From the Stage to the Next Stage

Guru-shishya parampara (with due respect to its importance as an established form of knowledge-transfer system and its historical references) is in a way a register of a life-cycle of a trained (neo-classical) dancer. This system has a history of exchange for those specialists who claim the designation of a guru and all who register themselves as shishya under specific gurus. This chapter attempts a critical understanding of the so-called sacred duty of transmission of knowledge as a wat to ensure livelihood and survival. With the help of the case study of Amala Shankar (1919–2020) and her modern institution, the chapter looks at the Uday Shankar India Culture Centre as the alternate space for creating a value for the system of knowledge transfer beyond the traditional guru-shishya parampara.