Braving all odds and with a determined objective of accomplishing the art of Bharatanatya, young Phanimala of Nrithya Sanjivini deserves to be complimented for the substantial success in her pursuit. The petite, committed and enthusiastic dancer proved her mettle when she, along with her students, rose to the occasion and convinced the lovers of dance assembled at Nayana Auditorium on Saturday. She proved to be a creative artiste, ever trying to explore new vistas in her choreographic attempts. Speaking for her, her abhinaya contained wealth of satwika and meaningful mukhijas. Her legs stretched and arms floated around and above the body like tentacles. The entire evening session stood out for her dedication and devotion to her art form. Her artistry both as a performer and as a mentor of several young dance aspirants unfolded in a sort of ecstatic mood, in which the performer and the viewer seemed to flow in the same stream of consciousness.
Her young students began the deliberations with the traditional Pushpanjali set to Gambheera Nata and adi tala. The innocuous girls rendered it with a natural disposition. The simplistic rhythmic design fitted them into a comfortable nritta. Saramathi Saraswathi in Saraswati was an eulogy to the Goddess of Learning. Various traits of the Devi were graphically presented by Phanimala and her students. The programme continued to delight the audience with the presentation of a Kanakadasa pada Muttadiro enna, Dashavatara, Devakinandana (Tillang raga) and the concluding tillana in Pharaz raga. The recorded music was appropriately handled.
Feast of music
The two-day Hindustani music festival held at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavana under the aegis of Parveen Begum Smruti Music and Educational Trust was a rewarding tribute to the Hindustani maestros Ustad Abdul Khadar Khan, Pt. Basavaraj Bendigeri and the late Parveen Begum, wife of the famous vocalist and sarangi superstar Ustad Faiyaz Khan.
Leading and expert exponent of Hindustani vocal music Pt. Venkateshkumar was in his finest form in his vocal recital. Splendidly supported by Ustad Sarwar Hussain on Sarangi and seasoned tablachi Udayraj Karpoor, the popular singer began with the evening raga Bheempalasi (which corresponds to Abheri of Carnatic music). He drew a vibrant picture of the raga through a vilambit bandish set to ek tal Ab to badi der bhayee with the right accent on all the salient features of the raga. His alap, taan, boltaan and layakari shone forth at every stage of the development of the melody and Venkateshkumar’s rich musical imagination x-rayed all its nuances. His rendition of a chota khayal Braj mein dhoom machaye Shyam (dhrut teental) further beautified the raga in a faster tempo. It was haunting indeed! The Bengaluru rasikas were treated to an excellent and hearty repast when the splendour of the same raga got spread over in his singing of Purandaradasa’s Kaliyugadolo Harinamava nenedare.
A rare Sarangi jubalbandhi by Sarwar Hussain and Farooqu Latif Khan featured a quiet and compact twilight raga Sri. The delineation exuded the pensive mood and it was a pleasure to enjoy the nuances of the raga being rightly emphasised. The exposition of the raga in the form of a vilambit jhoomra was highlighted by its livewire swaras. The speedier tans and compositions in madhya and dhrut teen tal not only contributed to the penetration and development of the raga but also brought out the laudable musical equipment of the Sarangi players. The tabla saath extended by Nafees Ahmed was of great importance. The jugalbandi reached its peak of success in the impressive presentation of a mishra Bhatiyali dhun in Dadra tal.
Accompanied ably by Pandit Rajendra Nakod on tabla, young Sammer Rao, a talented bansuri player and disciple of Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, not only surprised and delighted the audience with his selection and interpretation of Carnatic raga Jana Sammohini and called Shubh Kalyan in Hindustani system. As in every instrumental recital the expert bansuri player started off with the traditional five tier elaboration. The demanding raga was beautified with all the aesthetics and artistry and the alap, jod, jhala and the gats (roopak tal) exemplified his hard work and dedication to his medium and mode.
Promising talent
Watching young Keerthana dance at the Indian Institute of World Culture on Thursday was not merely to identify a promising and talented Bharathanatya dancer but it was also to come face to face with the excellence of the Pandanallur tradition as taught by her Gurus Kanya Ramachandran Tayaliya and Padmini Ramachandran. Accordingly, her dance was highlighted by fairly good mastery and combined fluidity in line in the adavus with grace.
Her competency and performing skills were neat and tidy. There were several enjoyable moments in the dancer’s movements and expressions. She could effortlessly combine art and its aesthetic articulation. Her excellence of technique and great personal charm were refreshing. The irrepressible force of her dance, her rare combination of pure and beautiful, lyrical line with laudable expressiveness and dynamism drew the approval form the rasikas.
Accompanied inspiringly by her Guru Kanya Tayaliya (nattuvanga), Ramesh Chadaga (vocal), Dr Natarajamurthy (violin), Karthik (flute) and Lingaraju (mridanga), the Bhartanatya recital began with a demanding Mallari, thoroughly a nagaswara and nritta item. It was a high-class presentation. Lord Ganesha was saluted on the basis of the famous Mudaakaraatha modakam.
In the most popular Khamach daru varna (Maathe Malayadhwaja), one could cherish the loveliness of nritta the sensitivity in abhinaya. Her perfect and precise neck movements, the flicks of the arms, turns of the waist, interacted aptly with the twists and turns of the rhythm. The dramatization of the Devi and the abstract rhythm and the physical movements of dance, made a strong visual impact on the viewer. Her artistic abhinaya could easily draw the picture of Lord Shiva radiating with His varied traits when she enacted Shankara Sri Giri (Hamsanandi raga). The concluding part of her recital was packed with Bhaamane Sathyabhamane (ragamalika), Javali (Iti saahasamulu, Saindhavi raga) and Revathi tillana.
Keerthana’s expressive dance was as much powerful in its impact, as her technical virtuosity in the realm of movement and footwork.