Captivating Dance Performance – Ananya’s Exceptional Bharatanatyam Arangetram
The gifted young Bharatanatyam artiste Kum. Ananya Sharma enthralled art lovers with a mesmerizing performance lasting nearly two hours, displaying remarkable energy, grace, and effortless mastery during her Arangetram, held recently at the New Horizon Engineering College Auditorium, Marathahalli, Bengaluru.
A dedicated disciple of the renowned Natarajarangam School of Dance, Bengaluru, Ananya blossomed into a fine artiste under the meticulous guidance and brilliant choreography of her guru, Smt. Abhinaya Natarajan. With her radiant smile, poise, and extraordinary confidence at just seventeen years of age, Ananya captivated the audience through expressive abhinaya, graceful nritta, and impeccable angashuddhi (purity of movement), making her performance truly distinctive.
The recital commenced auspiciously with “Pushpanjali” in Rasikapriya raga, composed by Sri Madhurai Muralidharan. Through elegant dance patterns and devotional expressions, Ananya offered humble salutations to the divine, her guru, elders, and the audience. Her graceful poses and fluid movements resembled exquisite sculptures brought to life.
She then presented the “Murugan Kauthvam” in Shanmukhapriya raga, composed by the Tanjavur Quartet, beautifully portraying the glory and valour of Lord Muruga. Complementing her guru’s lucid narration of the kavithvam, Ananya vividly depicted the majestic gait and elegance of the peacock through captivating angika abhinaya and expressive choreography. Her intricate footwork, delicate bhramaris, and aerial movements were especially noteworthy.
The subsequent Jatiswaram in Saraswati raga, a pure nritta composition, showcased the precision and discipline of Bharatanatyam grammar. Though devoid of expressive storytelling, Ananya infused the piece with vitality, rhythm, and aesthetic brilliance.
The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the Varnam, often regarded as the soul of a Bharatanatyam recital. Here, Ananya demonstrated her impressive command over rhythm, laya, and stamina while executing intricate dance sequences with remarkable memory and finesse. The elaborate Shankarabharanam Varnam, composed by Dandayudhapani Pillai, was rendered with exceptional maturity.
In the sahitya beginning “Sakhiye Enda Jaalam…”, she portrayed the emotional anguish and longing of the lovelorn heroine with remarkable sensitivity, immersing herself completely in the character. During the sanchari passages, she dramatically depicted the unwavering devotion of Hathiram Bhavaji and the divine compassion illustrated through the story of Gajendra Moksha, presenting both episodes with compelling theatrical depth.
Guru Abhinaya Natarajan’s dynamic nattuvangam, flowing like a cascading waterfall, added splendour to the recital. Soulful singing by V. Jayashree Ajay Kumar,
the resonant mridangam by PrithviKrishna, the enchanting flute by Venugopal, expressive violin by Arjun, and the subtle sound effects by Prasanna Kumar collectively enriched Ananya’s captivating performance. Her refined hand gestures, flawless adavus, and graceful body movements reflected rigorous training and artistic excellence.
The second half featured “Chandrachooda Shivashankara Parvathi Ramanane Ninage Namo”, the celebrated composition of Sri Purandaradasa in Ragamalika set to Adi Tala. Ananya performed it with vibrant energy and devotional fervour, conveying the spiritual essence of the composition through expressive abhinaya and elegant movements.
She followed it with the charming Javali in Khamas raga, composed by Bengaluru Nagarathnamma, beginning “Maathadabaradeno…”. Her delicate portrayal of the heroine’s emotional turmoil and yearning touched the hearts of the audience, revealing her remarkable expressive abilities.
The recital concluded joyfully with a lively Tillana celebrating Lord Krishna, followed by the Mangalam. Through sparkling footwork, rhythmic precision, and graceful expressions, Ananya brought the evening to a memorable and delightful conclusion, leaving the audience deeply impressed by her artistic maturity and immense promise.
— Y. K. Sandhya Sharma
Kannada Author- Dance- drama Critic
Bangalore
