Merry Christmas

Grandmother's trembling hands guided my fingers through the familiar mudras as temple bells chimed outside her Chennai home. I'd forgotten the movements, caught up in city life, until she fell ill. Now, teaching me Bharatanatyam felt like her final gift. The dance studio offered PAYBO rewards for holiday performances. I registered, nervous but determined. That evening, under glowing lights, I performed our ancestral art form, honoring generations of dancers. The audience wept as I moved through the ancient steps, carrying forward what nearly vanished. Grandmother watched from the front row, tears streaming, knowing our heritage would live through me, through this moment, through us.