As a maiden performance when the Acharya introduces the shishya to the community, the intent of the Bharatanatyam margam as a stage to demonstrate skill and artistic prowess has stood the test of time. However, the margam is also a platform for celebration; a coming together of several individuals to not only witness but also to participate and encourage the growth of an artist. Such was the spirit of Advith Shashidhar’s margam, presented by Ambalam Foundation, where 100s of rasikas gathered at Chowdiah memorial hall on the 5th of September to partake in the joyous celebration of this preserved tradition.
Advith commenced the performance with a pushpanjali on Lord Vinayaka, brilliantly composed and choreographed by Professor CV Chandrasekhar with the unique utilization of the śūṣka akṣaras; or consonant-only syllables. Presented with vibrant nritta and pleasant abhinaya, making use of the entire arangam to offer salutations to all the devatas, this pushpanjali formed the perfect introductory piece.
Following this, Advith presented a shabdam portraying various excerpts from the Kamba Ramayana. Beginning with Sita’s swayamvara, to Maricha’s deception in the forest, followed by Ravana’s abduction of Sita and Hanuman’s offering of the choodamani to goddess Sita. The dancer’s portrayal of Lord Hanuman was particularly enjoyable, demonstrating aerial movements with ease while also maintaining the exquisite sthayi bhava of the witty and powerful persona.
The chosen varnam for the evening was Entani Ne Thelupudura in ragam kamas and rupaka talam, demonstrating jathis and swarams choreographed by the renowned Guru Adayar Lakshmanan and Abhinaya expertly crafted by Archarya Smt. Indira Kadambi. This piece, soaked in shringara rasa, portrays the lament of a lovelorn nayika as she asks her beloved Thiruvarur Thyagesha to grant her eternal union with him. The varnam was bejeweled with intriguing sancharis, notably an elaborate portrayal of the tripurasura vadhanam. Advith convincingly portrayed the yearning nayika, blending gentle gait, and profound rasa, with a decisive message to her Lord. The slow pace of the abhinaya, however, was no deterrent to his seamless shift into strong nritta. Exploring all movements to their kinesthetic potential, he maintained rhythmic integrity, with apt angashuddhi, while preserving a key quality of a dancer; indefatigability or Shramaha.
The abhinaya segment of the evening explored two contrasting faces of Lord Krishna, both displaying his cleverness in two distinctive situations, a testament to the rich repertoire of abhinaya possessed by Archarya Smt. Indira Kadambi. The first was a devarnama, Gokuladhali Naan Iralare, by Sri Purandaradasa, which offered a refreshing voice to the leelas of Krishna, one from the mischief-maker’s own perspective. Advith portrayed the childlike innocence of the young boy who says that he can no longer tolerate the ways in which the gopis pamper him, bringing an uncontrollable giggle to every on-looker. Moving into a javali, Chittike Vesithe, Advith rendered a confident and charming Krishna, who smartly responds to a damsel who is surprisingly hard to impress. He says, “If I snap my fingers, lakhs of girls more beautiful than you will flock towards me.” Hurt by her dismissal, yet hiding his wounded pride, Advith efficiently portrayed a comical mix of wit and sarcasm.
The evening’s margam also encompassed a rare Marathi padam composed by Sarpoji Maharaj and choreographed by Smt Sucheta Bhide Chapekar. The padam showcased an excerpt from the Mahabharata; a conversation when Goddess Parvathi persuades Lord Shiva to take her hunting with him. An energetic piece with exquisite movements inspired from the folk dances of India; the piece carried a flavor of originality and tone of ethnicity.
Advith concluded the evening’s performance with a Kalinga Narthana thillana, which was another well passed test of his physical endurance, beautifully choreographed by Archarya Smt. Indira Kadambi with quick and graceful movements. The mangala shlokam on Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham provided a soothing trance to curtain the abundant artistic display of the evening.
The masterful orchestra for the evening included Archarya Smt. Indira Kadambi on the nattuvangam, Sri Abhishek NS on vocals, Sri Vinay Nagarajan on the mridangam, Sri Prashanth RP on the veena, Sri Nithish Ammannaya on the flute and Sri TM Nagraj on the lights. They truly accentuated the efforts of the dancer, and enhanced the experience of the audience. The chief guests for the evening, Sri Praveen Kumar and Sri Jayachandran Surendran offered deep felicitations and strong encouragement to the well blossomed talent of the dancer.
Having witnessed the evening’s performance, the word that strikes one’s mind is “wholesome” for, Advith rendered a margam which was a true celebration, spanning over seven pieces, a myriad of emotional landscapes, a strong vocabulary of nritta, a dynamic presence in the eyes of the spectators, and a true symbol of dedication to his Archarya, smt. Indira Kadambi and the revered art form itself.
Written by Ashwathi PG
A Bharatanatyam artist, writer, and Clinical Psychologist from Bangalore. Deeply drawn to the dialogue between art and the human psyche, she weaves their interplay into her work under her banner, Antaryami.
