Archives
Contribute
| Arangetram: Ashrita Iyengar |
Deepa Rajesh and S.Sundar
07/11/2018
“There are shortcuts to happiness and dancing is one of them!â€
- Vicki Baum in the book Ballerina
The arangetram (a Tamil term which literally means ‘ascending the stageâ€) began with an invocation - Maha Ganapathim in ragam Nattai, by the orchestra. As he opened the krithi, Vidwan Mathur Srinidhi on the vocals gave a hint of the divine music that was to fill the auditorium as he set the tone for the evening.
The first dance was a beautiful Pushpanjali or “Offering of flowersâ€, in ragam Malayamarutham. In this invocatory piece, the dancer sought the blessings of Lord Nataraja, her Guru, the musicians, and the audience for a successful performance. The Pushpanjali gracefully led to the Ganesha Stuti - Gajananayutham in ragam Chakravakam, where Ashrita offered her obeisance to the elephant-faced son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi.
The central and most elaborate piece in an Arangetram is the Varnam. This item incorporates the Nritta, Natya and Nrithya aspects of the Bharatanatyam art form. In this varnam “Swaminathane†in ragam Kamboji, Ashrita flawlessly portrayed the sringara rasa as she transformed herself into the lovelorn nayika, despondent, pining for, yet angry with her beloved Swaminatha or Lord Muruga. The choreography was extraordinary with beautiful sancharis and challenging jathis, and the range of emotions Ashrita effortlessly displayed in this piece showed her immense poise and maturity.
After a short intermission, Ashrita started the second half with the popular Mahadeva Shiva Shambho in ragam Revathi. This piece very creatively wove the Natesha Kauthuvam into it and showcased some beautiful poses. The slokam “Namaste Astu Bhagavan†depicting different aspects of Lord Shiva provided a glorious end to this composition and left the audience spellbound.
A catchy ragamalika, “Arabhimanam†on Goddess Parvathi followed. Sri Mathur Srinidhi very skillfully highlighted the essence of each of the 12 ragams in this piece and Ashrita flawlessly executed the intricate arrangement of jathis choreographed by her Guru, for each of the swarams.
A very melodious Meera bhajan - Jhoolata Radha, in ragam Bageshri followed. Here, Ashrita gracefully brought out the lyrical cadence of the choreography and literally transported the audience to Vrindavan to experience Krishna and Radha on a jhula celebrating the Holi festival with the gopis. Vidwan Narasimha Murthy’s rendering on the flute added a heavenly touch and made one feel as if Lord Krishna himself was playing the instrument!
The evening’s recital concluded with a scintillating Thillana in ragam Valaji. As the finale reached a crescendo, Smt. Tara Anand's divine gift on the violin was in full display and illustrated her mastery of her craft. The thillana also highlighted Vidwan Srihari Rangaswami’s exceptional skills on the Mridangam and underscored how much he had been responsible for elevating the magical mood of the evening. Sudarshan Thirumalai provided excellent support on the rhythm pad, and added a special touch at key moments in the performance. Throughout the performance, Guru Sridevi on the nattuvangam expertly guided and supported the young dancer’s rhythm and pace – much as she has through all her years of training.
As Ashrita concluded with the Mangalam through Ksheerabdi Kanyakaku in ragam Kurunji. she thanked God, her Guru, the musicians and everyone present for supporting her throughout her performance.
A star dancer was born amidst a constellation of ethereal music provided by an orchestra of divine musicians who have been part of the Natyamani School for many years. Ashrita has been learning Bharatanatyam since the age of five and this arangetram was a culmination of years of disciplined training, hard work and a deep passion for this art, nurtured and cultivated by Guru Sridevi Thirumalai. Ashrita is also a student of violin under Guru Tara Bangalore and very blessed to have both her Gurus with her on stage.
Dr. Pavitra Sundar, the MC, led the audience through the evening with her eloquent yet precise introductions to each piece. Pavitra started the event noting that she was proud to see her cousin reach yet another milestone. As the evening concluded, the audience seemed to share the same pride and joy in witnessing Ashrita realize her dream.
We hope to see Ashrita continue to pursue this passion and reach new heights, and we wish her the very best in all her endeavors.
|
You may also access this article through our web-site http://www.lokvani.com/
