A star is born
A Star Is Born
Before any of you read this I have to make certain things clear to you.
I have tried to write this as if written by a critic.I am not a professional critic so I have liberally borrowed the descriptions of the various dances from the invitation card printed for the occasion and hereby acknowledge as the source of such descriptions. Maybe you can be a critic of my writing and pass comments on how good/bad my writing is.
NOW here goes:
NOW here goes:
I recently had the good fortune to witness the Bharat Natyam "Arangetram" of my brother-in-law Gopal's daughter Shraddha.
"Arangam" in Tamil means elevated Stage. "Etram" means ascending. So "Arangetram" means ascending(climbing) the stage. Making the "debut" in stage performances before the public. I know that Shraddha has been learning the art with great gusto for the last six seven years and has been performing at various places. I have been hearing rave reports about her talent and am also aware that she has regularly been winning prizes and accolades at the National Dance competitions. She also performed at various dance recitals in the South India last year and won the First Prize at the just concluded National competition.
It was with great apprehension that I went to the function since I am not a great follower of arts especially "Bharat Natyam". I was worried about my capacity to sit continuously through a performance of a small kid and her ability to hold an audience for a minimum of two to three hours.It is not that I have never been to a dance concert. I have had the opportunity to attend a few dance performances in my life time notable being of Kumari Padmini, Kum Vyjayantimala, the great Kuchhipudi exponent Yamini Krishnamurthy, Hema Malini amongst the famus ones and many a dance performance at local Rama Navami, school annual days, a couple of Arangetrams of daughters of my friends etc.Though I am not a great follower as I told you, I can always know when some one is performing badly.I know Shraddha the current performer from her birth, she being the daughter of my brother-in-law Gopal and his admirable wife Jyoti. It is also with great pride that I can say I played a prominent part in th my brother-in-law's marriage right from bride hunting to the marriage. Anyaway let us leave all those things aside and concentrate on the job at hand, the writing of a critical appreciation of the "Arangetram" performance.
The performance started with Shraddha taking the blessings of all the elders, her guru and praying to the GOD of Dance Siva and seeking their blessings before she begins her first public performance. I felt very important since me and my wife were among the elders who were part of the group whose blessings she sought.
The dance recital started off with PUSHPANJALI - an offering of flowers to the lord.The dancer through this invocatory piece seeks the blessings of Lord Nataraja, Lord Ganesha (Vigneshwara) and also her Gurus. I was surprised by the ease with which Shraddha performed this as also her elegance, her large expressive eyes and total confidence in facing such a large audience. In spite of it being a week day at the remote auditorium in Dombivli - the Gopala Krishnan Family had managed to get a near full house.
The next was GANESHA SLOKA which was a specal prayer to Lord Ganesha the remover of all obstacles to beseech him. Sharddha was slowly warming uo to the task and I found myself to be watching her performance with greater interest than what I originally thought of doing.
Next came MAHA DEVA KAVUTHAM an ancient temple dance composed to a particular rhythm formed of instrumental sounds inter mixed with words in praise of deities. This was dedicated to the Divine celestial Dancer Lord Nataraja - the king of dancers.Shraddha was by now totally warmed up and was performing in a world of her own, oblivious of the audience before her, the sign of a true artist and I was wondering about the effort that must have been put in by her, her gurus and more importantly Sharaddha's mother Jyoti who has single handedly make this happen.
The Next item was ALARIPPU meaning the blossoming of the flower. With folded hands the dancer pays obeisance to the Gods and the audience for the success of her performance.This was a easy walk through for our dear Shraddha who by now was enjoying herself.
JATHISWARAM an abstract dance follwed next. This dance is solely set to "Sollu" (dance syllables) that showcases the pure dance " Nritta". This is a beautiful synthesis of beats and rhythms(Jathis) and melodious notes(Swarams). This complex pattern of footwork requires grace, technique and loads of stamina. I can vouch that our Shraddha has been blessed with abundance in all these qualities.
SRIMAN NARAYANA the song in praise of Lord Venkateswara followed. Here the devotee(dancer) describes the Lord in all possible wyas. Having now come under the protection/sharanam of the Lord prays for salvation.I could not believe that Sharddha that little girl could perform so well and more importantly hold the audience spell bound as by now all eyes in the auditorioum were glued on this dimunitive dancer who was perfromimg as if in a trance.
VARNAM was up next. It is the most complicated and challenging piece in a Bharat Natyam Recital showcasing the dancer's prowess in Abhinaya(expression) and Nritta(dancing skills). The elaborate item also tests the dancer's stamina and presentation skills. This Varnam was in praise of Lord Muruga. By now I had become one of Shraddha's lifelong fans and her ease of performance and stamina made me mentally compare to another debut I had the good fortune to witness, that of Sachin Tendulkar when he made his Ranji Trophy debut and scored a scintilating Century.
