[Nakrabm]

Dear Mamata,
Your delightful gift and note arrived safely.

I treasure your book with its DVD. What a prodigious undertaking. To be inspired by the Saint Saens composition “carnival of the animals” is one thing; to have it fully realized in the manner you chose makes it a complete work of art and, I am sure, a labour of love.

I have only a passing acquaintance with Indian music and dance, but your intention and wishes for “Shishu Sadhana” to be taught and performed by children having been made clear to me through your book and the teachers’ words in the DVD, I can believe it will have a bright future wherever Bharata Natya is studied. Congratulations!

Thank you for the delightful hours you have given me and my friends and for sallowing me to know you a little better as an artist.

Best wishes,
Muriel

[Nakrabm]

Dear Mrs. Niyogi-Nakra,
Congratulations on this creative and imaginative project of Shishu Sadhana. I have gone through the book and watched the DVD. It was a quick first scan and I will go through it again and watch it more closely. I loved the ideas that you have worked out into a complete set of dances for children. It was such an inspiration. You even thought of noting down the lyrics and their meaning in the book.

It is truly wonderful that you share your ideas and work with the rest of the dance world to promote dance and inspire others. This gesture of sharing is a great example in itself and I appreciate it deeply.

Shishu Sadhana seems like an exciting stepping stone for children towards the existing more difficult ones.

I smiled reading Prof. Yashpal’s question “if you could make senior citizen items”. I might use the Jatiswaram for one 56 year old student since she has trouble learning long items. I could also relate to Renu Chitra’s comment of her body telling her to get up to start learning these items. I admire what you have done in creating and sharing Shishu Sadhana so generously.

Since we don’t have a large Indian community in Holland and not enough musicians for dance recitals, I was wondering if the music for the items of Shishu Sadhana is available on CD? This way I can let the children perform after they have learnt these items.

Let me end here by wishing you the best of health and many more wonderful ideas.
Thank you for sharting this with all of us.

Warmest wishes,
Gita Mehta

[Nakrabm]

Dear Dr. Mamata,
Greetings and blessings from the west coast of this vast land!

Two weeks ago when visiting Montreal Vincent Warren enthusiastically shared some new books with me in his grand library. “You must see this” he exclaimed, passing me your Shishu Sadhana. Bless his heart, he had the DVD in place and there I viewed your fine contribution to the pedagogy of Bharata Natya for children. Then he slipped away to print an invitation to your event of May 29. Sadly, I could not stay longer in Montreal to attend and to personally express my appreciation for your work and generosity in sharing your work.

Cultivating the dramatic aspect of dance is so important …and so much fun. Your pieces I could see are appealing to both children and adults. I would cherish a copy of the DVD and the music, for the little ones at the door out here.

I did have a lovely conversation with Jaya Chawla, and there is a great common ground. Dance is my passion (classically trained in Montreal), medicine is my vocation: children’s development and psychiatry. Bharata Natya combines the essence of all in one.

Your Jai Govinda was well trained! And continues to live the dance and I have heard of you for a long time.

I hope to hear from you. Dr. Kothari is speaking in Vancouver June 11, so that will be interesting, and maybe I will get a feedback from him of the 29th. What a surprise to learn of the Vancouver event upon my return. It is a sign of the artist when the heart is generous. Thank you for spending so much time, effort and determination to make your DVD and now give it to others.

Blessings and all good wishes,

Dr. Sydney Price Sparling.

[Nakrabm]

Thank you for sharing Shishu Sadhana with us.
Anjali and I watched it together and enjoyed it thoroughly. I have to admit that after the Tillana I went straight to the Varna because I was very curious how you would make it child-friendly – I loved it !

Congratulations on your success. I look forward to seeing it performed by Kala Bharati students one day.
Love,
Rajni

[Nakrabm]

I feel you have accomplished an achievement with the new children’s repertoire. Shishu Sadhana is indeed a very unique repertoire – one that is fun yet challenging for children. As always your hard work has shone through and your attention to every detail, from the dance movements, chronology, music and sketches, is impeccable. It was nice to see so many familiar faces take part in the DVD and hear their comments about the repertoire.

