Sindhuja’s solo performance of narrative dances for KALASAGARAM at Keyes
High School on 12th March 2016 was all elegance and grace.
What immediately strikes one about Sindujha’s prodigious dancing talent,
is her feminine grace, and her calm yet impeccable elegance of movement; like
watching a nymph dancing lightly and swaying fluidly in a sea of tranquillity.
Her interpretation in the visual language of dance - her face, her eyes,
her head, her neck and her hands, arms, wrists her fingers and her feet,
breathe life into movement. Her Nritta, rhythmic dance; Nritya, storytelling
through hand movements and facial expressions; and her Natya, the drama of
dance, tell the stories without reminding one of just how difficult the dance
really is. Sindhuja’s soft, dainty, effortless dancing yielded some stunning
passages of silent poetry!
The programme commenced with a composition by Sri Adi Sankaracharya on
Lord Ganesha - Ganesh Pancharatnam, set to Ragamalika, Adi tala. Dance composed
by Smt Shobha Naidu.
Next was a traditional composition – ‘Prahlada Pattabhisheka Shabdam’ in
raga Kambhoji and Misra chapu tala. Sindhuja tells the story in typical Kuchipudi dance drama form.The dance composed by Dr. Yashoda Thakore. The
story goes that Hiranyakasipu, a ruthless ruler receives a boon for his penance
- he can be killed neither by man nor animal, during day nor night, in the sky
nor earth, in the indoors nor outside! Angry with his son Prahlada who is
completely devoted to Lord Hari, Hiranyakasipu fails to kill him. But an
enraged Lord Vishnu appears as Narasimha and fulfilling the conditions of his
death, kills Hiranyakasipu and blesses Prahlada.
Sindhuja’s next dance was ‘Annamacharya keertana: Muddugare Yashoda’ where
Lord Krishna is compared to various gems - in raga Kuranji, Adi tala. Dance
composed by Guru Vempati Chinna Satyam.
‘Narayana Teertha Tarangam’, ‘Govardhini giridhara’, in Mohana raga and
Adi tala. The dance composed by Dr.Yashoda Thakore describes Krishna as the one who
lifted the Govardhana Mountain; the protector of his clan and the remover of
fear. To enliven the format, Sindhuja danced on the rims of a brass plate,
associated with the Kuchipudi style, giving the impression of gliding and
floating, and presented the lifting Govardhana as the highlight of the
choreography.
‘Kshetrayya padam’ ‘Kodi kuse ayyayo’, in raga Saurashtra, Adi tala, is
the story of Nayika telling her Sakhi that ‘just when my Krishna and me were
about to unite, the rooster crowed! We had our amorous moments, decorated each
other and at that moment, when we were about to become one, this rooster crowed
and destroyed my happiness as it was morning and my beloved left me!’ The Dance
was composed and taught by Smt. Bragha Bessel, and provided Sindhuja immense scope for abhinaya
and extemporization which she did with earnest finesse, dramatic gestures and genteel and beautiful dancing.
The final dance was a Thillana. Lyrics in praise of Lord Krishna by Sri
T.K.Govinda Rao in Raga Hamsanandi in Adi tala and the dance composed by
Dr.Yashoda Thakore. This was a brisk composition with varied movement patterns
woven together elegantly showcasing abstract dance.
Due to lack of sponsors Sindhuja danced to recorded music and under the fixed, harsh and steady stage lights provided by the venue. Despite not having a live orchestra and a lighting designer, Sindhuja transcended reality and performed without us in audience noticing this absence. Sindhuja was fluidity personified, she created an enchanted space in the open air venue, and danced like she was dancing on moonbeams.
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
Photographs: Pranay Rupani
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