Of a Sublime & Refined Grace - Kuchipudi by Sindhuja

     A solo performance by Sindhuja presented by SICA on the inaugural day of Festival of classical dances ‘Nrithyotsav-2016’ at Ravindra Bharati, Hyderabad, 27th June 2016

     It was apropriate for Sindhuja to open the Nrithyotsav-2016, Festival of Dance. The rapt and appreciative audience at Ravindra Bharati was treated to an hour long Kuchipudi performance of gentle, effortless grace which set the standard high for the rest of the festival of dance.

     From the opening verse on Lord Ganesha in a dance composed by Dr.Yashoda Thakore with music by Sri D.S.V. Sastry in Raga Arabhi, Sindhuja was the epitome of delicate grace and refinement.  

     The rest of the performance comprised of dances that were - a Tyagaraja Kriti in Raga Kambhoji and Adi Tala; dance composed by Dr. Yashoda Thakore.

     The story of ‘Varaha avatara’, Vishnu’s incarnation as a boar. Dance composed by Dr.Yashoda Thakore, on a composition of Utukkad Venkata Subbayar, Nadamurali ganavilola in Ragamalika and Adi tala.

     A Javali, by Patnam Subrahmanya Iyer, Apudu manasu in Raga Khamas, Rupaka Tala, dance composed and taught by Smt. Bragha Bessel. The dancer enacts her inability to resist, contain herself or exercise self-control when the giver of boons, Lord Venkateswara desires to indulge in love-game and Cupid shoots arrows.

     A Thillana, the lyric in this tillana praises Krishna Rajendra Wodeyar of Mysore. In raga Jhanjuti and Adi tala, dance composed by Dr.Yashoda Thakore.

     The dancer, Sindujha, performed all these pieces with a combination of lightnesss and intensity that was extraordinary.

     Her dramatisations in dance detailed the moods, expression and the words of the song with perfect communication. Her mobile face expressing joy, petulance, wonder, exasperation, pride and contentment in turns, as the story required, so that the audience understood the story through her facial expressions and movements and steps.

   Throughout the programme Sindujha presented the richness and beauty of Kuchipudi

in its most classical form, especially in the splendid tillana, where she performed a gamut of interestingly woven abstract dance, nritta (pure dance), in aesthetic and  creative variations and movements to set syllables.

     All-in-all, an evening of audience delight. Whether it was her interpretation of Rasa (emotion), Bhava (mood), Sahitya (lyric) Abhinaya (expression), The eyes of the audience were focused on Sindhuja and her delicious detailing of dance. It was an evening of sublime grace.  

 

Artist profile: Sindhuja, is an Architect but has put architecture on hold while she concentrates on dance and does her PhD from the Department of Dance, University of Hyderabad. Sindhuja is under the guidance of Dr. Yashoda Thakore, a major Kuchipudi dancer, an author, an educationist and an inspiration to many.

     A graded artist by Doordarshan, Sindhuja has performed Kuchipudi all over India at prestigious events and runs her own school of dance. And  due to her rigorous grounding in Carnatic music she adds an exceptional passion and understanding to her interpretation of the music.  

Photographs: Pranay Rupani