I wish you continued success as your footprints are imprinted around the globe – as this repertoire is shared/ taught to young dance students across the world.
Love ,

Ritu

[Nakrabm]

Dearest Mamata,

After a long time I find the space to write to you about Sishu sadhana
I watched this beautiful piece again yesterday for my pleasure.
I feel you found a simple yet powerful way to convey dance to the children
The dancer is so good and what I apprieciate is the clacissism of your work.
It's important to stress this fact because though as you know I am a "researcher"
of new forms.But as I feel clacssism should be preserved and not mixed.
It is very satisfiing to the mind, very calm and centering in a period of time that is so agitated.
And your students discussing are so fresh.
Thank you Mamata, for this beautiful piece of creation.

I look forward to collaborate with you in future with great joy.

Much love,
Shakuntala

[Nakrabm]

Dear Mamataji,

Thanks very much for sending the book and DVD on time. I got a glance at the presentation and appreciate the amount of work and planning which have gone into this production. I also see the considerable amount of co-ordination between the dedicated team on how much to present. All in all, you have to be commended for the excellent selection of pieces. Like many others, I loved the little padam on dolls.

I got to mention about the work at my presentation yesterday at the Westford museum and stirred a bit of questions on this line as to how we teach to portray emotions.

The one small comment from me is that I'd have loved to see a child performing the items instead of a grown-up. May be, if and when you have a continuation of this, you'd consider that.

Again, wonderful work and will await to hear on more.
Jeyanthi.

[Nakrabm]

Dear Mamataji,
Thank you for the Greetings. I also wish you many more years of service to the dance world.

I am sorry I did not respond earlier. I saw Sishu Sadhana and it was a very creative and thought provoking project. Yes, It is child friendly and you have done a much wanted service in this area. I liked the ideas and the dancing too. The only suggestion I had was to see a teacher teaching it to a child and a child doing it on the DVD so that we can all see the fruition of this project from a child's perpective.

I wanted your permission to use the music in one of my upcoming programs. Please let me know if it is possible. I would like to hear from you as soon as possible.

Thank you and with my best regards,

Sujatha Srinivasan

[Nakrabm]

Dear Mamataji,

Namaste. Firstly I want to thank you for making it to ISHWARA amidst your busy schedule in Kolkata & would like your comments on the presentation.

But the true reason for writing to you is to thank you for not only sharing your exquisite piece of work “SHISHU SADHANA” but also sharing with us the very personal creative process. (I have just finished reading the book & also watched the DVD.) The metaphor of the potter’s wheel, the clay & the pot are just apt to describe it.

I was deeply touched by the thought & hard-work that went into the making of this repertoire. More than anything else I think it is the fruit of a very compassionate heart.

As I pondered over what I had read & seen, I realized how relevant this whole exercise is. In my many years of teaching there have been times when I have felt stuck for want of a more appropriate item ( theme/ rasa ) for a child (8- !5 yrs.) . Thank you once again.

What I really appreciated is the light & playful mood of the items which makes it so easy to get the child involved in the story & identify with it. I particularly enjoyed the Varna, Pada (Meri Chitti ) & the Tillana & will like to teach this repertoire to my children here. It has also inspired me to think on similar lines especially the choreography. (How about something on Ganapati? He is so childlike & lovable! ) .Thank you soooo much for these moments of Zen!!

Mamataji, it was a pleasure meeting you & I do hope that in my endeavor to take my Guru’s work across, I will have an opportunity to work & share with you & Kala Bharti insights of a great master.

Please do keep in touch.

Love & Pranaams,

Prakriti.

(09322668144)



N.B Congratulations for the very very aesthetic presentation of the book. I have passed on one copy to Deepak.

[Nakrabm]

I received your book "Shishu Sadhana" and the letter. I express my heartfelt gratitude for that. Words cannot express my feelings as I read the book and watched the DVD. It was as if I was transported to this wonderful and colorful story book land. My children too were fascinated with the dance and the music. I think children will be so excited to learn these items and perform them. Congratulations to you and your team for creating such a wonderful project.

Regards.
Arathi Narayan.