Dr. Chandrabhanu

by ispyclad

Dr. Chandrabhanu lives in one of Melbourne’s oldest homes built in 1848. A home full of personality and deception; looking at the front of the house, situated in the back streets of Richmond, you would be surprised to find that beyond it’s pale green picket fence, lay a huge, historical property, home to a couple of century old eucalyptus trees amongst a bed of lush flowers, accompanied by a double storey bungalow at the rear of the house.

Chandrabhanu’s parter in love and life, and one of the two men (the other, his father) who encouraged and helped shape his life in dancing, Geoffrey Goldie, bought the Orwell House in 1956. Then in 1973 after finishing his studies in anthropology and sociology whilst completing his PhD, aged 22, Chandrabhanu together with Geoffery founded the Bharatalaya Acadamy Of Indian Dance, humbly, in their home. Soon moving the very successful and highly acclaimed dance school to it’s current location in Swan Street, Richmond. Chandrabhanu taught Indian, and other Asian forms of dance, whilst Geoffrey created the most fabulous vibrant sets, painting Indian and Asian motifs; the hand-made decorative images set stage for the production of Odissi, an ancient Indian dance form. Chandrabhanu revolutionised Indian dance and it’s understanding in Australia, educating his audience, making it accessible and thrilling to watch. At the age of 64, he rarely performs but still choreographing dance. He now enjoys his freedom, spending a few month of every year travelling to countries around the world and soaking up the cultural. Coming back from a trip to Grenada, Spain a couple of months ago, he sung for me the lyrics of a song his father once taught him when he was only 8 years old, titled Grenada – nostalgia.

Edited by A V A L O N B A N A
Photography by Bernadette Farrugia

One of two Egyptian chairs. The other, residues with Molly Meldrum.