NRITHYA SANDHYA 2022 – COSMIC CONFLUENCE

 

26^th 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, 27^th 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