When, dancers Roja Kannan, Jayanthi Subramaniam and Bragha Besell decided to celebrate their guru's birthday, they chose a thematic dance presentation of Thiruppavai and Thiruvempavai.
Before the dance, Lakshman's son L. Baba Prasad screened a short documentary on Adyar K. Lakshman. The longer version will soon be available, he says.
Following the dance, the felicitations to the guru were offered. Along with him, his brothers K. Rama Rao, K. Gopinath, his sister Nagamani Srinivasa Rao and wife Vasantha Lakshman were also honoured.
Among the felicitators was another student Anita Ratnam, who has now moved on to a different style called Neo Classical Bharatham. She remembered her guru as the one who guided her in her early days. Prof. Sudharani Raghupathy shared how as a team Lakshman, Madurai N. Krishnan and she herself grew against many odds. Nandini Ramani, a disciple of T. Balasaraswathi also felicitated Adyar Lakshman.From the audience dance guru Kalanidhi Narayanan wanted to say a few good words about Lakshman. She said it was he who sent his students to her first and made her come back to teaching abhinaya after a long hiatus.
All of them had something common to say. It was that Lakshman Sir cracks best 'kadi' jokes and is a witty person.
But Guru Adyar Lakshman had just a word and that is for Kalakshtra. He said he owes all that what he is now to Kalakshetra which made him the person he is.
He also remembered Rukmini Devi Arundale, who made him decide between Cricket and dance overnight and helped him choose the right path.
The function though longdrawn, was enjoyable with anecdotes from all on stage and off stage.
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