Where My Dance Found Its Soul
I come from a humble place called Jamkhandi, a small town where dreams are modest but hearts are mighty. It was in this quiet corner of the world that my journey with dance took its first breath—not as an extracurricular activity, but as a sacred calling whispered to my soul.
I was around nine when the universe decided to bless me with a life-altering meeting. That blessing came in the form of Vidushi Jayashree Nayak, my Guru. A graceful woman from Sirsi, residing in Ramdurga, she entered my life not as a teacher, but as destiny wrapped in a gentle smile.
I still remember that moment vividly. She looked at me—not just with her eyes, but with her heart. She smiled, called me close, seated me on her lap, and asked softly, “Will you dance?”
That simple question… changed everything.
Until then, dance was just a delight. But in that instant, it became the language of my being, the pulse of my purpose. Under her nurturing gaze, I didn’t just learn to move—I learned to feel. Every step became an offering. Every gesture, a prayer.
What makes her divine in my eyes is not just her mastery of art, but her unmatched generosity of spirit. Despite her immense knowledge and experience, she never accepted a single rupee for my training—not for classes, not even for the rigorous dance exams. Every time my father insisted, she would fold her hands and say,
“Your dance is my Guru Dakshina. Nothing more. Nothing else.”
How does one even begin to repay such selfless love?
To me, she is more than a teacher—she is my second mother, my spiritual guide. Before every performance, it was her hands that draped my costume, her eyes that scanned every detail, her voice that filled me with courage. She poured her soul into me, again and again, never once asking for anything in return.
Even today, though miles apart, her care finds me—like a silent blessing that wraps around me just when I need it most. She checks in on me not out of duty, but from a deep maternal love that only a true Guru-Maa can embody.
There are moments when a quiet ache fills my heart—for I’ve never been able to give her anything. No gift, no gesture ever feels worthy. But she would never accept anything anyway. “You are my child,” she would say. “That is enough.”
In a world driven by transaction, her love was unconditional. In a time obsessed with achievement, she taught me devotion. In a society that often forgets gratitude, she modeled grace.
To be bound by the invisible thread of a Guru-Shishya bond is no less than a sacred blessing. It is not made of contracts or coins—but of shraddha, seva, and surrender.
If today I stand strong, if I dance with heart, if I carry light in my eyes—it is because she first lit the lamp within me.
I bow down to her—not just with folded hands, but with a soul soaked in reverence.
To my Guru, my guiding star, my silent strength—my eternal gratitude.
If every teacher nurtures the qualities of care and compassion, we can all become role models for the world. By embracing such values, we take a step forward in building a better and more harmonious society.
