S. NARAYANASWAMY - ADVERTISMENT -

Pallavi Prabhu presented her Bharatanatyam Arangetram, the solo debut performance by a graduating student, on July 6, 2013. The programme was conducted by Guru Roopa Shyamasundara under the auspices of Nrityollasa Center for Performing Arts at the Towsley Auditorium on the campus of Washtenaw Community College, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Pallavi, the daughter of Mythili and Arvind Prabhu of Ann Arbor, is going to be a junior at Green Hills School. During her ten years of dance training with her guru Roopa, Pallavi seems to have accumulated not just good dancing skills, but also a few accolades and some rare opportunities such as participating in dance workshops by legendary teachers like Leela Samson and Bragha Bessel.

The programme started with a traditional pushpanjali in the opening ragas Natai and Hamsadhwani, with the lyrics of Purandaradasa, offering obeisance to Nataraja, the Lord of Dance, and Ganesa, the Lord of auspicious

beginnings. This was quickly followed by Alarippu and Arabhi raga Jatiswaram. Pallavi exhibited her sense of precision and also gave indication of her athleticism in executing the intricate jatis.

The Sabdam chosen for the first delineation of expressive abhinaya was a Tamil composition of Arundhati Sreeranganathan, sung in ragamalika, starting off with the raga Kambhoji. The lyrics describing the various scenes from the epic Ramayana were enacted by Pallavi with sensitivity. The majesty of Rama, the nastiness and the following pitiful state of the demoness Soorpanakha, were depicted appropriately. It was quite evident through her abhinaya that Pallavi knew the Ramayana story intimately.

Pallavi presented the pada varnam, the main item of the show, in praise of Devi, the Mother Goddess, in the raga Todi. The opening jatis, executed in progressively increasing speed, were done with grace and charm. Pallavi delineated the lyrical stanzas through abhinaya, which included not only facial expressions, but also the use of her entire body, to depict the magnificence, beauty and grace of the Goddess, in her various forms. The mood of the song was primarily devotional and the jati choreography combined the very traditional adavus, the basic steps, into interesting and complex combinations. However, Pallavi certainly rose up to the challenge, and there was never a moment of hesitation. The charana, the last stanza of the varnam, started off with the word “Sringaara”, visualising the Goddess as the beloved and the enchantress of Lord Siva. Starting from this launching point, Pallavi depicted the nava rasas, the nine essential moods from the Hindu dramaturgy, as springing from the Goddess. In the Hindu tradition, the Goddess is visualised in nava avaranas - nine planes or dimensions. In Pallavi’s

PALLAVI PRABHU’S BHARATANATYAM ARANGETRAMPALLAVI PRABHU’S BHARATANATYAM ARANGETRAM

depiction, a parallel was drawn between the nava rasas, the nine essential moods and the nava avaranas, the nine dimensions of the Goddess, which was very charming.

After a brief intermission, the programme continued with the Tamil classic song Vaaranamayiram sung in ragamalika. Pallavi transformed herself into Andal (including the characteristic kondai), and interspersed her abhinaya between depictions of Krishna's glory and Andal’s love and devotion to the Lord.

After a sweet presentation of another classic, Krishna nee begane baro, Pallavi presented an energetic tribute to Lord Siva in the form of a keertana, composed by Swami Dayananda Saraswati in the raga Sivaranjani. This was followed by a Tillana in the raga Madhuvanti, a composition of the late Lalgudi Jayaraman, and the traditional Mangalam.

Babu Parameswaran of Los Angeles, as lead vocalist, sang beautifully. He was accompanied by Prabhu Sriram on mridangam, Sukapavalam Subramanyam on violin and Karthik Ravikumar Sathavalli on flute. All the musicians rendered beautiful and spontaneous support. The alapana of Sivaranjani raga rendered by them while Pallavi made a costume change was delightful. All said and done, the performance was a treat to the ears as well as to the eyes. Priya Bramadesam acted as the emcee.

The programme was conducted ably and efficiently by Guru Roopa Shyamasundara who also rendered the nattuvangam. The predominant mood throughout the show was one of devotion, whether it be the devotion of Pallavi to her guru, the devotion of the guru to her art, or indeed the devotion of the entire troupe to Nataraja, the Lord of Dance. It was charming to notice that Pallavi was not merely enacting verbal meaning of the various lyrical pieces, but she seemed to have an innate understanding of the essence of the poetry. And that, after all, is the true purpose of this dance.

A special note should be made of the aesthetically pleasing decor on stage and in the foyer of the auditorium. Our congratulations to Pallavi, Guru Roopa and Pallavi’s parents, Mythili and Arvind Prabhu.