The month of Aadi has been of special significance for Amman worship in Tamil Nadu. Adding to this mood, Brahma Gana Sabha lined up dance performances spread over nine days. The inaugural performance of the Aadi Natya Vizha was by Samyuktha Narayanan.
Samyuktha has trained with Guru Rhadha, a torchbearer of the Vazhuvoor School known for its emphasis on grace, which is suited to her attractive countenance.
She began her programme with a prayer to Goddess Saraswathi delineating the attributes of the goddess, and the dancer’s depiction of the lotus rising out of the gently undulating water and playing of the veena, was attractive.
‘Nadhanai Azhaithuva Sakhiyae’ in Khambodi was the varnam chosen for the day, showing the pangs of the heroine besotted with Lord Muruga, pleading with her friend to communicate her plight and fetch her lord. This varnam, which is of a descriptive nature, gave scope for the dancer to follow a narrative flow. In her depiction of reminiscences of intimate moments with the lord, like the application of sandal paste, her subtle abhinaya was appealing. She needs to focus on enhancing her expressions by delving deeper into the subject. The jathi sequences flowed effortlessly and the graceful manner in which the dancer moved, without making it just an exercise in rhythm, was a delight to watch.
Subbaramaiyyar’s Sourashtam raga composition ‘Adhuvum Soluval’ was the highlight of her performance. The song, speaking about a heroine’s disdain about the other woman’s rise from rags to riches, can be interpreted by each dancer differently. Samyuktha chose to depict her heroine as ‘uttama nayika.’ It was commendable that even when she had to express the scorn for a lowly woman, she retained the dignified stance, and throughout the song, she maintained the sthayi bhava of the heroine with conviction.
‘Thaye Yasoda,’ which followed, dealt again with the gopi complaining to Yasoda about the pranks of child Krishna. The dancer’s abhinaya seemed like a continuation of the earlier heroine. Probably a distinct and different approach in the portrayal of the woman would have helped in showcasing the dancer’s innate talent more convincingly.
The beautiful Mohanakalyani thillana of Lalgudi G. Jayaraman was the finale, delineated with graceful postures and movements.
The impact of this performance was enhanced manifold with the excellent support of the musical team, comprising of Jayashri Ramanathan wielding the cymbals, Nandini Anand providing expressive vocal support, Vedakrishnan and his sensitive accompaniment on the mridangam, and the melodic playing on the violin by Anantakrishnan and Srutisagar on the flute.
