Year on the Web

23rd March 1997

It’s all about music and mime

By Roshan Peiris

Oosha: dedicated to her profession
Dressed in a purple and green salwar kameez, a large round red pottu adorning her pretty face, Oosha Saravanamuttu (Mrs Mohan Wijeysinghe) spoke of her day as a teacher of ballet. Oosha is Sri Lanka’s legendary ballerina. Even when she talks on any subject, let alone dancing, there is no movement or gesture which can be considered irrelevant.

This genius of the ballet as an art form of fine technique, plans her day too under the influence of stern discipline acquired in ballet.

"I get up around 5.30 in the morning and my first task is to feed my own two dogs and those strays, with no homes and no owners, that I have found. I have also added two stray cats into this animal family. I love animals. I don’t look for the hi-fi- breed of dogs but only for the strays who look so pathetic and in need of care.

"This is my first task and only after that do I drink a cup of coffee. Breakfast? No thanks!

"Even for my lunch I have no ‘bath curry’ but only pulses such as mungatta boiled.

"I eat a light dinner too unless I am invited out. I don’t like going out much but never miss the birthdays and parties of my close friends. On Saturdays and Sundays I do eat rice and curry," Oosha told us of a typical day at home.

"To get back to my work, from 7.45 a.m to one pm. I teach in four schools. Asian International, Wycherley, St Nicholas International and Belvoir, down Dickman’s Road.

"These classes are naturally big, but I personally teach those whom I find need special help.

"My own classes at the Oosha Garten on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays begin at 5 pm and end at 8 pm each day. Here I teach and assist everyone of my pupils even the babies. I do not leave any teaching to my assistants," she said speaking of her work as a teacher of ballet.

"The Oosha Garten of Ballet was started by me way back in 1964. It is the oldest and largest of western ballet school in Sri Lanka. My day is never complete until I have taught at my private school for three hours on these days" she said.

"At present we are practising daily for a concert to be held in July, called Les Mouvements Joyeux."

"Though the name is a mouthful, it means just, joyous movement. Even on Saturdays I teach my private pupils in my studio from 8 a.m to 10 a.m. But don’t get me wrong, it is not just a chore to get over with . Dancing is a joyous thing and I want those who study ballet with me to have a sense of enjoyment" she said vivaciously.

She took us to the neatly appointed studio where on a divan sat a crotchety looking soft toy monkey. "Now, be polite!" she told one of her stray dogs who had wandered in.

"My daily life is highly disciplined and this is a must for all who aspire to take to ballet. Discipline once inculcated, stands one in good stead even for higher studies. Many of my pupils have said that their discipline learnt at ballet school has helped them to become professionals in various fields. This goes for both boys and girls.

"My daily life is full of music and mime - I mean facial expressions and beautiful movements. So how can I ever feel tired or blase about it all?", said Oosha for whom ballet is her whole life.

From the age of three Oosha has spent a large part of her days in ballet classes. Of Oosha, a reviewer once said, "If that small morsel was not born to dance I am no judge at all. She has everything including the most amazing aplomb."

"I learnt my ballet from Marjorie Sample and as a child earned the delightful sobriquet of ‘Shirley Temple of Ceylon’.

"Ballet is a hard life. From the very beginning I learnt the piano from Irene Vanderwall and the Pestonjee School of Music. Voice training from Phyllis Browning-Ashton who was the conductor of the Colombo Singers and drama from Patricia Pantin-Munroe.

Oosha reflects her technical genius in her daily professional life and so obviously her art is anchored to an abiding purpose.

It is a demanding life, but daily she takes it on smiling though occasionally losing her temper with pupils who let their minds wander. She’s always dedicated to the profession which she enjoys to the full.

That all important precept

By M. V. S. Fernando

The All Enlightened one, the Buddha, has recommended to his lay followers the observance of five precepts which if properly carried out, will ensure to the individual and the society he lives in, a peaceful existence. The first four are briefly the abstinence from killing, stealing, wrongful sensual behaviour and telling lies. It is the fifth one with which we are interested here.

By this precept the lay follower undertakes to abstain from partaking of intoxicants. That the Buddha should have given this precept a place among the other four is unassailable proof of its grave importance to the individual and society. Intoxicants fall into the categories of alcoholic spirits, tobacco and drugs and in fact any substance that can befuddle your brain.

The adverse consequence of taking intoxicants are already well known. It almost always begins as a seemingly harmless pastime, "just for kicks", and later qualifies into a brand of ‘social drinking’ which again is an innocuous exercise. More often than not this seeming social grace graduates into "compulsive drinking" and finally finds conclusion in "Delirium Tremens".

Apart from the physical consequences of illnesses such as cirrhosis, paralysis, strokes, etc., the effects of a taking intoxicants on the dependent members of the family, the work place colleagues, or associates and a society which encompasses road accidents, drunken assaults, etc,. cause untold harm to the people and country.

All this apart, the effect on the individual is devastating.

Buddhist philosophy is quite clear on the role the individual has to play in seeking his own deliverance from the Sansaric cycle.

The mind is all important and its proper control is the means to attain the paths to release.

A befuddled brain has no control over the mind. Awareness and mindfulness, the two main requisites leading to, "Ekaggatha" or "One Pointedness" can never be achieved while taking intoxicants.

Intoxication mars all thought processes. It brings out hidden inhibitions, old scores are there to be settled, there are "Dutch Courage" performances and very often true opinions of others, which sophistication generally blankets, come out into the open and the innermost closely guarded secrets are confided and a host of other activities publicly executed. The intoxicated person sometimes becomes bestial in character and is therefore no longer human. Such people are unable to think clearly and what can you expect from non thinking people but disaster? They have no regard or consideration for other people’s feelings and they will trample on the most sacred ideas of their dearest friends with impunity. There are innumerable instances in life which point to the self-destructing ways of liquor-addicts. Their fall from high positions, loss of their inherited wealth, neglect of their worldly responsibilities and thereby becoming burdens to themselves, their families and to society.

But transcending all this is the inability of an intoxicant to bring his mind under his control. Without bringing his mind under control he will never be able to achieve the practice of mindfulness or "Sathi" which will enable total awareness at all times.

This will enable him to keep his every action, word and thought completely under his control. Without observing the Fifth Precept one can easily lose control of his ability to abstain from the preceding four precepts of killing, stealing, wrongful sensual behaviour and telling lies. This is what makes The Fifth Precept ever so important and indispensable to a Buddhist.

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