Seventeen-year old Kaumudi Academy presented a massive Bharatanatyam show of its students numbering nearly 60. Trained under M. Rajyalakshmi, the children young and old gave their best.
The style of the presentation looked a bit different from the usual, but refreshing for they focused more on abhinaya. The opening number ‘Thiruppugal’ started with prayer to Ganesha. This was presented by seniors of the Academy. This was followed by Pancha Nada Alarippu in which Ramya, the principal dancer, led other students who together displayed perfect footwork and expression in this ragamalika number. ‘Ganesha Sthuthi’ that followed was presented by younger children. They presented ‘Sri Vighnarajam Bhaje’ in Nata of Oothukadu Venkatasubbaiar, with devotion to Lord.
‘Shyamala Dandakam’ of Kalidasa, the next number was dance to the rendition of Kalidasa’s set of slokas opening with ‘Manikyaveenam’ a prayer to Goddess Saraswati, with marked jatis. The slokas were reset in song format for rhythmic presentation.
The main attraction was Pada Varnam Ninne Nera Namminanura Krishna in Athana that depicted Krishna related themes like ‘Kuchelopakhyanam’, ‘Rukmini Kalyanam’ ‘Kaleeya Mardanam’ and ‘Draupadi Vastrapaharanam’. Tirvayur Rajagopala Sarma penned this. It was presented by senior students. The jatis after pallavi line were lined up and well gone through with co-ordination. There were chittaswaras with matching sahitya set in different speeds.
Narayana Teertha Taranagam was the next important number and the children with water filled vessels on heads, lit candles in hands and standing on brass plates was a real exercise depicting a mix of Yoga and Natya sastras.
‘Ashtalakshmi Sthotram’ brought in eight girls representative of the eight forms of Maha Lashmi each holding small representative idols of the goddesses. This was more an abhinaya number depicting different roles of the goddesses in different forms. Annamacharya kirtana, Nadachi Vachiti Neni Vaniki ganu as if to see Krishna in the form of Venkateswara, was the next item set in Valaji. This narrated the persona of Krishna.
‘Devisthuti’ next number depicted how the goddess killed demon Mahishasura. Ramya, the principal dancer, presented this, playing all the roles that figured in this mini drama. This piece was of Aadi Shankaracharya.
Ramadasu kirtana Takkuvemi Manaku sportring Vamana, Srirama and Srikrishna was also presented playing some drama woven around these roles.
The major show piece and the end one was a mini ballet ‘Jaganmohini’ who appears as Mohini in three themes – ‘Ksheerasagara Madhanam’, ‘Bhasmasura Vadha’ and ‘Ayyappa’. Varsha as Mahavishnu, Pratyusha as Siva, Sreya as Bhasmasura, Kalyani as Narada, Ramasesh as Ayyappa and another eight childen in different roles acquitted themselves well. Padma Sastry scored music and Oleti Srinivasa Bhanu penned the script.
