US-based Sudharani’s Kuchipudi dance performance on the premises of Sri Krishna Mandiram auditorium, Visakhapatnam, stood out for its expressional élan. Though it was a very brief session comprising less than half a dozen numbers, it was remarkable for its rich abinaya. A disciple of Nataraja Ramakrishna and Uma Rama Rao, she was in her element both in terms of foot work and expression.
She began with ‘Akhilandeswari’, paying obeisance to Goddess Adi Parasakthi. Then she took up Annamyya’s composition ‘Adechudare’ in which she ably brought forth the devotional content of the composition in the gestural vocabulary of dance. Her spirited presentation of ‘Ayigirinandini’, from the Mahishasura Mardhini sthotram impressed dance lovers.
Her depiction of myriad shades of grace and grandeur besides the ferocity of the Goddess was awesome. With agile movements in perfect sync with different moods of description in the lyric, she vivified different mythological scenes in quick succession. She capped it with ‘Nanda nandana Gopala’, a tarangam of sage Narayana Theertha. She portrayed varied scenes of Lord Krishna’s childhood pranks with verve.
Earlier, N Ch Sai Santhoshi and Sai Prasanthi sang a few classical numbers. They began it with Giriraja tanaya of Thyagaraj in raga Bangala and then went on the present Vundedi Ramudokkadu in raga Harikambhoji, Kasi Visalakshi of Muttswamy Deekshitar in raga Purvikalyani, Smaravaram in Bahudari and Ramarama anarada in raga Sindhubhairavi. The session was simple and straight presentation. S Srinivasarao on violin and AS Koundinya on mridangam lent good support. SARI Foundation hosted it.
