rediff.com: They have been dancing together for 50 years

In 1953, a 13-year-old boy from a poor family in a Kerala village caught the attention of famous Kathakali artist Chandu Panicker, who took him to legendary dancer Rukminidevi Arundale at Kalakshetra. There, the boy met Shanta, a nine-year-old girl from an upper middle class family in Malaysia.

The boy and the girl both grew up at Kalakshetra, where they learnt the nuances of dance and music. They performed together for years, as Rama and Sita in various dance recitals, and eventually got married.

This is the story of the legendary Bharata Natyam dancing couple, Dhananjayan and Shanta, popularly known as the Dhananjayans.

The couple recently received the prestigious Padma Bhushan from the Indian government. They are only the second dancing couple to receive the recognition.