Pursuing dance and unending education

Savithiri began studying Bharat Natyamat the age of six in her primary school, but when she shifted to high school, dance was not offered there. So she approached Thamarai coordinator Bridget, who arranged ongoing dance classes for Savithiri and other girls at Thamarai. “I love to perform in Bharat Nivas,” says Savithiri animatedly. “That’s my passion, my hobby, my love, everything.”

At that time, Thamarai was located in a large old house in Edaiyanchavadi, and Savithiri participated in all the after-school activities, learning “unique things” such as karate, dance, music and drama, that made her “different” from other girls in her school. “This was a gift to make me multi-talented and to help my confidence, so I see my life as something different. I want to be independent, to do what I want to do. My family gives me freedom to explore my life.”

Savithiri was attending a Tamil-medium government school during the day, and she points out how Thamarai offered her the chance to improve her “poor” English. “Earlier, if someone asked a question in English, I was afraid. So, when I started at Thamarai, I practised every day by asking the facilitator for some materials. Day by day, I learnt better English. This also gave me confidence.”

When she graduated from high school with good marks, Savithiri wanted to pursue dancing as a profession, but she eventually chose engineering. “I had the opportunity to become a professional dancer, but in our society dance is not welcomed as a profession. I stopped dancing when I joined college, because it was fixed in my mind that I could only do one thing at a time. But I discovered later it was not true! After finishing college, I joined an Auroville dance group.”

Savithiri began work in an Auroville construction company after graduation, but after seven months she decided she had had enough. “I did not feel happy. I wanted to dance.” By this time, Thamarai had established an after-school centre in Annai Nagar village, on the northern side of Auroville, and Savithiri was invited to join the team as a facilitator. “I enjoy seeing each child in Thamarai getting a taste of the possibilities, and it takes me back to my childhood. So I choose to do this.” 

Savithiri’s job involves facilitating the different activities in Thamarai, including homework support. She talks animatedly of her love for maths, and how she tries to teach it to the Thamarai students in a fresh way. “In my childhood, I learnt that if I mug up, I can pass the exams. But learning maths that way is not going to help me in my life, unless I understand how to use the concept. So, I like to ask the children about each thing they’re learning: ‘How can you use it in your daily life?’ I would like to see each child be independent in future, and to understand how they can apply their studies to life in a practical way.”

Leadership trainer Monica Sharma’s workshops in recent years have also been a significant influential factor in Savithiri’s life, especially for learning problem-solving.”

For example, I can’t change my mum’s mind, but I can change myself. So rather than thinking, ‘Oh, I can’t change it,’ I can see it as a problem I can solve. That gave me a broader vision.”  

Savithiri also cites learning meditation as a difficult and “big” thing in her life. “I learnt how to be still for a few minutes without making a background conversation, and to see my body and to give some time to my space... I can do five minutes now, but before I couldn’t do it at all!”

Savithiri talks of Auroville as a place that provides “space and support” where she can pursue her goals and career “peacefully”. “My job in Thamarai does not feel like a 9-5 job,” she explains.”I can tell Bridget the things I don’t want to do in my job, and I can renegotiate with her, which I can’t do in an outside job. The culture is like that.”

She points to the way in which talk of marriage looms for village girls from around the age of 20 onwards (she is 24 now), but she has different ideas. “I have the confidence to speak to my family powerfully, and to say: ‘I want to achieve something before marriage.’” Savithiri points to the need to give children the freedom to follow their passions, while also cultivating a responsible attitude. “If my mum had given me permission to continue dance, maybe I would have achieved more by now. Because of society, I could not achieve that. I would want my own child to understand their own wishes and talent, and to encourage them to explore that.” 

But she also acknowledges, that – relative to many young women in her village – she has had a certain amount of freedom, due to being the youngest daughter in the family. “I feel my elder sister sacrificed her life to give me an opportunity. I learned everything from her. She learned dance, but now she is married and she has to cook all day Sunday, while I spend the day at dance classes and other activities. She could not spend as much time studying for her bachelor degree, because she had to do all the housework. I learned from her how to face problems, but I got more space than her to try out things. If there are two children, they should have an equal chance.”

Savithiri concludes that while her work makes her happy – “the students are the future”– her “biggest challenge” lies in the village. “They have a mindset that people can learn only from elders. But I also learn from children. However, it’s a challenge to explain that in the village where I’m living.”