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REVIEW / REPORTSarada Kala Nilayam's Annual Day brings Bhola Bhandari to life- Anuradha Gopalakrishnane-mail: radhaandme@gmail.com Photos: Ram Athreya June 24, 2026 On May 9, 2026, the teachers and students of Sarada Kala Nilayam celebrated their 14th Annual Day in the Bay Area, California. Sarada Kala Nilayam (SKN) was founded by Sweta Ravisankar, a student of Padmini Radhakrishnan and Roja Kannan. The theme of the evening was 'Bhola Bhandari', a presentation centered on Lord Shiva. The dancers were accompanied by Vivek Thyagarajan on the vocals, Abhay Akeenepalli on the mridangam, Saravana Sundhari on the veena, and Amulya Akeenepalli on the violin. The nattuvangam was handled adeptly by Sweta Ravisankar, Jayashree Seshadri, and Madhumitha Jothi.  Jayashree, Sweta and Madhumitha on the nattuvangam (from left to right). The evening began with some brisk recitations of jathis and nritta compositions by beginner and advanced level learners. The budding dancers recited jathis while wielding the cymbals skillfully in their hands, as other senior students and the artistic director of SKN - Sweta Ravisankar herself danced along. This segment clearly showed the school's emphasis on nurturing students' layam skills.  Jathi recitation and nattuvangam section After the students showcased their rhythmic training, the school moved on to present an interesting line-up of dances. The narrator, Sweta Ravisankar, took on the persona of Bhola Bhandari himself, announcing each item with zeal and zest. The performance encompassed a wide range of compositions. Traditional pieces such as Pushpanjali in Ragamalika, the popular Ananda Narthana Ganapatim in raga Nattai, and Khamas tillana by Hariprasad were presented alongside transcendent pieces such as Lingashtakam and the popular Bho Shambho. The school also presented some unique compositions such as Trimurthi Shabdam, a composition of Sweta's guru Padmini Radhakrishnan, a Sai Bhajan, Ganga Jadadhara, and the peppy Deena Karunakarane Nataraja by Papanasam Sivan.    The piece de resistance of the evening was the final song "Shiva Bhola Bhandari". Performed by senior students of SKN, this fast-paced song depicted the story of Vishnu's avatar as Mohini and her annihilation of the demon Bhasmasura. Bhasmasura, consumed by pride and arrogance, received a terrifying boon from Shiva. If he touched anyone's head, they would instantly be reduced to ashes. It took Lord Vishnu's avatar Mohini to trick the demon into touching his own head. How did she do it? She began by convincing him to learn to dance, starting with Thattadavu, Nattadavu, and going on to complex jathis. Caught up in the joy of dancing and mesmerized by Mohini's beauty, Bhasmasura placed his hand on his own head, instantly turning into ashes. Sweta's conceptualization of this scene was unique, as she interspersed the story with brisk movements and energetic dancing. Jayashree Seshadri and Anjana Venkat's portrayals of Mohini and Bhasmasura left a lasting impression on the audience. Jayashree and Anjana portrayed their characters with great ease and skill. Perhaps their real-life experiences teaching and learning enhanced their on-stage portrayal!  The orchestra provided great support to the dancers. Performing to a live orchestra is not easy. Nor is it easy for orchestra members to support artistes of varying experience levels - novice to advanced. Throughout the show, the dancers, irrespective of their age, were in perfect sync with the orchestra. With colorful costumes and neat executions, SKN's Annual Day was a memorable evening. Learning an art form and mastering it is a long and arduous journey. SKN's students from various levels sincerely showcased their skills and talents, regardless of where they were in this artistic journey. Sweta also announced the students who had won dance competitions and passed theory exams the previous year. The whole performance stood as a testimony to the school's commitment to encouraging the art form among young learners.  Anuradha Gopalakrishnan, a student of the Narasimhacharis, is a Bharatanatyam professional, nattuvangam enthusiast, and a freelance writer. Anuradha is also a second language educator and researcher with over two decades of experience teaching foreign languages. By combining her expertise in writing and performing arts, she shares her perspectives on artistic endeavors through reviews and reflective commentary. |
