Bharatanatyam Bhakta Guru M.K.Saroja

This book is a simple history of the life and dance art of Guru M. K. Saroja. the unpretentious doyenne of Bharatanatyam.(India Today, 25 Jan.,(1999).
Her over 70 years of dancing life is captured through thousands of photographs, of which 350 have been chosen to bring out the beauty of Bharatanatyam as it grew and flowers in the last century. It also shows how costumes, concepts and contexts evolved.
M. K. Sarojas art of Bharatanatyam was a gift of her guru, Vidwan Muthukumaran pillai, who also trained Ram Gopal, Mrinalini Sarabhai, Nala Najan and was the first resident guru at Kalakshetra Darpana.
Guru M. K. Saroja remains the last exclusive exponent of her gurus style when it was still a temple art. She is one of the most respect Bharatanatyam artistes of our times.
For Guru Saroja, the debate about secular art and religious art is irrelevant. For her, Bharatanatyam is an article of faith in Divinity. It cannot be anything else. (The Hindu 29 Dec., 2000).
Her third son, Ashish Khokar, reputed critic-historian and editor-publisher of attendance (Indias yearbook on dance) and EKAH BIOS, has put this book together, in her words as told to him. This book is timely as she has been awarded the Legends of India award.
About the Author
Ashish Mohan Khokar has over 30 years of varied experience in arts education and cultural fields. A products of Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan, St. Stephens and The Hindu College, Delhi University, He is undertaking his Ph.D. in cultural Policy.
He served the Delhi State Akademi (1984-86); Festival of India in France (1985); Sweden (1986-87); Germany (1990) and Chain (1991) and INTACH (1989-91) under Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhis chairmanship and Martand Singh.