'Fine arts will reduce mental stress'

''Fine arts will reduce mental stress and strain, improve memory power and concentration in studies. So, parents should encourage their kids to learn anyone of the fine arts and practice it in day to day  life,'' said K Jayasudha, renowned bharathanatyam exponent and head of Kalavrudhi, a school to teach Bharathanatyam, Carnatic Vocal, Drawing, Hindi, Sanskrit, Abacus etc. 

She qualified in MSc (Biotech), MPhil, MFA (Bharathanatyam) in Kalaikaveri College affiliated to BU, MBA, Diploma in Bio-Process Technology, Certificate in Tissue Culture, Diploma in Carnatic Music of Directorate of Technical Education, PG Diploma in Yoga. 

From the age of 7, she started learning bharatham under Mrs.Ramya Shivaramakrishnan, Vaidegi Ravi and Nagai Balakumar. After her arangetram she also trained under Kalaimamani Mrs. Prema Jagadessan who is a direct disciple of Vazhuvoor Ramaiah Pillai and performed her dance in Chidambaram Natyanjali, Nagai, Thirunallaru, Thiruveezhimizhalai Guruvayur, Tiruchi and in various temples in Chennai and Thiruvadhirai Kali in Onam celebrations. She and her students has performed with thousands of students to ensure Guinness Book of Records. She also learnt Mohiniyattam under Kalamadalam Saraswati teacher and Kalaimamani Gopika Varma and also worked with Kalaimamani Anita Ratnam in her productions.

She says "There is no end to the art. So, even now, I am learning Mohiniattam.  Out of my interest on Science, I studied MSc, MPhil and served as assistant Prof in Maharaja College, Perundurai. After marriage, I went to Chennai and served as dance teacher in many schools and then started teaching it through online to students of  Dubai, Norway, Singapore, South Africa etc and also offline in Chennai and Erode'' Jayasudha said.

During corona period, she came to Erode with husband Jayadevan and 2 sons to look after her aged parents-renowned lawyer KKM Kesavan-Savithri, founder president of Erode SPSS and now she manages her classes in Erode and travels to Chennai monthly once to give personal training for her students in Chennai.  Jayadevan, a sound engineer, is also teaching vocal to students along with her as he studied carnatic music fully in traditional manner, apart from looking after his business.

Her bharathanatyam is in the advt video of TN Tourism Development Corporation to promote TN's cultural heritage. Arangetram of over 50 students of her was held so far. Over 700 students studied various fine arts and now over 100 were studying, including many boys, under her. Significantly, many women above 30 to 60 were also learning bharatham through online and offline under her on the ground of that they didn't get a chance to learn it during childhood.

''Many wanted their girl children to learn bharatham for name sake. If the learners practice it regularly for at least half an hour a day in their homes, the mental stress and strain, overweight, knee joint pains, diabetes, BP like problems could be averted.  But, unfortunately, many ignore our traditional art and go to gyms by spending money, watch films, TV, involve in computer games etc which could not ensure physical or mental peace. 

 Her son Badrinath studying 4th std is learning  mridangam and vocal,

''My future plan is to join with my bharatham knowing friends to create a dance drama troupe comprising my students, to stage public performances, and thus further promote the fine art among students as they are overburdened with studies without physical exercise, which increases their mental stress'', she added.