"Inithamudaya Yadutha Por Padamum Kana Petral
Im Manitha Piraviyum Venduvathe Im Manilathe"
(if you could but get a brief glimpse of the Divine Dancer with His gracefully uplifted foot, one's entire life's ambition can be considered as achieved)
- Appar
The 12th Annual Nrityanjali celebration held at the Sri Lakshmi Temple in Ashland was a marvelous presentation featuring some of the finest classical dances. Over a 150 dancers performed for over eight hours. Beginners to seasoned professional gave their best to please the Divine Audience - Lord Shiva. It is a space where classical dance is respected and appreciated. Thus each dancer works hard to do their best and the effort is clearly visible in the presentations.
This year's event was organized by Ranjani Saigal and Jeyanthi Ghatraju. From morning 9:00 am until 8:00 pm in the evening there was a continuous presentation of classical items. This year's festival saw several collaborative dance presentations by many senior dancers and dance teachers.
Students of Ranjani Saigal, Jeyanthi Ghatraju, Sangeetha Vijey, Sangita Raghunathan, Sridevi Thirumaali, Neha Parikh, Anu Suren, Sripriya Natarajan, Sumithira Anand, Suja Meyappan, Dhanshree Karmarkar, Kalpana Balachunder, Thanuja Meenakshinathan, Neena Gulati, Meena Subramanyam, Thenu Raajan, Sowmya Ramanathan and Sunanda Narayanan presented group and solo dances in the Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and Mohiniattam styles of dance.
Presentations by senior dancers was truly a delight to watch. The event opened with a brilliant Odissi performance by Samoyita Mukherjee. Jeyanthi Ghatraju presented Nada Thanumanisam to the live vocal accompaniment by Prafulla Velury. Mouli Pal, founder of Upasana presented a dynamic Shiva Tandav in Odissi style. Sowmya Ramanthan and Gayathri Srinivasan presented Ananda Natamidum Padan while Thenu Rajan and Poornima Surya presented a Padam on Raja Rajeshwari. Prafulla Velury presented Shivashtakam in the Kuchipudi style. Mesma Belsare awed the audience with her rendition of a portion of the Nattakurinji Varnam "Swami Nan Undan Adimai". Smt. Swetha Nirmal, a recent arrival to the Boston area wowed the audience with her presentation of Bho Shambo.
President Manju Nathan thanked the dancers for their efforts. Board member Ranjini Ramaswamy talked about the temple expansion project and asked everyone to generously contribute to this mammoth effort. The dancers feel indebted to the temple for helping keep the classical arts alive.
Adimudikanaa isan Ambalathaadukindran
Kadainthanar amararkoodi avunnnarodu kadalai antru
Idayinil choozhnthu ezhuntha kodiathor nanjai undan
Vidaithanil amarnthu vanthuuu venduu vorku arul purivaan
Annaiku paathi thanthaan. Gangaiku mudiyai thanthaan
Chinnmarkandanukaaai cheeriiye namanai ventraan
Kannuthal eriyai ooti Kamanai yerithu nintraan
Thanneeye muzhuthum thanthaan thalpaninthu yetthuvorke
Aravannai aranganodu malar misai amarvon vanthaan
Oruchiru muruganodu oor yanaimukhanum van than
Paravidum Vyagrapaadar Pathanjali thaalmpoda
Thirunadam aadukintraan perundevi Umayalodu
Kannanum aadinintran. Kalingan chirammel antru
Kaaliyum aadinintral mahishanin thalamel antru
Yannila uyirkal ulluoom vinnilum mannil yengum
Annalthan aadukintran adiyaavaar maghinthu potta
- Composed by Dr. R.S.Ayyar (father of Ranjani Saigal)
for Nrityanjali 2012
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