Natyanjali 2006, this year's presentation of a week's programme of dance and music, culminated on Mahashivaratri, 26th February. Thanks to the painstaking efforts of Smt. Jayashree Nair, who successfully hosted the entire festival with her family and a team of dedicated students and Sri Subramania Samaj, Cheddha Nagar, the art-lovers of Mumbai were treated to a week-long festival of dance. On the 24th, 4 disciples of Guru Rajee performed individual items and Tillana in a group. The performing artistes were Ragini, Jenna, Megha and Aishwarya.

[ Guru Rajee Narayan lights the lamp while Shri Kalyanasundram and Smt. Jaishree Nair look on. ]
On the 26th, Mahashivaratri, Dance was an offering by well-known gurus of Mumbai. The evening started with Guru Rajee, who set an example for the other gurus, with her amazing presentation of Paripaalayamaam, one of her own compositions. Amazing because she was quite undaunted by her bad knee that needs replacement and rose above physical limitations, much to the awe of hundreds of dancers present. Her bhava was unflinching, her movements were clear and unhurried. The destruction of Kama (cupid), burnt by Shiva's third eye, came alive in few, deft strokes of abhinaya. Her pace was steady and she didn't falter once, not even in the swara jathi, that she performed with only her feet, seating herself on a chair. Her stage presence is inspiring and awesome; and when she majestically and gracefully exited the stage, the applause was thundering... because after all, almost every leading guru who performed that evening had either learnt dance, music or nattuvangam from her, at some stage, or completed BFA / MFA from Nalanda, hence passed under her eagle eye.

The most touching part was the love she received from all of them, as they pleaded with her to remain on stage for the next 3 hours, so they could touch her feet and seek her blessings at the end of their individual recitals.

[ Smt. Jaishree Nair presents a shawl to Guru Rajee. ]

Like Jayashree Nair put it... we hope and pray that she will be with us for many more years, to inspire coming generations.

- Jaishree Rao