Harihara- Unity in Duality- a Bharatha Natyam presentation by Smt. Sangeetha Prasanna

By Janani Swamy, Nritya Geethanjali

The second edition of Natya Samagam, a 3-day dance festival from June 12-14, 2026, featured original works from senior and emerging Bharatha Natyam dancers from the Boston area.  Suman Adhisesh and Sangeetha Prasanna, dancers and the creative force behind Natya Samagam, conceived the festival as a platform for dancers to explore new concepts and creative visions.  In the intimate setting of the Plaza Black Box theater, these works came to life, drawing upon compositions and choreographies ranging from the traditional repertoire to those specifically commissioned for Natya Samagam.

The festival opened with a delightful recital by Smt. Sangeetha Prasanna, an accomplished exponent of the Kalakshetra bani and a disciple of the most lauded Gurus of Kalakshetra including Smt. N. S. Jayalakshmi and Smt. Savitri Jagannatha Rao.  

Sangeetha’s presentation, “Harihara-Unity in Duality- explored the one-ness of Vishnu (Hari) and Shiva (Hara) as a single entity in the Tirumala tradition.  In Sri Venkateshwara of the seven hills of Thirumala, devotees experience Siva Kesava Atmaka, in whom Hara, the dissolver and Hari, the preserver become a single divine essence.

Sangeetha interpreted this concept through the vintage pieces of Kalakshetra while maintaining full fidelity to the original dance compositions. Her recital was a homage to the Gurus and Bani of Kalakshetra- the rigor of her training, the caliber of her dance and her deep reverence for the art were evident from the moment she took the stage.

The performance opened with a sprightly Pushpanjali and a Pasuram dedicated to the divine entity of Thirumala that is Hari and Hara. This was followed by “Athade Parabrahmam”, an Annamacharya Krithi addressing Govinda as the refuge of Gods and mortals alike. 

Sangeetha then showcased the dance composition of Smt. Mylapore Gowri Ammal in a masterful presentation of the grand vintage varnam “Manavi Chekonaradha”.  Sangeetha’s portrayal of the Vipralabdha Nayika, confused and saddened by her beloved Shiva’s scornful treatment of her was deft and nuanced.  Her command of the Kalakshetra bani was evident in her pleasing rendition of the sparkling nritta passages.

In the Kshetragnya padam, “Indhendhu Vachitivira”, Sangeetha portrayed a Kanditha nayika, angry with her beloved Muvva Gopala for his dalliance with another.  In the javali, “Enthane Varninthune Sakhi”, Sangeetha portrayed a Swadeenapathika nayika, basking in the love of her dancing beloved Shiva.  Sangeetha embodied the nayikas with an intuitive ease that comes only from deep intellectual and emotional internalization.

The recital concluded with a vibrant thillana in Vasantha followed by a benediction to the Lord of the seven hills, He who is both Hari and Hara.

The music for the evening’s performance featured the voices of the maestros of Kalakshetra including Sangeetha’s father, Prof. D. Pasupathi. 

Sangeetha has reflected on her artistic journey as “an act of becoming” and her art as a “living path” that should serve to “transform the self”.  This “becoming” -or jnana- that marked Sangeetha’s dance was what most captivated the audience.

 Sangeetha concluded her recital expressing her gratitude for the opportunity to once again take the stage for this performance.  In turn, we dancers and rasikas in the audience were also left feeling enriched, contemplating the experience beyond the performance.  When dancers of such merit ascend the stage, it prompts rasikas as well as the next generation of dancers to reflect on the profound question “why do we dance”? 

Janani Swamy is a lifelong practitioner of Bharatha Natyam and is a torchbearer of the Nritya Geethanjali bani.  Together with her fellow dancer Asha Nadipuram, Janani aims to preserve and propagate her late Guru Rajee Narayan’s extensive body of original compositions and choreographies through the broader dance diaspora.