An epitome of beauty and brain

When she expressed her desire to take up dance full time, quitting her job, it was met with some resistance at home. “They know all the things that can go wrong in the arts field!” she laughs.Being the daughter of Kalaimamani Thiru, Leo Prabhu,who  is a dramatist and cine actor  it might look like arts was the natural option for her. But, that was not the case saysSmt.L.Murugashankari B.Tech,PGDBA, M.F.A (Bharatanatyam),the University rank holder in Chemical Engineering. 

 she enrolled into the Masters program in Bharatanatyam in Madras University and now a Junior Research Fellow, she is also doing her Ph.D. from the same university. She also took formal training in Carnatic music and Natuvangam, which are crucial for any dancer to take a step up as a teacher. Kalaikoodam, which means the centre for arts, is the name of the academy she runs in two venues, with over 30 students. Teaching has been a very enriching experience for her. She quips, “I never knew I had so much patience!!! Teaching has made me learn so much more, as I need to keep myself updated to answer the various kinds of doubts the students ask.” Her students have also performed their Arangetrams, and she says choreographing for them has been very enjoyable. A dancer, who knows her responsibility, she does not go outside the boundaries of tradition, but tries to be innovative within them. 

She has recently done her debut in acting, in a play written by her father, who is known for his natural acting, and the experience was very fulfilling, she says. “My training in dance helped me a lot as I know my body-language and am not shy on the stage, but voicing the dialogues was the biggest challenge,” she says re-counting her rehearsals and training sessions. “But just like with a new choreography, the role and the part too grow in you and the 3rd time we performed the play, I was satisfied with what I did on stage.” 

Having performed at various venues across the country and quite a few abroad, she says that the scenario outside Chennai is quite good too, contrary to the popular belief. “Performing in Chennai gives a dancer the maximum exposure one can get, and also confidence, if one manages to impress, but I performed at many venues outside Chennai too, and was very happy to perform there too. They respect artists, take care of them and also pay,” she laughs. “This field, the dance field, is like just others in the economic angle. One has to invest first, and only then can one reap any benefits from it.” This is the practical side of Murugashanakari, where she logically puts it without any qualms, that it is only through teaching that a dancer can earn bread and butter. 

A recipient of many awards and titles, among which are Natya Kala Vipanchee, Naattiya Thilakam and Nritya Siromani, these have only made her more humble and not think beyond the next performance. “It is the today and now that matters,” signs off Shankari, with a laugh and a spirit, with which she throws herself into everything that she does.

cops needed at this junction

The Medavakam tank road- ESI junction is badly in need of a cop for the smooth movement of traffic in this junction.

With increasing traffic and metro works going on, Chennai has witnessed a lot of traffic changes in the past 3 years. Many roads have been made one ways, too many diversions and barricades being placed at junctions during peak hours.

The Medavakam tank Rd- ESI junction  is quite crowded. Due to its close proximity to new avadi road,pursawalkam,ayanavaram and kellys , motorists flood this route. This junction normally used to remain closed with barricades because of the heavy traffic.  With numerous requests from people around this area, the cops decided to keep the barricades away except for peak hours, i.e. 5p.m-8p.m. Though it was a noble gesture from the traffic cops, it later turned out to be a mess. But now the  barricades and medians across the entire stretch s removed as the ambulances used to find it difficult to reach the hospital in case of emergencies. though the removal of barricade was useful the junction becomes cramped as there is no proper  traffic management .

As a result accidents and altercations became a daily routine. One of the motorist who works in ESI hospital says

 “ I take this route daily and often happen to see someone or else having arguments , it is of great public nuisance”.  Absence of cops further escalated the issues.  One of the shopkeeper having his shop nearby says “we have been making repeated requests to the traffic police to do something about this issue ”

Presence of a cop to control the traffic at this junction could be a boon to the motorists taking this road.