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 Bharatanatyam Margam by Sanjana Rajesh - Shashank Kiron Nair e-mail: shashank.k.nair@gmail.com Photo: Anup Vishwanath July 15, 2023 Sanjana Rajesh, a student of Parshwanath Upadhye, Aditya PV and Shruti Gopal at the Upadhye School of Dance presented a solo Bharatanatyam Margam on the drizzly evening of the 7th of July at Seva Sadan auditorium, Bengaluru. Sanjana began her performance on an auspicious note with the Indirasandhi kavithuvam, the second of the Nava-sandhi kavithuvams dedicated to the nine directional deities. This particular composition, set in the raga Gurjari and mishra chapu talam, invoked Lord Indira, the guardian of the East direction. Sanjana, calm and poised, displayed complete control from the moment she stepped onto the stage. Her execution of crisp and simple nritta and uncluttered angika abhinaya set the tone for the rest of the evening's performance.  The centrepiece of Sanjana's recital was the treasured varnam "Innum en manam." This pada varnam allows for great artistic freedom to the choreographer, dancer and the musicians. It lends itself to various moods, be it love, playfulness, authority, melancholy, anger or pure devotion. The credit for this versatility goes to the thoughtfully crafted lyrics by the maestro Lalgudi G Jayaraman, as well as the raga Charukesi with its effortless glides and dips. The choreography that Sanjana presented, a brainchild of Aditya PV, was poignant, reflecting the longing for Krishna - of the jeevathma for the paramathma. The jathis as rhythmic relief, set and rendered with great precision, were welcomed by the audience with loud applause each time. The nritta segments put to test the artiste's agility of mind rather than body. The abhinaya segments employed several sancharis that were brought out by Sanjana with great understanding. Both incorporated the aesthetic that is par for the course for the Upadhye School of Dance. Following the varnam, Sanjana presented the popular Tamil padam "Yaro ivar yaro" set to raga Bhairavi. Seemingly well practiced, the attention to detail from Rama's stance and body language to the subtle nuances of mukhabhinaya came effortlessly to Sanjana, adding to the overall impact of her performance. The next piece, a Kshetrayya padam, saw a shift away from mythology. Sanjana approached the tastefully choreographed piece "Chudare" with a certain decorum, as it ventured into the realm of the mundane. The padam is set to raga Sahana in the mishra chapu talam. Concluding her recital, Sanjana presented the Kalinga Narthana thillana in the raga Surutti. In contrast to the typical playfulness associated with Oothukkadu Venkata Kavi's Thillanas, the choreography emphasized rhythmic prowess, showcasing Sanjana's skill in this aspect of dance. The music ensemble accompanying Sanjana's performance featured Aditya PV on nattuvangam, Rohith Bhat Uppooru on vocals, Harsha Samaga on the mridangam, Shashank Jodidar on the flute, and Pradesh Aachar on the violin. Together, they provided soulful support to Sanjana's performance, adding a touch of magic, particularly in the Charukesi varnam.  Shashank Kiron Nair is a Bharatanatyam dancer, Carnatic vocalist and student of Architecture at BMS College of Architecture. He is a recipient of the Kalashree Prashasti 2017-18 and Karnataka Sangeetha Nritya Academy scholarship 2021-22. |
