Scintillating performance by Meenakshi Srinivasan


January 11, 2013
 
One feasted on a fascinating and scintillating recital by Meenakshi Srinivasan. Meenakshi kept the audience spellbound with her impeccable nritta, convincing nritya and very well portrayed sancharis. Meenakshi's individual approach, technique and creativity are characterized by a distinctive sensuous geometry. She is a dancer who embodies both sensitive and playful qualities through a dynamic presence on stage.

The recital commenced with a Nagaswaravali invocation to Lord Krishna composed by Rajkumar Bharathi. This was followed by the piece-de resistance, the Varnam inspired by the Nachiar Tirumozhi, love poems of Andal. Not only bhakthi, but sensuality were echoed in every phrase and both these were running equally through every vein of Meenakshi. It was a ragamalika composition rendered with finesse by Kaniyal Hariprasad, the most coveted vocalist, supported by impeccable nattuvangam by Jayashree Ramanathan, embellished by percussion support by Vedakrishnaram and melodious violin of Srilakshmi Venkatramani.

The jathis were executed with absolute precision which included the melkaala jathi at the commencement of the charanam. Choreography by Meenakshi to the lyrics of Vijayaraghavan, set to music by K Hariprasad, lifted the centre piece to incredible heights of music and Bharatam. Meenakshi is a perfect combination of nritta, nritya and natya, her adavu shudam, anga shudam, araimandi and nuances of the Pandanallur school richly apparent.

In the javali of Pattinam Subramaniayar, Appadu Manasu in raga kamas, she portrayed a young nayika who tries to justify her behavior after her conversation with a handsome young man soaked with honeyed phrases. The fitting finale was a Tillana in Sindu Bhairavi set to fabulous music by Rajkumar Bharati.

The audience left with a frame of mind that Meenakshi herself may not be able to repeat such a performance. It was an unforgettable treat for the rasikas who filled Sivagami Petachi Auditorium under the aegis of Brahma Gana Sabha.