Lankan dance troupe applauded in India
K S Sivakumaran
The Guru at Natya Kala Mandir is appreciated by one of the organisers |
Lankan dancers perform in Chithambaram |
Lankan dancers in characteristic poses |
Dancers in Abhinaya |
It is customary in Lanka to applaud any visiting artistes or
glamorous film stars to the hilt and also indiscriminately. But as turn
of events a Lankan Dance Troupe- Natya Kala Mandhir- from Colombo is
reportedly have been well received in Tamilnadu. This is something to be
praised.
The Hindus all over the world observed and even celebrated the Maha
Siva Rathri Day on March 14, this year is of particular significance as
the observation of the vigil and celebration through dance in
Chithambaram, a city in Tamilnadu where the famous historic Sivan temple
is enshrined, was coincidental.
And Lord Siva, also known as Natarajah (King of Dance) is the deity
worshipped in awe there. Dance is a form of expression of Bhakthi among
the Hindus. Bharatha Natyam (not to be pronounced as Bhaaratha Natyam as
usually pronounced by the uninitiated) is one form of dances performed
to honour the God of Cosmic Dance - Natarajah.
In this connection please read Ananda Coomaraswamy's monumental work
The Dance of Shiva for an understanding of the significance of Lord
Shiva's Dance. It was in Chithambaram that the dancers of that town
presented the 'Natya Anjali'. It was a festival where the artistes
offered their worship through dance.
Dancers from various parts of India, including Lanka also performed
in another town in Tamilnadu - Kumbakoanam. It was here on March 14 that
the Lankan troupe performed their talents at the Aadhi Kumbeshwarar
temple. It is reported that the performances were done in a grand scale.
We understand that 20 students of Natya Kala Mandhir took part with the
choreography done by the head of the instritute, Vasugi Jegatheeswaran.
She is one of the well-known Bharatha Natyam dancers in Lanka in
yesteryear and presently serves as a reputed teacher at the institute.
At this performance Arunanthy Arunan (vocalist) and V Jambunathan (mirudangam
artiste) from Lanka participated.
The organizers of the event felicitated the Lankan artistes, we
understand.
Back again in Chithambaram in the morning of March 15, a special
pooja was held at the famous temple.
And in the evening the Lankan troupe performed a Natya Anjali. And
the audience applauded their performance and felicitated them we are
told. Apart from Bharataha Natyam, famous dancers from other parts of
India presented different forms of dance like the Katahakali, Odissi and
Kathak.
Later the Lankan toupe performed at the Pragadeeshwarar temple in
Thanjavoor, another town of cultural importance in Tamilnadu.
It is learnt that this huge temple built by Raja Raja, the Chola King
completes 1000th year of existence. It was here the 'Brahan Natyanjali'
was held. Kalasuri Vasugy Jegatheeswaran directed (Nattuvaangam) this
program in the evening. It was a spiritualistic and artistic production,
we understand.
Apart from the names mentioned above, the names of the performers too
should be included as a way of notice and recognition.
They were: Mangala Gautham, Vijitha Ratnam, Archana Kandasamy,
Sinthooja Kandavel, Mirunalini Somasundara Iyer, Shyaama Thanarajah,
Tharshika Rajendran, Ramya Reginald, Nivethini Manoharan, Thiviya
Kitnamoorthy, Poorani Ravindra Moorthy, Harini Amrritha Visvanathan,
Anuganga Kulennran, Saranya Sivasubramaniam, Archadha Sivakanthan,
Rishmithaa Sivakanthan, Thilini Thanapala, Vyshnavee Maheshararatnam,
Abhinya Kumaranathan and Braneiya Jeyanayagam, V. Jambunatahan, an
Indian artiste Panapattu Venkatesan was the accompanist.
These events were jointly organized by the Chithambaram Natyanjali
Trust, Music Drama Academy of New Delhi, Cultural Centre for the
Southern Region, Annamalai University, Brahan Natyanjali, Trust of
Tanjavoor, The Tourism Board of Tamilnadu and the Ministry of Indian
Culture. |
