Our story begins in the year 1977 at the local Pali fair. This year, Vithabai Narayangaonkar, a renowned folk artist* and her Tamasha troupe had a special surprise planned for its patrons.

After the introductory dance sequences were done, a young dancer no older than eighteen-nineteen years was introduced. As the music started playing this young dancer began dancing on her knees. Even before the audience could get over it, she placed a lighted samai, an oil lamp, on her head. She then proceeded to hold two more oil lamps in each of her hands and balanced herself atop a parat (a metal plate-like cooking utensil with sharp edges). As the harmonium, the percussion, and the rest of the orchestra begin revving up the music the young dancer stunned the audience into silence. In those times, such a spectacle was unheard of in Tamasha circles. By the time she was done, the audience was at the edge of their seats and the was tent roaring with applause!

This unknown dancer was Sandhya/Sandhyatai, daughter of Vithabai Narayangaonkar and the purveyor of thali and samai dance in Tamasha circles. Born to a family of artists, Sandhyatai started performing at the age of eleven and continued right into her sixties. She was a self-taught dancer, an explorer who taught herself the thali dance after being inspired by it during a sangeet bari at one of the fairs their troupe performed at. 

The story goes that during one of their usual monsoon shows, Vithabai Narayangaonkar and her troupe were touring Marathwada. The season was over, but Vithabai’s troupe was still putting on some late-night shows at places were sangeet baris were performing. They had now reached Osmanabad and had plans to camp out for four nights. The sangeet baris would perform until midnight, and then Vithabai’s troupe would begin, dancing right into dawn every day.

On the fourth day, a young artist with the sangeet bari named Mohana put up the thali and samai dance. The audience loved it so much that the theatre resounded with ovations for more than five minutes. They showered her with praise and money. Vithabai was present at the performance with her daughters Sandhya and Mangala and was left awed by the performance. The praise and money that Mohana received was something that Vithabai wished for her daughters as well. She asked her daughters to learn this new dance form and the daughters immediately agreed to it.

After the tour was over the troupe returned to Narayangaon and Sandhyatai immediately started learning the thali dance. But it was to be one of the biggest challenges that Sandhyatai took on. The sharp edges of the parat cut Sandhyatai’s feet and the pain of seemed unbearable. She almost gave up. “I can’t do it, mother” she told Vithabai.

But Vithabai was convinced that her daughter could rise to the challenge. “Why not? Was Mohana born with it? She must have struggled just like you to learn it.” she said. “If art were that easy, everyone would have been an artist. Every artist must go through pain, trails and tribulations before becoming a master. Don’t lose hope. You can do it.” Vithabai urged her daughter. Sandhyatai felt motivated by her mother’s confidence and words. She decided to never say no again and immersed herself into learning the new dance form.

Days turned into months but the art eluded Sandhyatai. It was a difficult process, one that tested her commitment and patience. But she did not give up. She was like a woman possessed. “I am a dancer, an artist, born to artists. I will not give up. I will live up to my mother’s confidence, her name.”

After months of relentless practice Sandhyatai was finally able to dance effortlessly with the parat below her feet and a samai balanced perfectly on her head. She had finally mastered the art of thali and samai dance together. Her happiness knew no bounds. The days of pain were soon forgotten. As Vithabai watched her daughter perform her heart swelled with pride. There were no words to express the love and admiration she felt then. All she could do was envelope her daughter in an embrace none of them would ever forget.

Sandhyatai soon started performing the thali and samai dance with Vithabai’s troupe and became the start attraction of their shows. People thronged the theatres to watch this unique show. Vithabai’s troupe had always been a hit, and now it became even more popular.

In the year 1987, Sandhyatai set up her own troupe – Sandhya Mane Solapurkar Loknatya Tamasha Mandal. Ramesh Mane, Sandhyatai’s husband and a percussionist with the troupe stood firmly by her side (he was amongst the first to introduce electronic instruments in Tamasha.). This new troupe was well received by audiences across Maharashtra. Sandhyatai’s troupe also put up some popular dance dramas such as “Raktat nahali kurahad”, “Garibana Jagu day”, and “Hundyala Kayada Ahe Ka?”

Sandhyatai’s troupe enjoyed success for over eleven years. On numerous occasions the mother-daughter duo had to set up tents alongside each other, while on other occasions all three women – Vithabai, Sandhyatai, and Mangalatai set up tents at the same fair and performed parallelly. However, there was never any trace of animosity or rivalry between the women. They enjoyed their days together and had good times over dinner on such occasions.

But life was lurking to take an ugly turn soon. On 17 May 1998 on her way to a wedding, Sandhyatai and the wedding party had a tragic accident. Around Tembhurni- Modlimbe the driver lost control of the vehicle and it landed into a deep pit. Two women died on the spot, while over thirty to forty people were seriously injured. Sandhyatai was also hurt; both her legs were fractured. The only solution was inserting rods into her legs to help her stand. This news had a crumbling effect on Sandhyatai. All she could think of was losing her ability to dance. A forced retirement that left her dependant on others and away from what she loved most – her dance.

After a successful surgery and multiple weeks at the hospital, Sandhyatai finally came home. And with that came problems, most importantly the financial ones. Her dance troupe was the only source of income and now with that gone the future looked bleak. Tears rolled down her eyes as she looked at herself and contemplated the future.

During this period, Sandhyatai’s mother and sister were her greatest source of strength. After two years they started urging Sandhyatai to start dancing once again. “If Sudha Chandran can do it, you can do it too. You should get up, and try dancing.” an ever-hopeful Vithabai encouraged her daughter. But Sandhyatai was in total despair. With hours of relentless practice, dedication, and her mother’s blessing, she once again mastered the art of thali and samai dance.

But now there was no troupe, no place to set up her shows. She knocked on all doors, the banks, moneylenders, government aid centres… but always came back empty handed. Yet, she did not lose hope. She set up a temporary troupe and started putting up houseful shows once again. In due course, she was back to performing. Her new troupe started touring village and town fairs across Maharashtra. Her thali and samai dance were once again the showstopper. This praise and love from her audiences gave a meaning to Sandhyatai’s life. It is what willed her to live.

Sandhyatai’s husband passed away on 16 December 2010. Even after the loss of one of her greatest pillars of strength, Sandhyatai continues her journey to ensure a bright future for her children. She has big dreams for them and her Tamasha troupe — dreams that she believes will come true.