Born to live

'Bridges' is by Kumudini Lakhia, one of India's great Kathak dancers and choreographers. She doubts dancers who say they were 'born to dance'. For her, dancing has meant struggle. She says she was 'born to live'.

As a child in Bombay, it was her mother who pushed her to learn dance. Four days a week after school, her mother took her all the way across the city to dance class, though the little girl did not want to go.

Later, in Delhi, a neighbour, Liaquat Ali, kindly let her keep the guavas from his trees. But his gardener's angry face kept her away. It was her first lesson in political games.

At nine, she went to a boarding school in Lahore. Her mother sent a dance teacher with her, so that her lessons could continue.

She disliked lessons in which the guru would not explain; she always wanted to know why. And she came to value the discipline she learnt at her British-run school.

Dance was her mother's dream before it became hers.