Two steps at a time
It is not that Sharanya Chandran is unsure of her footing on stage. She is accompanied by her mother, the famous Geeta Chandran; Sharanya returns to stage with Hymns to Hara after a gap of a year; her towering posture, controlled gait and soft expressions showing her appreciation of family, perhaps?
“Both my grandfathers were ardent Shaivites, and this performance is a tribute to them. 2024 marks both their birth centenaries,” she says.
Hymns to Hara is a Shaivite panoply of poems and verses from Indian languages such as Tamil and Maithili that is metaphorically a repertoire of cultural nuances. Throughout her performance, she explores a range of emotions that the lord of Kailasa evokes - shringaar (love), adbhuta (surprise), bhakti (worship), hasya (laughter), veer (valour) and vibhatsa (disgust).
The Classical arts is about love: human and divine in transcendence and as allegory. In the centerpiece, titled Varnam, Sharanya tells the story of the nayika’s love for Shiva as Brihadeeswara. Sharanya uses raga, taal and bhava to show how the nayika calls upon her sakhi to fetch “her lord”.
Often the most enrapturing quality of Bharatnatyam is its powerful footwork, combined with the clean lines.
While Sharanya aces the grammar, the abhinaya sequence tickle the viewer’s imagination. The coyness of a woman in love is brought to life with gentle sways of her hand, the spring in her step and a mischievous smile. The segment becomes particularly intriguing with Geeta, who choreographed the piece, enacting the expressions on the side as she plays the nattuvangam (a traditional south Indian percussion instrument).
“Varnam brings together the elements of raga and bhava. It is almost like a form of HIIT; there is the burst of energy, and then there’s abhinaya, all leading up to one narrative,” she explains, adding, “Its beauty is in contrast. You have something that’s powerful juxtaposed with something emotive and lyrical.”
When she is not dancing, Sharanya works full-time as a development professional; she is currently Director, Policy at J-Pal, South Asia. Artistes see synergy in the most unlikeliest situations, which is what enriches their art.
“I manage quite a large team at J-Pal, and whatever I’ve learned about management is from my experience as a dancer. An artiste has to do everything by themselves. So, the management expertise is very transferable. The rigour of dance, the discipline of being punctual, respecting your co-workers; I continue these ethics at my workplace.
"At Natya Vriksha, where she learnt Bharatnatyam, and now teaches, she addresses many contemporary issues using the language of dance. “There are occasions when my two worlds meet, and that is beautiful,” she says. “One gives me the energy to do the other, and both are equally fulfilling.”