Nada Nrityopasana- 2024, completion of 18th successful year of Nadavidyalaya – Academy of Music & Dance, located in Hebbal, Mysuru, was celebrated on Oct. 19 at Ganabharathi’s Ramagovinda Rangavedike in Kuvempunagar.

Academy students, in all 30 Senior and Vidwat grade, took part in the programme under the guidance and direction of Guru Vidushi Mithra Naveen.

To begin with, Nadavidyalaya’s Vidwat students presented Pushpanjali, a floral invocatory piece of Bharatanatyam repertoire in Gowla raag set to adi taala. It was followed by alaripu in Trishra, Khanda and Mishra jathi, the nritta bandha of  Bharatanatyam margam.

Next presentation was Kanjadalayatakshi, a kriti on Goddess Kamakshi, praying to Devi Parvati in the form of Kamakshi; meaning the one who always holds triumph over the evil and the one who fulfils all aspirations. 

Scripted by Muttuswami Dikshitar in raaga kamalamanohari set to Adi tala. Shabdam composed by Vazhuvoor Ramaiah Pillai was the next on the list.

Krishna being one of the Vishnu’s incarnations of dashavataras, Krishna as the one who mesmerises the Gopikas with his enchanted flute, was shown in their dance by senior students of the institute in raagamalika set to Mishrachapu tala.

It was a special treat to eyes and ears to witness a tana varna through Bharatanatyam where it is only seen in music concerts.

As the lyrics are fewer, it was more meaningful and easier to understand the sahitya through picturisation for a common audience in the next presentation in Mohana raga set to Adi tala written by ‘Poochi’ Srinivasa Iyengar. 

Bhakta expresses longing for divinity and a plea to uphold affection. ‘O leader of the entire universe! I am subsisting because of the yearning I have for you… Ninnu kori Yunnanuraa…

Vidwat students performed the stories of Bali Chakravarthy, Gajendra Moksha and Draupadi Vastraapaharana. Choreography of Guru Vidu. Mithra Naveen stood high in picturising the sequences where the audience were in tears of bhakti and bhava.

Students portrayed each story with rasaabhinaya. Composition of Saint Tulasidas — Hanuman Chalisa — was the magnetic piece of the day where rasikas started to hymn Jai bolo Hanuman ki! jai bolo Hanuman ki! And the whole auditorium was attracted and filled with Rama Naama and Hanuman vibrations.

Main attraction of the day was the dance-drama ‘Antahpura Geetegalu’ by the famous poet Devanahalli Venkataramanaiah Gundappa (DVG) that contains 42 songs on the Shilabalikas, Saalabanjikas and Madanikas in the world-famous temple of Belur Chennakeshava.

Few songs like “Kutila Kuntale”, “Nrittonmatte”, “Muruja Mode” and “Koravanji” were chosen for the performance that were specially choreographed by Guru Mithra Naveen with the karanas and attractive postures of Natya Shastra through Bharatanatyam that were an eye-captivating series of songs well-presented by Vidwat students being epitome of perfection and elegance.

Senior grade students of Nadavidyalaya were full of zeal with complete energy still on gear after a long two-hour concert not losing their enthusiasm, danced with ease to the ultimate piece of Nritta bandha, the last of Bharatanatyam margam, the thillana set to raaga Shivaranjini and adi tala composed by Maharajapuram Santanam.

Accompanying artistes included Direction and Natuvanga by Guru Vidu. Mithra Naveen, euphonious vocal support by Vid. M.S. Naveen, mridanga by Vid. G.S. Nagaraj and flute by Vid. Vivek Krishna. Arpitha Nayak and Shreya Ramesh did the compering.

G.R. Nagaraj, President of Adarsha Seva Sangha, Ravi Shastri, Vice-President of Krishnadhama and V.N. Mallikarjunaswamy, Joint Director of Kannada & Culture Department, were present on the occasion.