Standing strong with grace, at 82, Purnima Ghosh is a respected name in the world of dance. Her love affair with dance started at the tender age of six and continues uninterrupted, despite various storms that life threw at her. What makes her dance unique is her creative presentation of the forms she mastered over the years and what inspires is her warm and indomitable spirit to teach and spread the knowledge amongst those who desire to learn this craft. Her daughter Chandreyee though has not followed in her footsteps to pursue dance, channels the same resolution and is invincible in her profession of acting, which she has been passionately pursuing for years across mediums. A t2 chat with the mother-daughter duo:
How many years has it been that you are actively pursuing dance?
Purnima: I first performed on stage when I was six years old. Ashoktaru Bandyopadhyay and Suchitra Mitra used to perform it and I used to stand there on stage with them. After completing school, I did not enter college because I was too focussed on dance. My father told me that since I didn’t pursue studies I have to do the dance well. I trained in Manipuri, Bharatanatyam and Kathak from the pioneers of these forms in Calcutta. Then I focussed on Rabindra nritya and Kandy and Java. I like to add my own creativity to the dance I do. After I got married, I joined Surangama in 1962 and I am still there as a teacher.
What keeps you motivated to pursue your career actively?
Young children, mothers and aged women when they call and tell me that I inspire them, that inspires me. I really take care of myself. Recently after my dance was aired on a reality show, my neighbours asked me how I dance like this at 81. My daabwala asked me if he should eat warm water and nuts like I do, will it help him cure his pain? (Laughs) My daabwala and tea owner, when they are able to recognise me, it really motivates me. I do it with a lot of joy. I love to teach.
How do you look at motherhood?
When I brought up my daughters, it was a crisis moment in my life. Our daughters were studying in Modern High School for Girls. To maintain that I had to struggle a lot as a mother. I am so happy that I could go ahead with them. Both my daughters are sensible. And I have been able to overcome it well. But I don’t look back. I always try to keep myself happy from within. That’s the best therapy.
What is that one thing that motherhood gave you?
I am glad that I got these two daughters. They understand me. They have no demands. I have brought them up differently. Despite doing all my work, I never gave my motherhood duties to someone else. I took them to school and dropped them. I fed them but I never compromised on what I had to do. I feel the child grows differently that way. They have a different emotional growth that way. They do so much for me. I am very lucky.
Do you recall any challenging moments in being a mother and simultaneously pursuing your career?
My husband was trapped financially and I had to survive that with my two daughters. People now ask me how did I do it. To maintain my girls’ education and the standard of life we lived was difficult.
What does dancing mean to you?
Everything. If I hadn’t been a dancer, I would have been nothing. I am very thankful that my parents did not force me to do or learn anything else. It comes before anything in my life.
One thing you like about Chandreyee’s acting:
I have no regret that Chandreyee did not take up dancing. Acting comes to her naturally. She does it passionately. When I do Manipuri, Kandy or Bharatanatyam… I do what that dance requires. It will never feel that a Manipuri dancer is doing Bharatanatyam. I think Chandreyee is much like that. She portrays all her characters so well. From being a wicked woman to any other role. Our maids couldn’t go to the market to buy vegetables because of how wicked she was seen on screen in one of her characters! (Laughs) She does it very passionately.
Can you recall one incident that made you feel very proud as her mother?
She had just started acting. She did a film called Mahulbanir Sereng and she got a BFJ award for that. It was amazing. She got the most promising actress award from BFJA. It was a great honour. The selection board had famous people like Chidananda Dasgupta.
One thing you like to do together?
We talk for two minutes and start our fights within the next five minutes (laughs). But I still cook her food by myself every day before she leaves for her shooting. The mother’s touch stays there. I really like to dress up. If she buys some cosmetics or something like that I feel very excited about it.
Did you ever guide her professionally?
She is very quiet as a person. And she decides well. She takes the right decisions always.
What kind of a mother has she been to you?
Chandreyee: Where she had to be strict, she was strict. Where she had to pamper, she pampered, and most importantly, she always tried to understand what I wanted to do. Both my parents were extremely supportive, I always got guidance and freedom. She taught me to be disciplined. We received a very balanced parenthood from them and I have always seen her perform also. The way she managed everything is wonderful. I have seen her through different stages of my life, through difficulties. My utmost inspiration is my mother.
What were your growing-up years like with a working mother at home?
Actually, ma wasn’t like 24×7 involved in work. She always balanced it out. Even if she had students back to back, she used to do all her work and then do that. And we were never brought up with the idea that a mother has to be there 24×7 in the family. From a very early age, I have learnt from her how to put family and career on the same platter.
Do you remember the feeling of watching her dance on stage as a child?
I was extremely shy and introverted. When I used to accompany ma as a child for her shows, I used to sit in the green room and used to love it. I used to be pretty awestruck by it. She is my mother but she is also an artiste. That transformation from knowing her as my mother to seeing her transform into another character used to be very inspiring. I always thought of being an actor but never had anyone in the family to help me or look up to. Dance in a way is acting, so when I used to see her perform. I think that was the start of my aspiration, too…
Didn’t you ever want to pursue dance?
I learnt a little bit but I told her that I don’t enjoy this. My elder sister (Oindrila) is a very good dancer. When I told her that I didn’t want to, she was okay with it.
What is that one advice that she gave you that stayed with you forever?
She has given me a lot of advice, which may not have registered then but later I have always realised that she was right. When we were going through a tough time, I saw her put up with everything with a lot of positivity. And I think that is very important. There was not one moment when she would express that times are difficult. But it is not that she used to pretend that everything is hunky-dory. She used to make us aware of the reality and still face it with a positive attitude.
One thing you admire about her as a dancer:
Firstly, she is an extremely disciplined person. And, when she is playing a character, like Shyama or a woman who is going through relationship turmoil, her passion, her expression and body language have nothing to do with her age.
We all have that moment of epiphany where we thank heavens for the mothers we have. Do you recall such a moment?
There is not one. Every day I have many. My mother is like my lastmoment.com for me! (Laughs) People say I am very good at multitasking but now I feel that probably I saw my mother do it so well that it inspired me in a good way.
One thing you would like to do for her:
I really wanted to surprise her by dancing something for her. When I am in character I can do it but other than that I can’t motivate myself enough to do it. So, not happening. (Laughs) Secondly, I thought I would cook good dishes for her but I don’t think that will happen either. But the last thing I am doing and I am halfway through it, so I think that will be possible. (Laughs) I am making a stole for her with kantha stitch work.
One value she inculcated in you that you are thankful for:
To respect work and even if you don’t like somebody, to maintain a cordial relationship with that person. With such busy lives what is that one thing that connects you all? We get very less time together. Sometimes when we are at home and ma is performing, maybe I record it for her. Ma loves Chinese food, sometimes we eat Chinese together. These are little things we do together.
One thing about motherhood you understood from her:
It is very difficult. (Laughs) As I have grown up, I understand why it is difficult because I have seen how she pulled it off.
As a woman, how does she inspire you?
She has never compromised on her dreams. She would work out a way to manage everything. Dreams are her individuality and she never gave up on it. I think that is very important. Being a mother means sacrificing dreams, career and individuality is not something she did nor taught us to do.