Keeping the tradition alive

In a world where the priorities of the youth bear influences from the western world, be it the attire, music, movies, dance, we have a 21-year old Puneite who still feels that clinging on to the traditions and being connected to grassroots enables one to attain perfection.
Ayesha Kias is a 21-year old Bharat Natayam dancer who completed her graduation in the intricate dance format this year.  Dainik Jagran caught up with her on Sunday evening at Tilak Smarak Mandir, where she was felicitated with her degree.
"Bharat Natyam is one of those classical dance formats that keeps me tied to my roots. No matter how 'western' we go, our traditions make us what we are today," says the aspiring dancer who feels that the youth today are not being able to adapt to their own culture.
Trained at Nupur Bharatnatyam Dance Academy, Ayesha considers her guru Charmaine Ann Lazeres as her second mother. "In the last ten years, she has taken great pain to nurture and equip me with the skills of the dance. I am indebted to her for what I am today," says Ayesha who plans to be connected to the dance format to the end of her life. "Someday, I too would like to be a dance teacher and pay homage to the dance I learnt by teaching it to others," she reflects.
Another pride she takes is in being one of those rare Parsis who practice Bharat Natyam. "Being a Zoroastrian, I am one of those rare people who practice the dance format. This makes me feel really special," she smiles.
Ask her about her career goals, Ayesha, an NIBM Road resident of Surya Apartment, replies spontaneously that she wants to become a physiotherapist. "Though dance is my passion, I want to pursue physiotherapy as my career goal," she said. She is currently a second year physiotherapy student of DES College.
—Anuj Ismail