Nandini, a disciple of Rajeswari Sainath, presented a Bharatanatyam recital at Saptaparni last week. The dance was presented to pre-recorded music with nattuvangam done by her guru Rajeswari, presented under the aegis of Natya Swara.
She opened her performance with Mallari composed by Rajeswari setting it in three kalas, the last set in tisra nada. This number exercised the artiste well preparing her to go for the major number a varnam Srikrishna Paramatma in Simhendramadhyamam in aditalam, written by Sitarama Sarma. In the rare varnam the charanas give details of the life of Srikrishna from his birth to the Bhagavadgita episode in Kurukshetra. This was backed by Chittaswaras and jatis in various rhythmic patterns, a challenge for the dancer to maintain her footwork and also carry its thematic element in her abhinaya.
There were half a dozen such jatis sans repetition, preceding every charanam, framed in Adi Tisranada, Trikala, Madhyamakala, Dhrutakala. Nandini could go through all these jatis competently and also was able to depict in her abhinaya various phases of Srikrishna’s life, matching the textual content in a sequence that stretched over half and hour.
A javali that followed focused on Virahotkhandita and khandita nayakis. The pallavi Cheli Nenetlu Sahintune itself reveals who the Nayaki was. This was set in Farazu, adi talam. There were many sancharis set for abhinaya like depiction of the line Manoharakaarude, Pagadaanintilo Cherene . First she decorates herself with the hope that he would come, but later removes all her ornaments and flowers disappointed for lack of his response.
The other notable number was tillana of Balamuralikrishna in Kadanakutuhalam which Nandini executed well, striking statuesque postures and going through pure nritta spells. It ended with Ksheerabdhi Kanyakaku , a popular mangalam. Noted Carnatic vocalist Sangeetha Kala in the company of Siva Ramakrishna on violin and Karra Srinivas on mridangam rendered these compositions impressively into the track.
