“Samviksana An Exploration” – An artistic exploration in search of divinity
Performed on Sunday, October 4, 2015 at Tilak Smarak Mandir, Pune


Report- Dr.Lakshmi & Pandithar Sivakumar Perumal
Pune -411032
spandithar@yahoo.com

Bharatanatyam Performance By Dr.Janaki Rangarajan
Event presented by Nritya Yatri, Pune .

Few months ago the curtain had risen to Kalakshetra Foundation reknowned dance drama “Jatayu Moksham” , today it was a supreme performance of classical Bharatanatyam by Dr. Janaki Rangarajan.

On a Sunday morning when the late night down pour makes one drowsy enough to even leave the comfort of home, we reached the venue in time and slowly as the time passed by the sun made it’s way in the sky , Janaki’s dance on the stage too graced the rasikas at Tilak Smarak Mandir, Pune.

Janaki commenced her performance with Tisra jathi ata tala Alarippu- Ragamalika
As the dance commenced it was start of one of the most magical moments ever witnessed on stage, the precision in each moment of the dance was complete, the flow of the dance, and the symmetrical positioning of the whole body was a delight to watch. Being a student of the legendary Dr. Padma Subramanyam for over 17 years, Janaki’s stage presence talks volumes of how the legendary artists teaching has crafted her into being a fine dancer. One of the many highlights of her performance was the ease of connect she could have with the rasikas, who complemented her artistic brilliance throughout the recital.

Janaki performed Chilean poet Pablo Neruda's poetry which had music by Dr. Rajkumar Bharati
The poem was about a poet full of emotions, but he did not have the words to describe those, he did not know how to open the barrier and how to fly, when he realized how poetry has come in search of him, and he attained fulfillment of happiness. If the vocal in Hindustani ragas in this English poetry was a delight, which gave us the feel we encounter on hearing tabla and sitar in the movies from the west, Janaki’s dance on this piece was immaculate , a visual of the verse so well performed.

If we call the overall performance a bejeweled crown, Varnam by the dancer was the most precious jewel of it. The item gives one an opportunity to wholesomely gauge, the mastery of an artist on the overall dance including her abhinaya.
Janaki performed Sadaya Ika- Chakravakam- Adi- Tanjore quartet, based on the lord of Brihadeeswara temple, Shiva.
Janaki’s dance on the Tirmanams at the beginning of the item and at other occasions during varnam was craftsman at his artist best moment, her flow of dance, with super footwork, the flowing arms and her conclusions into a posture of perfect mudra . Pining in love of the lord, the nayika wants him to at least give her a glimpse if not his love, she says you have given Parvathi your half body to reside in you, Oh lord at least give me a glimpse of your love. Janaki described her very well, use of subtle movements of karnas drew loud appreciation from the rasikas, we all know how the karnas has been Dr.Padma Subramanyam’s gift to the field of dance, seeing her shishya perform them were testimonies of they today are integral part of dance.

Throughout the Varnam, the dancer seemed to take the rasikas to a higher level of experience through her nritta and abhinaya, while her hallmark angasuddhi and arrimandi remained sublime. A visual treat to see the artist move into the 3 characters of Shiva, Parvathi and the nayika , the moment of anger as Parvathi looking into Shiva’s heart and feeling that there was somebody else and not herself, the lord pacifying Parvathi were performed supremely, and what we waited to see the magical moment of varnam was Shiva and Parvathi coming together as Ardhanari Nateschwara, that was the supreme moment, which set the hall on a thunderous applause. A mastery it was, well choreographed by the dancer herself. Flowing in this journey of dance in varna, rasikas were delighted to see the depiction of various rasas as the dancer transcend from one character to another with ease. The depiction of the Brihadeeswara temple and its grandeur was another noting moment in this item.

Draupadi’s Dharma , Lyrics by Ms. Pramila Venkateswaran- Music by Dr. Rajkumar Bharati
a dialogue poetry between Draupadi and Dharmaraj Yudheeshteer, she question him, about when will her revenge be completed, she questions him why he is so silent, why he was so in the sabha where she was shamed by the Kauravas, here we were treated to fantastic moment of the sabha where Draupadi was humiliated, the dancer enacted Dushshasana with aplomb, his body language when he is about to outrage draupadi, the bhaya and karuna in the dancer as draupadi was fantastic example of her mastery over the various elements of dance.

Janaki performed Astapadi- Kuru Yadu- Behag- Misra chapu- Jayadeva's Geetagovinda .
A departure from many occasions of watching Radha yearn for the love of her beloved Krishna, this item presented by the artist showcased Radha as one who has earned a lot of love from Krishna. Radha wants Krishna to help her through various acts, like applying sandal wood on the bosom, drawing kajal to her eyes and making it so black as the swam bee as beautiful they were, which has gone whilst she was with the lord, she wants him to do her hair and make them as beautiful as sensuous item where the artist sitting at one position of the stage could juggle into both the character. A visual delight watching the sambhoga sringara presentation.

Juda- Amir Khusrau's Sufi poem.
A rare item to see Bharatanatyam performed on Sufi poem, a beautiful poem was very well put into beautiful motion of dance. A rare to see sufi chakars being performed in Bharatanatyam.
Ther performance concluded with Thillana- Purvi- Roopakam- Sri T Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar,
The finery which had begun with Alaripu, the energies, the high moments achieved during with each item performed, maintained its aesthetic classic, once again a tinge of karnas in Tillana added to the beauty of the item.

It was wonderful performance for all the rasikas in the hall, such magical moments on stage by artists like Dr.Janaki make us await another occasion to be mesmerized.

Dr.Lakshmi & Pandithar Sivakumar Perumal