEAP OF UNDERGOING A SIX-MONTH COURSE WITH THE KUMARI AMBIGAY DANCE INSTITUTE TOWARDS FULFILLING HER DREAM OF BECOMING A FULLY-FLEDGED DANCE TEACHER.
IMAGINE HOW MANY OTHER STARRY-EYED GIRLS ARE GOING TO BENEFIT FROM A NEWLY-QUALIFIED TUTOR?
SINCE BEING IN OFFICE FOR ALMOST TEN YEARS, I HAVE BEEN INVITED TO MANY ARANGETRAMS AND I OFTEN MARVEL AT THE PASSION AND DEDICATION THE GRADUATES DISPLAY ON STAGE.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, IT IS OFTEN A JOY WATCHING THIS VISUALLY STRIKING AND YET ELEGANT DANCE POSES TO SOUND OF LILTING MUSIC AND TUNES.
FOR ALMOST 148 YEARS SINCE WE HAD INHERITED THIS ANCIENT DANCE FROM THE 1860 INDIAN INDENTURED LABOURERS, THE INDIAN COMMUNITY HAS ADDED A SPLASH OF COLOUR AND CULTURAL HERITAGE TO THE CITY OF DURBAN.
THERE ARE MANY CITIES ON CONTINENTAL AFRICA OR THE REST OF THE WORLD THAT ENJOYS THIS MULTICULTURAL DIMENSION.
AS DEPUTY MAYOR OF A GROWING AFRICAN CITY, I AM PROUD OF OUR CULTURAL DIVERSITY THAT HAS ENHANCED OUR STATUS AS A LANDMARK TOURIST DESTINATION WHERE EAST MEETS WEST AGAINST THE TAPESTRY OF AFRICAN AND ISIZULU CULTURE, HISTORY AND LEGACY.
SINCE 1994, MORE AND MORE NON-HINDU DANCERS AND SINGERS HAVE FOUND CULTURAL HOMES IN INDIAN CULTURE AND I TRUST THAT THIS TREND TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE WITH OUR PREVIOUSLY DISADVANTAGED BLACK AFRICAN COMPATRIOTS WILL CONTINUE TO PORTRAY A CROSS-CULTURAL CHOREOGRAPHY OF OUR CULTURAL ASSETS AND HUMAN CAPITAL.
I TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY OF ENCOURAGING PARENTS TO INVEST IN YOUR CHILDREN'S EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES BECAUSE IN ORDER TO DEVELOP FUTURE LEADERS THERE HAS TO BE THE COMPONENT OF ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND PROWESS IN ARTS AND CULTURE AND SPORTS.
ON THIS GRAND AND JOYOUS OCCASION OF NATYAMANNI ANEKA DIVYARUPA'S PUBLIC DANCE DEBUT, I AM REMINDED ABOUT A PAPER DELIVERED BY RENOWNED SCHOLAR AND EXPONENT NIRMALA RAMACHANDRAN ON 'CLASSICAL DANCE OF ANCIENT TAMILS' AT THE MUSIC & DANCE FIRST INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE SEMINAR OF TAMIL STUDIES
KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA, IN 1966.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, SHE TOLD HER AUDIENCE: "BHARATANATYAM IS A CLASSICAL DANCE FORM ORIGINATING IN TAMIL NADU, A STATE IN SOUTH INDIA. THIS POPULAR SOUTH INDIAN DANCE FORM IS A 20TH CENTURY RECONSTRUCTION OF CATHIR, THE ART OF TEMPLE DANCERS. CATHIR IN TURN, IS DERIVED FROM ANCIENT DANCE FORMS. BHARATANATYAM IS USUALLY ACCOMPANIED BY THE CLASSICAL CARNATIC MUSIC."
FINALLY, I EXTEND MY BEST WISHES ON BEHALF OF THE ETHEKWINI MUNICIPALITY AND THE PEOPLE OF THE CITY OF DURBAN TO OUR NEW GRADUATE AND MAY YOU DANCE AND DANCE AS IF NO ONE IS LOOKING AT YOU.
I THANK ALL OF YOU AND ESPECIALLY LOCHAN AND JULIE NAIDO OF GIVING ME THE HONOUR AND PRIVILEGE OF GRACING THIS CULTURALLY ENRICHING AND COLOURFUL DEMONSTRATION OF CLASSICAL DANCING.
Compiled/researched/written by marlanpadayachee/greengoldafrica communications/for further information/contact pinkynaidoo/marlan.padayachee@greengold.co.za/greengold@telkomsa.net/pnpinkynaidoo@gmail.com/0837961762/0837971762/0312661762/faxmail0866989343/0312669202/www.marlanpadayacehe.com/www.greengoldcom.com/www.leftofwhatsright/blogsite.com
GreenGold – Communicating with Passion Precision & Purpose
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