Anupama Rajesh - Senior student from Chicago performs in Mumbai
following the Guru-Shishya Parampara with dedication
On Sunday, 11th July, 2009
Here was an event that will go down in the history of Nritya Geethanjali, as a recital par excellence ! Anupama Rajesh, senior disciple of Guru Rajee, showed her true calibre as a dancer. Her performance has grown immensely over the years and she displayed a newly developed maturity in presentation. Proficient not only in Bharatanatyam but also Carnatic Music and Nattuvangam, she has performed all over the world.
A few words about Anupama - her participation in the documentary called Atom for Peace, shown during the Festival of India in USSR at the age of 12, was a significant achievement. She performed in Munich, Germany, as part of a cultural delegation. Her numerous performances under the Shivali Cultural Society banner in Delhi, Chennai and Mumbai, for the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) and Tata Theatre in Mumbai, for Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai have been critically acclaimed for grace, rhythm and abhinaya. She had the opportunity to perform in Italy and in New York, for The Gem & Jewellery Export Promotion Council of India in 1999. After a performance in 2000 at the Skandashashti celebrations at the Aurora Balaji temple in Chicago, she featured alongwith Shoba Narayan in the temple’s annual programme, in a two-hour stellar performance. She also travelled to Anchorage, Alaska, in 2001, when she was invited by the Cultural Association of India, to perform in front of a highly appreciative American and Indian audience. She gave a performance in Shri Ram Temple in Le Monte, Chicago on the occasion of Ramanavami, followed by a 90-minute presentation titled Shivasmruti, on the occasion of Mahasivaratri at the Balaji Temple Auditorium in 2008. Anupama has assisted Guru Rajee in teaching and conducting dance recitals in Mumbai for many years. She now conducts her Bharatanatyam classes in Aurora, where she resides.
Anupama’s dedication to the art form was apparent,right from the traditional Todaya Mangalam. She showed her expertise in executing complicated jati korvai-s – which is a hallmark of Guru Rajee’s choreography. Her Ninda Stuthi was a rare presentation, full of poignant meaning. She showed just the right touch of disgust and distress in her mock abuses. This song in Hamsanadam ragam and the next, a Varnam in Shankarabharanam are both Guru Rajee’s compositions that are so popular all over the world.
The Varnam was in Chatusra jati Mattiya talam of 10 aksharas, i.e. a lagu of 4 aksharas, a dhrutam of 2 aksharas, followed by another lagu of 4 aksharas. Anupama’s portrayal of the Virahotkanthita Nayika was absolutely convincing and so also her mastery over talam, considering she learnt this Varnam after coming to India in barely a month’s time!
After the Varnam was the long-awaited release of Jathi Mala book & CD by Shri V. Shankar, President of Sri Shanmukhananda Fine Arts & Sangeetha Sabha and Secretary of SIES. Shri Ramanathan Iyer, the senior-most Mridangam Vidwan of Mumbai received the first copy. A brief presentation of Jathis from the book by Guru Rajee’s disciples, Hema, Jenna, Aishwarya, Maya and Jaishree was highly applauded and had the audience asking for more ! The presence of stalwarts in the fields of dance and music was highly encouraging. Dr. Kanak Rele, Guru Kalyanasundaram, Guru Nalini Raghu were some of the distinguished gurus, who stayed to the end of the programme and highly appreciated Anupama’s repertoire and performance.
Anupama’s rendition of Kanakadasa’s Bagilanu brought the pathos of the moment in a skillful rendering. After seeing the deep devotion of a Bhakta, one saw the intense love of the Abhisarika, who eagerly awaits her Nayaka’s arrival, then decides to go to him herself. There are two categories of Abhisarika. The first one, Abhisarati is called Jyotsni or Sukta – who always dresses in white and goes out in bright sunlight to meet her Nayaka. The second one, Tamasi is called Nila – who always covers herself with a black veil and steps out stealthily at night to meet her Nayaka. The ragam for Guru Rajee’s Javali, Kurinji, was suggested by Sangeetha Kalanidhi late Sri K. S. Narayanaswamy, who, for several years, was the Principal of Shanmukhananda Sabha’s Music School. Anupama concluded with a brisk Tillana in Puraneermai ragam, a composition of Uttukadu Mahakavi. Performing the Pancha Jatis in Tisra nadai is the absolute test of the dancer’s mastery over jathi execution and her fitness level. Anupama’s skill was evident.
The event concluded with many dance teachers and dancers asking for copies of the Jathi Mala book and CD and getting it signed by the creator herself. Against all odds, with tremendous dedication and divine grace, Guru Rajee was able to successfully conclude yet another magnificent presentation.
