26th November
2022- Saturday the animate as well as the inanimate objects surrounding the
Main Auditorium of Hindustan College of Arts and Science had started smiling,
gossiping and breathing exuberance pointing to a special batch of students
after awaiting a whole year. The students of SHREE NATYA NIKETAN were in the
campus for their final rehearsal before the big day. Morning the session was
enthralled with spectacular performances from across the age categories filling
the air with positivity and confidence from the performers and pride for them from their GURU and Parents. The sun showed its prowess in the afternoon of Sunday,
27th November 2022. This did not deter the performers from getting
on with their make-up and other modalities for the evening. GURUS and Parents
making sure that all boxes were ticked to the dot. The Auditorium started
filling up slowly and by 4.30 pm there was hardly a space for a pin.
The evening performance
started with an Invocation to Lord Krishna followed by Dheem Dheem,
Brahma Okate, and Chandra Chooda – all songs seeking either blessings
or describing their different forms. They all pointed to the fact that there is
only one GOD and everything is part of nature. The dancers in their immaculate
symmetry of movements drove us the point whether, it is GARUDA GAMANA or
VRISHABHA VAHANA, nature has a role to play. The next set of little girls
performed on the form of dance which is known for its beats and jingling sounds
making your heart race and in some cases make your hips move too. The Tribal
folklore has always had an enigmatic touch of creating an upbeat mode. The
songs Kurwanji and Valli Kanavan managed just that with the
obeisance to Lord Murugan.
The stage was set for the
tempo to rise further and that’s when then the LEZIM dancers
representing the state of Maharashtra pounded the audience hearts with the
sounds of “GANPATI BAPPA MORYA”. The dancers with their swaying movements of
LEZIM made sure that LORD GANAPATI blessed the evening and indeed one could
feel his presence. I personally being brought up in MUMBAI the sounds of
GANAPATI BAPPA MORYAAAA still gives me goosebumps whenever and wherever I hear
it. I am sure the audience must have felt it too irrespective of where they
came from. The credit to the dancers and their choreographer. This gave way to
a more subtle, symmetrical movements based dances DHOL and KOLATTAM.
The dancers conducted their rhythmic body tilting as well as footstep movements
to perfection. In both these dances the start, the speed as well as the end is
prime as in other dance forms. The performers of Shree Natya Niketan need no
introduction to perfection so it was cake walk here.
Pushpanjali
means offering of flowers to a deity. I am not an expert but with my little
knowledge I believe this is the first dance to be in a Bharatnatyam
performance. The salutation dance invoking calmness, piety, gratitude, seeking
blessings was felt all around through. The Bhavam, Ragam and Thalam was a
visual treat to all those seeking a dance with expressions, posture and Rhythm
as though you were in the lanes of Thanjavur in a dancer’s era. Their Guru
Smt. Mridula Rai, a renowned BharatNatyam exponent should be credited for
this.
As the audiences were filled
with these feelings they were suddenly transported to a dance language which
speaks of NAZAKAT, PANDHAT and Amazing spins – yes KATHAK. The
body movements as compared to the earlier dances are straight but there is
direct nexus between the dancers and the audience. The senior students under
the able guidance of Smt. Ruchi Sharma a renowned Kathak Exponent did
give a glimpse of UTHAAN, SALAAMI, TODI TUKDAS and LADI TATKAAR. Shringaar Ras
had sneaked into the auditorium at this stage. Air was filled with purity and
devotion.
The Hindustani Music had set
the stage for a Feminine grace to enter the stage and there came the MOHINIATTAM
dancers. Ten of them swayed gracefully to the Lasya inspired dance of
Kerala. The Soft, gentle and calm movements giving importance to HASTHA
LAKSHANDEEPIKA i.e hand gestures and facial expressions enunciating the
elaborate description of mudras was well choreographed by Smt. Sujatha Nair
Sanjay a renowned Mohinittam, Odissi and BharatNatyam exponent. The Students
mesmerized the audience through a scintillating performance and had cast their spell.
To break the spell the senior ladies batch performed Thiruvathira Kali under
the choreography of their Guru Smt. Mridula Rai. The essence of the
region was amply exemplified by the students through the graceful circular
movements paying obeisance to Lord Shiva.
The next two dances were
performed by the students under the able guidance of Smt. Sujatha Nair
Sanjay and Shri Rama Koundinya, a renowned Kuchipudi exponent for Odissi
and Kuchipudi respectively. The students performed Odissi dance form
true to its art form, graceful and mesmerizing yet in its tandav form just like
the waves from an ocean. The Kuchipudi students performed on the Sathyabhama
Theme with and brought out the dance drama style which is unique to this dance.
Though Kuchipudi can be broken in three forms i.e Nritta, Nritya and Natyam,
the Natyam on Satyabhama/ Lord Krishna was done with such utmost bhavam. The
students of Odissi dances performed the bhangas or the symmetric body bends and
stance with very good composure.
The winter peaceful breeze
outside the auditorium was just the calm before it to arrive inside the
auditorium. The darkness inside the hall gave light to small lights tinkering
on the stage. The lights gave shapes to them and their beholders. The dancers
led by their GURU Supriya Singh Rawat a renowned Dhediya exponent in the
middle swayed with an earthen pot and lamp lit on top of it on their heads. DHEDIYA
the folk dance from Prayaagaraj region of India was done with graceful
movements balancing the pot and lit lamp on their heads. A breath taking
performance respecting the folklore of India. The students along with their
GURU kept the audience at awe and just when they took a breath the finale began
with the confluence of all the GURUS on stage, individually they showcased
their talent as well as depicting that all classical dance forms originated
from only one – THE NATYA SHASTRA.
It was as though we were
watching a Circle of Enlightment on the stage. The circle was a complete with a
start being Smt. Mridula Rai on one end with her expressions and Natyam, Smt.
Sujatha Nair Sanjay with her graceful circular movements depicting lasyam, Smt. Ruchi
Sharma with her amazing spins and Ladi-Tatkaar, Shri. Rama Koundinya with his
amazing story telling ability through drama dance style and Supriya Singh Rawat
Swaying on the Dhediya Rhythms. All their dances showed all the Navarasas and Though
Diverse it definitely drove us the point that it unites for its roots and
origin are one. Exemplifying this
uniqueness the finale concluded with all the students joining their gurus and giving
the audience a once in a life time memorable moment to be cherished for ages.
They say words fail to
communicate what eyes do. What we witnessed here was eyes fail to communicate
sometimes what dances does. Anything done with Chitta Suddhi i.e purity of mind
and Bhakthi i.e devotion leads to Aanandha i.e supreme bliss. Although there would
have been many feelings throughout this entire journey of practice to stage the
hard work and discipline of all those involved gave the audience the same
RASANBHUTI of a Cosmic Confluence of RASASVADA i.e. a taste of bliss in the
absence of thoughts.
GOD BLESS to all those
involved
-
By Paribhramin
