Kalakshetra students celebrated the gurus of yesteryear with a Guru Samarpanam

Kala Mela, organised by Kalakshetra Foundation, began with Guru Samarpanam — a tribute to gurus — through Bharatanatyam margam and featuring timeless compositions of the acharyas. It was held at Bharata Kalakshetra Auditorium.

The evening commenced with Nandi Choll, a vibrant nritta piece, an invocation to Nandi, followed by a Dikshitar kriti in raga Vasantha set to Tisra gati Adi tala. It was choreographed by Adyar K. Lakshman.

Next in the margam sequence was a jatiswaram, performed skilfully with perfect coordination by the dancers. A  composition of the Tanjore quartet in raga Chakravakam and Rupaka tala was a tribute to the gurus of the Pandanallur bani.

Perfect coordination among the dancers was the high point of the performance.
| Photo Credit:
VELANKANNI RAJ B

‘’Swami, naan undan adimai endru ulagamellam ariyume’, a well-known Nattakurinji varnam composed by Papanasam Sivan and choreographed by Krishnaveni Lakshman was the next gem presented. Through alternate sequences of nritta and abhinaya, the dancers conveyed the glory of Shiva weaving together episodes such as Manmatha dahanam, protecting Markandeya from the clutches of death and the majestic tandava that embodies creation and destruction. 

Next in line was a soul-stirring Kshetragya padam in Ananda Bhairavi raga, Misrachapu tala. An abhinaya-oriented piece, choreographed by Bragha Bessell, it brought out the emotions of the proshithabhartrukanayika (whose beloved has gone away).

The mood shifted from despair to delight when a scene from the dance drama ‘Meenakshi Vijayam’, choreographed by Rukmini Devi Arundale in 1977, was presented. The iconic composition ‘Velli ambalthil natanam seidhar’ portrayed Shiva’s sandhya tandavam (raga Kamboji, Chaturasra Ata tala and Adi tala), with music by Bhagavatulu Sitarama Shastri, was performed by a group of male dancers.

What followed was a beautiful depiction of sringara rasa through a Jayadeva ashtapadi in Ragamalika. Choreographed by Krishnaveni Lakshman, it showcased the bond between Radha and Krishna.

The evening concluded with a tillana in raga Brindavana Saranga (Adi tala). Music composition was by Madurai N. Krishnan and choreography by Adyar K. Lakshman.

The musical ensemble included K.P. Rakesh on the nattuvangam, Sai Shankar and Vinayak on vocals, Karthik Balaji on the mridangam, M.B. Srinivas on the violin, Sashidhar on the flute and Parameswari on the tambura.