Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Jul 22: Legendary danseuse and dance teacher Jayalakshmi Alva passed away late night on Tuesday July 21. She was 82.

Alva, who had once been described as 'Saraswati incarnate' by Dr Padma Subramanyam, was an embodiment of the true essence of classical dance form. She arrived into the scene way back in 1948 and has since dedicated her life to preserve the art.

Born in 1933, Alva hailed from Kumbakonam, Tamil Nadu and married Mangalurean artist Ramakrishna Alva.

She learnt Bharatnatyam under the tutelage of Dandayudhapani Pillai. Her other teachers were Mathi Swarnam Saraswati, Gowri Ammal and Karunakar Panikkar.

In 1959, she started Chithrambala Dance Centre in Mumbai (then Bombay). She later relocated to Mangaluru and started the Sridevi Nrithya Kendra in 1974, where she trained scores of students in Bharatnatyam in its purest form. Her long list of disciples included greats like Sonal Mansingh and actress Waheeda Rehman, who she considered a favourite among her students.

She propogated the Abhinaya School of Swarnam Saraswati and Gowri Ammal, and was responsible for reviving and preserving traditional forms of Bharatnatyam. She also produced and choreographed a number of dance ballets like 'Chitrambala Kuruvanji', 'Krishna Tulabharam', 'Nritya Govindam' and 'Panchakanya'.

For her immense contribution to the field of classical dance, she was awarded the Rajyotsava Award, the Natyarani Shanthala Award, Nrithyakala Shiromani by Karnataka Nrithya Kala Parishad, Karnataka Kala Tilaka by the Karnataka Sangitha Academy, the Sandesha Award and many more.

Her daughter Dr Arathi Shetty and granddaughter Satvika have followed in her footsteps in taking the dance form forward.

Apart from her daughter, she is survived by her son Amar Alva.

The final rites will be held on Wednesday July 22 evening.