Mylapore Gowri Ammal

Mylapore Gowri Ammal also known as Mylapore Gowri Amma (1892–1971) was a Bharathanatyam dancer from Mylapore India. She was a temple dancer in Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Mylapore. In 1959, she received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Bharathanatyam.

Biography Mylapore Gowri Ammal was born in 1892, in a Devadasi family of Mylapore, Tamil Nadu. She lived in a small house given to her by the Kapaleeshwarar temple, until a law was passed banning temple dancing.

Career Gowri Ammal started her dancing career as a temple dancer in Kapaleeshwarar Temple in Mylapore. Ammal is often referred to as the last devadasi of the Kapaleeshwarar temple. She danced for the deity in the temple until the Indian government banned the Devadasi system in 1947, under the Madras Devadasis (Prevention of Dedication) Act.

As part of E. Krishna Iyer's efforts to support Bharatanatyam and have it recognised as an art form, and not dismiss it as part of a social reform movement, since it was based on the Devadasi system, in 1932, Gauri Ammal danced at the Madras Music Academy. Rukmini had come to the Kapaleeshwarar temple to ask her to come to the Kalakshetra, to teach her the subtleties of "abhinaya" (acting). She last performed on a public stage at the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the Indian National Congress in 1935. Kalanidhi Narayanan, Sonal Mansingh, Yamini Krishnamurthy and Nirmala Ramachandran were students of Gauri Ammal.

Awards and honors She received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for Bharathanatyam in 1959. She also received award from Madras Music Academy.