We’ve seen Sumitra Nitin as a Bharatanatyam dancer and a Carnatic musician in Chennai, however not as a trainer. Her music and dance faculty ‘Natyasruti’ in Bengaluru that accomplished 20 years, introduced ‘Pibare Krishna Rasam’ not too long ago at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan below the auspices of Kartik Superb Arts. The melodies on Krishna is a household heirloom of types — composed by Sumitra’s dancer-scholar mom, Sujatha Vijayaraghavan, and sung by her grandmother, the well-known Carnatic musician Ananthalakshmi Sadagopan, about 55 years in the past for a programme in Delhi.
Naturally, the music was a standout; Sumitra had massive boots to fill. She skilfully switched between performing nattuvangam and singing, assisted within the latter by vocalist Yoga Keerthana. She had a stellar group of musicians for help — Vinay Nagarajan (mridangam), Karaikal Venkatasubramaniam (violin), J.B. Sruti Sagar (flute) and Santhosh Heggade (tabla). The stay orchestra was a deal with.
College students Natyasruti in ‘Pibare Krishna Rasam’
| Picture Credit score:
Akhila Easwaran
Selection of songs
Most attention-grabbing was the selection of songs, melody will need to have been the criterion, as not all have been frequent dance songs. Tyagaraja’s Arabi pancharatna keerthana ‘Sadhinchane’ was a shock inclusion, however Sumitra explains that Guru Vazhuvoor Ramiah Pillai had choreographed it as a varnam for Kamala and Rhadha. There have been additionally ‘Thaye’, ‘Theerada Vilayattu Pillai’ and Andal’s ‘Vaaranamayiram’. These have been new to the Bharatanatyam repertoire within the Nineteen Sixties.
Sumitra had retained the repertoire; aside from ‘Sadhinchane’, which was longer than the unique, she saved to the identical variety of repetitions of the strains of each composition. The visualisations have been Sumitra’s, as they’d no visible recording of the previous performances.
Maybe a primary, Sujatha had launched Kathak in an all-Bharatanatyam present. The period of two hour fifteen minutes, too lengthy by as we speak’s requirements, was the norm again then.
From ‘Pibare Krishna Rasam’
| Picture Credit score:
AKHIILA EASWARAN
Proficient college students
Can something be extra charming than Krishna leelas, particularly when there are kids round? The 16 Natyasruti younger artists displayed wonderful rhythm and coordination. Restricted as they may have been with the stage house, their cues and costume adjustments have been good.
‘Pibare..’ commenced with a brisk ‘Krishnam kalaya sakhi Sundaram’ (Mukhari, Adi, Narayana Theertha) on Balakrishna. The Periazhwar paasuram ‘Thamugatthuchutti’ when Yashoda (Kritika Radhakrishnan) calls the moon to see her crawling Krishna (Tara Srikrishna), who is worked up to see it, was subsequent. The infant had grown right into a toddler. Each dancers have been well-tutored, however one discovered the position play and the narrator collectively distracting, possibly they’ll alternate. The intense-eyed little little one beckoning to the moon, understandably took priority.
The medley of songs on his childhood pranks was a contented sequence introduced by Kritika, Avni, Meenakshi Ajay (Krishna performing Kathak), Pratiksha, Chitrangada and Aditi. ‘Kasthvam bala’ sloka from Krishna Karnamritham when Krishna explains tongue-in-cheek to the gopi (Nandhitha Bharadwaj) why his hand was within the butter pot- searching for a lacking calf; ‘Thaye Yashoda’ by Oothukadu Venkata Subbaier (Thodi) and ‘Maiyya Mori’ (Surdas) have been the others. Pleasant episodes they have been. The tune transitions, the Kathak tihais (visualised by Guru Sri. Murari Sharan Gupta, delivered by Santhosh) and the rendering of the kavit by Sumitra, have been deft.
Tyagaraja’s composition
‘Sadhinchane’ was a pleasure, sung fantastically and interspersed with fast-paced lilting Vazhuvoor-type of jathis. The remedy was reverential- brief sancharis with comfortable, unobtrusive accompaniment and lilting Vazhuvoor jathis throughout pauses in song- the tune was all the time centrestage. The jathis have been a bit quick, so quick for the actions, which are inclined to undergo. The freize originally with Krishna in lots of phases of his life and Tyagaraja within the center, and repeated once more ultimately, was an excellent contact. Execution by Krithika, Lakshmi, Srinidhi, Nandhitha, Saundarya, Sanchitha, Maanasi and Smayaa, was well-rehearsed. The Padmanabha freize on the again with dancers seated in entrance and emoting was an impressed second.
After this heavy obligation piece, ‘Theeraadha vilayaattu pillai’ (Subramanya Bharathi) with comparable pranks felt repetitive, although the dancers (Avni as Krishna, Pratiksha, Chitrangada and Aditi) have been spontaneous. In ‘Vaaranamayiram’ (ragamalika, Adi), Andal’s (Srinidhi S) detailing of her dream wedding ceremony rituals was meticulous and sung soulfully. It was a solemn second within the action-packed programme.
Krishna’s raas with the gopis and a particular Kathak duet with Radha (Sanchitha Shenoy and Nithya Shakti) made the Jayadeva Ashtapadi ‘Chandana Charchitha’ vigorous. It was carried out by Krithika, Nandhitha, Saundarya, Maanasi, Smayaa, Chitrangada, Aditi and Pratiksha.
‘Balia Manege’ of Purandara Dasa and ‘Baro Krishnayya’ by Kanaka Dasa and the Meera bhajan, ‘Hari Thum Haro’ sung MS model in a meditative, pleading Darbari Kaanada, and portrayed by Radha’s granddaughter Saundarya S, soared in its music and the dancer’s comfortable presence. This phase was solely devotional.
‘Pibare..’ closed with a verse from the Bhagavat Gita ‘Advesta sarva-bhutanam’ praising a bhakta who’s ‘free from malice, pleasant and compassionate…’ The emotional pull of Krishna leelas was the spotlight of this musical, visible journey.