Mysore/Mysuru: The ‘Ashada’ 2025 edition of Champaka Rashtreeya Kalaa Utsava was organised by Champaka Educational and Cultural Trust, Mysuru, at Champaka Sabhangana, Champaka Academy premises in Ramakrishnanagar, recently showcasing classical dance performances by accomplished artistes from Bengaluru and Mysuru.

The evening started with a Bharatanatyam feature by Vidu. Sreelakshmi Thejas, of Gathishree Performing Arts Centre, Bengaluru, along with her disciples. Pushpanjali as an invocatory piece was offered and then offering prayers to Ganesha, they danced to ‘Pranavakaram’ kriti in shuddha dhanyasi raga.

Next was ‘Harismarane mado nirantara,’ where Draupadi and Krishna’s story was very well established by Sreelakshmi and her students. Sreelakshmi danced solo for ‘Sri Ramachandra Kripalu Bhajamana,’ where she portrayed the greatness of Rama in a very divine way.

The second performance was by the junior students of Champaka Academy trained by Vidu. Dr. Nagalakshmi Nagarajan. They presented ‘Gajavadana beduve’ and ‘Mellamellane bandane’ devaranamas mesmerising the audience.

Mysuru disciples of Vidu. Bharathi Vittal, Director, Kalpanaa School of Dance (Mysuru & Bengaluru) presented a Kathak feature choreographed by her which was much appreciated by the audience.

Her students, Disha and Krithika, danced to a Tusli Das bhajan on Ganesha in ragamala and set to dadra taal. Ganesha was praised and indeed invoked. Music composition and vocal was by Ustad Faiyaz Khan. The next item was a pure technical number showing skill in taal having Ganesha kavitha paran, rangamanch puja, thaat, aamad, paran, tukdas, tihayis and baant set to teentaal. The dancers being Swetha Vijan, Sougandhika, Poorvi Suneel and Vyapti.

This was followed by a Shloka, Kavitha and Sargam Geet presented by Dr. Nagalakshmi, Jyoti Hegde and Bhumika Hegde. The shloka portrayed Shiva in detail followed by sargam geet in raga hiradani set to ektaal made the dancers sway through the geet in various footwork and movements and chakkars. The performance concluded with a pure dance number tarana having technical aspects of Kathak like intricate footwork, lyrical movements and chakkars. It was in raga malkauns and in teental.

Dr. M.N. Ravi, Senior Consultant and Surgeon, Cardiac Sciences, Narayana Multispecialty Hospital, Mysuru and Dr. Sandhya, Senior Specialist ENT, Facial Aesthetics and Metabolic Medicine, were the chief guests

Dr. Ravi and Dr. Sandhya enjoyed the performances and Dr. Ravi spoke about the importance of being practitioners of these art forms for better health in these times of fluctuating health. He asked parents to encourage children to learn the art forms so that they have avenues other than regular studies.