3M With Shantha : Mobile App Series 21 – Banis

3M With Shantha : Mobile App Series 21 – Banis

It was one of those evenings when Shantha and Ram sat across from each other, microphones ready, eager to explore the Banis of Bharatanatyam. Ram leaned forward with curiosity, wondering aloud how one could explain that Bani was more than style—it was identity, lineage, and history.

Shantha smiled as she compared Banis to dialects of a language, the same grammar but different accents, each carrying the signature of its guru. Ram reflected on why dancers held so tightly to Banis when dance itself was universal. Shantha responded with warmth, noting that Pandanallur was graceful, Thanjavur majestic, and Kalakshetra sharply geometric—each with its own soul.

Ram teased about needing a style gentle on the knees, and Shantha playfully suggested Mysore Bani, fluid and lyrical, with space for abhinaya. Their laughter softened into reflection as Ram pondered whether dancers of today blended Banis freely. Shantha observed that while purists feared dilution, others saw evolution, for tradition must breathe to survive.

As the conversation reached its close, Shantha chose to step aside and let the masters speak for themselves. The Mysore Bani guru’s voice entered, gentle and flowing, describing dance like a river where abhinaya rose from the heart and every gesture breathed softness.

Then the Kalakshetra guru spoke, measured and crisp, emphasizing sharp lines, precise geometry, and a stage presence rooted in discipline.
The two perspectives stood in striking contrast—fluidity and precision, softness and control. Listeners could sense how each Bani preserved a unique legacy, equal in depth though different in expression.

Through their voices, the Banis of Bharatanatyam came alive, timeless yet ever evolving.