On Sunday, the 16th of December 2018 was a sort of Kumbh Mela of Dance, at Veene Seshanna Bhavan, Ganabharathi, Kuvempunagara, Mysuru at the auspicious hour of 6 pm.

The curator of the show of “Articulate Festival” Mysore B. Nagaraj, on behalf of Articulate Trust for Arts, presented the 31st of its series by bringing together on stage, artistes from the Bay of Bengal, shores of Arabian Sea, the plains of Ganges and the North Pacific ocean creating a confluence of two classical dance arts of India, Bharatanatyam and Kathak. It did create exciting waves of artistry that swept the audience into the depths of visual bliss.

Glistening Ripples in the Pacific Ocean

Viji Rao, daughter and disciple of Guru Shiva Rao, in her three chosen repertoire of Bharatanatyam swam through the choreographic works of The Sridhars and Bragha Bassell to the beautiful musical compositions of Praveen D. Rao to the lyrics drawn from traditional Sanskrit Shlokas, Purandara Dasa and Meera Bai.

Starting with a Shloka on Ganesha and weaving it with “Ikshudhandadhara”, concluding with the bhajan “Mere tho Giridhara Gopal,” Viji Rao performed “Yamanelli Kanenendu” in between with such exhibit of geometrical Nrutta and moving Abhinaya. Her decades of pursuit and perseverance in dance showed through her perfect presentation.

Unruffled by the winds of western dance, her Indian dance stood firm on the west coast of USA where she hails from. Viji Rao’s bharatanatyam performance was a befitting spring board of the series of dances of the evening.

Sublime Sundarbans of Bay of Bengal

From the delta of Bay of Bengal came the young artiste Karuna Ketan Bhakta, to the land of Cauvery to exhibit his talent of Bharatanatyam, having learnt the art of South India in the bustling town of Kolkata. He sailed through a kouthwam attached to a Alaaripu, a Shiva addressed composition and a signature repertoire Tillana.

His effortless movement was just simple and elegant in his warming up alaaripu number, his energetic dancing for the composition “Pradosha Samayadhi” showed the power of Shivas dance and his thillana in shanmukhapriya was very crisp and pleasing to the eyes.

His nimble feet discarded the heavy stomping giving a floating perception within the grace of Bharatanatyam. A very promising youngster indeed.

Rapids in Ganga

Richa Gupta’s Kathak of Jaipur Gharana was a exciting float in the rapids of Ganga.

Coming from Delhi, her dexterous manipulation of her ankle bells echoing every syllable of the percussion were like the little currents that carried away the audience on a dance ride.

She gleaned through complex patterns in the 11 beat cycle of Ashta Mangal taal. Right from That, through amaad and parans till her Padakriya she drew rapturous clapping from                                          the prekshaka.

Her rendition of a ghazal in chaste urdu, though went over the head, because of the complexity of the enchanting language, took the audience into a world of coquettishness that lucknow was famous for, through her explanation of being in love.

The couplet said, Many a person has escaped the pains induced by thorns while I am hurting myself by the softness of the flowers. She showcased the Hindu art that was gilded by the artistes from the Muslim era, enchantingly.

Soothing breeze from Arabian Sea

Priyanjali Rao came from  Mumbai, from the coast of Arabian Sea, bringing with her the coolness the setting sun in the west could raise in the western waters.

Her petite and perfect composure complimented the rechakas and mandalas she executed in her Bharatanatyam renditions. The four items she chose for the evening were short, crisp and suiting the attention sensitivity of today’s audience.

Her choice was more in Abhinaya though she concluded with a Kamaj raga Thillana. Her selection of poetry were from Annamacharya bhakthi composition in mixed Sanskrit, Swathi Thirunal’s Telegu Javali and Saint Janabai’s Marathi Abhangs.

She had all the command one requires to execute the Nrutta but also shined in her abhinaya. Her very limbs oozed meaning when she emoted the feelings of a devotee in the krithi and Abhang. She stole the audience heart in her Khandita Nayika bhava in the javali where she accuses her beloved for betraying her for another women.

Yes, the ripples and waves, in the confluence of dance artistes of caliber, indeed took the audience on a high ride in  the high tide.

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