A day of traditional, classical, Indian arts

By Nishad Karulkar Opinions Editor

I have been attending Hindustani classical performance arts events since before I can even remember.

Pagrav Dance Studio gathers together in the San Mateo Library following a performance of the classical bharatanatyam dance. classical art forms has increased partly due to my younger sister’s participation in a traditional Indian dance known as Kathak.

When I was younger, I would dread having to get dressed in Indian clothes, before driving 40 minutes from Pacifica all the way to down South Bay. All this to watch Indian performers preserve the art forms of their ancestors in an overcrowded community center auditorium.

However, as I’ve grown older and more interested in my own lineage, these events have not only edged closer to my home in Pacifica, but has also become more pleasurable for me to attend.

Attending her performances has shown me several other art forms, most notably, bharatanatyam.

Purvi Jerjurkar is a scientist at AbbVie pharmaceuticals, a native of San Mateo County, and dance instructor of the Indian classical dance bharatanatyam. Although she works in biotech, she has been dancing bharatanatyam for years.

“I started learning the dance in fifth grade,” Jejurkar says. “I did what they call it as visharad, which is equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in bharatanatyam. And alankar visharad is what I was pursuing after that, which is like a masters degree.”

Professionally trained in bharatanatyam before immigrating to the U.S., Jejurkar also holds an undergraduate degree in pharmacy and a masters in pharmaceuticals.

“I always wanted to get back to dancing,” she says. “But while I was in grad school in New York, I was very busy. It was hard to find a class or even teach.”

Fortunately, Jejurkar was able to rediscover her passion for the arts after moving to the Bay Area. Today, in addition to her job in pharmaceutical development, she is the artistic director of Pagrav Dance Studio in Hillsborough, CA.

Most recently, her Pagrav dance studio, in collaboration with Inika Karulkar of the Leela Dance Collective, brought the ancient Indian arts to the libraries of San Mateo County. They wanted to acknowledge the Hindu festival of Holi that celebrates the arrival of Spring.

“These classical Indian dance forms are highly collaborative activities” said Jejurkar. “Sometimes, I’ll dance for thirty minutes after I finish work. Doing that can help manage stress and promote healthier living for me.

Jejurkar also noted the remarkable change she has witnessed in the Bay Area in terms of the diversity of the arts, and events like the one her Pagrav studio showcased at the libraries.

“When we came to the Bay Area” said Jejurkar. “There weren’t a lot of Indians the way there are now. So reigniting my passion for the traditional dance I had learned as a child back in India became a way to find community here.”

Finally, when asked if Jejurkar would be inerested in teaching bharatanatyam at a local community college, it seemed like she would be open to as sharing her cultural background through the vehicle of dance is really important to her.

It’s stories like Jejurkar’s that have drawn me back to the Indian classical arts as I was inspired by their quest to spread awareness about their culture to protect traditions for future generations.

They are TOTE-ally in

By Sean Siapno focal point editor

Tote bags are the total package for its overall versatility. With designers becoming more creative, you’ll find that these bags are not only reusable and functional, but stylish as well. It easily replaced backpacks, becoming a norm among students.

Manisha Singh, a Skyline alumni in sociology, has been using tote bags for about four years now.

“It’s cute and basically matches with any outfit,” Singh says. “A tote with zippers is definitely more functional, but I’m leaning more towards fashion with them.”

Backpacks tend to have the same generic look among them all. Bulky and bland. While fashion is not its primary focus, get yourself a tote that can carry the same items, but also serve looks.

Veronica Noreiga, a second-year biology major, seems to agree.

“I think it’s easier to move around.” Noriega says. “I use it more for its functionality. After school I go grocery shopping and dump everything I buy into the bag.”

The beauty behind these bags doesn’t end at its design, but with its availability as well.

Noriega even explains how she got her bag from her local library, for free. Even then, you can buy a tote bag almost anywhere.

Depending on the look you’re going for, there’s a bag that will cater to your likings. Minimalistic totes currently dominate the fashion scene as it’s the final touch needed to complete an outfit. You can easily find these bags in any clothing store. But as I’ve mentioned, there’s a tote for everyone.

Marco Salonga, a second-year behavior and social science major, doesn’t use a tote bag, but is intrigued in its concept.

“I still use backpacks just because I carry a lot of things, but I’ve seen tote bags around.” Salonga explains. “You know what though, I’ve seen some bags with really cool anime designs and it got me thinking to buy one.”

I personally like the minimalism behind the tote bag. However, these bags offer unique art styles of literally anything. I’m sure there’s a tote out there that hits even the most obscure niches.

While it’s perfectly fine to still use a backpack, tote bags cannot be ignored. If you’re ever looking for a stylish yet light switch, consider yourself a tote bag. After all, they are totally in.