ANANDA NADANAM ADUM quickly followed and the audience was by now lapping up the treat and was thirsting for more.There was an unsusaul silence in the auditorium since every one was concentrating on a flawless performance and felt that they were fortunate enough to witness this great debut.This dance describes the celestial dance of Lord Nataraja.
TIKKU THERIYATHA KATTIL came up next. The story of a person lost in the wild jungle ,this is a popular composition of the great Tamil poet Subramania Bharathi and was a change from the so far technical stuff served up since this is of the light music variety. The largely Tamil audinece was able to appreciate the meaning of the lyrics and closely follow the dance steps performed by our little Shraddha. She literally took us to the jungle and made us feel the presence of wild animals, strange sounds of the jungle and the presence of thorns by enacting as if her dress was caught in the thorns.
THILLANA came up next. This normally is the last item in any dance recital.In this the tempo is gradually built up to a brilliant climax and highlights the footwork of the artist and shows the command over rhythm. There was by now no doubt in any one's mind about Shraddha's ability to perform this with the effortless ease which has been her hall mark throughout this great performance.
There was a brief recess after this item and everyone in the auditorium was discussing the great debut being made by Shraddha and praise was on each and every ones lips. No one was willing to get up and take a stroll for fear of losing thier strategic seats. I was truly amazed at the capacity of such a small girl to hold such a large audience. No doubt we were all witnessing one of the greatest debuts and Shraddha was destined to achieve greater heights in her future career. We were all being a part of history having had the good fortune to witness her first public performance.
TARANGAM followed in which the mischievious and naughty nature of Lord Krishna was enacted in KUCHIPUDI form of dance .The brilliance of Shraddha brought out the art by her expressive eyes through which she conveyed to the audience present the true meaning of the lyrics in such a way that even though the lyrics were in tamil, a person not knowing the language also could follow the story line through the wonderful expressions Shraddah displayed. She also showcased her wonderful act of dancing on an upturned pot and a flat plate (Thambalam) on the floor in this part of the dance. She also showed her balancing skills when she balance three lamps one on her head and two , one each in her outstretched hands. We were also witness to her presence of mind when the lamp on her head slipped once and she so quickly recovered the same with half the audience not even notcing the lapse on her part.Truly the sign of a great performer in the making.
KURUVANJI a folk dance item, which was the last item was served up next and truly it was as if the dessert of the sumptuous fare enjoyed by the lucky audience.
MANGALAM which means completion the end of the performance was next. Here the dancer thanks the GOD, her gurus and the audience and her successful completion of the first public appearance.
This was not only the completion of a performance but a COMPLETE performance by itself. I confess that I have never been captivated by an artist so much that I never once got up from my seat throughout the performnace and that was true of most of the audience. Truly A STAR IS BORN and it has been my privilege to have been a witness to the same.
I am sure if an announce ment was to be made that Shraddha was to perform an encore I am sure the majority of the audience would have gladly sat through another couple of hours in spite of the lateness of the hour. I thought that the performance which started at 6.15 PM would be over by 8.45 9.0 but was shocked to note it was past 10.00 PM when I looked at my wristwatch.
This blog will be incomplete without my acknowledging the contribution of the musical accompaniment, specially the vocal artist Sivaprasad who has such a melodious voice. The efforts of the selfless gurus of Shraddha who have been instrumental in making her such a complete artist.
I want to dedicate the last paragraph to Jyoti, Shraddhs's mother, who has been the king pin behind Shraddha's dancing carrer which has just begun and am sure will flourish in the future. She has been what Lalit Modi has been to the IPL, what Ajit Tendulkar behind Sachin Tendulkar's cricket career working selflessly towards her Lakshya of making her daughter an accomplished artist. Probably she has made Shraddha what she herself dreamed of being. Hats Off to her.
In the absence of Photographs taken on the occasion yet to arrive I have clicked some images from the invitation card and am uploading below the same for visual effects.
The next was GANESHA SLOKA which was a specal prayer to Lord Ganesha the remover of all obstacles to beseech him. Sharddha was slowly warming uo to the task and I found myself to be watching her performance with greater interest than what I originally thought of doing.
Next came MAHA DEVA KAVUTHAM an ancient temple dance composed to a particular rhythm formed of instrumental sounds inter mixed with words in praise of deities. This was dedicated to the Divine celestial Dancer Lord Nataraja - the king of dancers.Shraddha was by now totally warmed up and was performing in a world of her own, oblivious of the audience before her, the sign of a true artist and I was wondering about the effort that must have been put in by her, her gurus and more importantly Sharaddha's mother Jyoti who has single handedly make this happen.
The Next item was ALARIPPU meaning the blossoming of the flower. With folded hands the dancer pays obeisance to the Gods and the audience for the success of her performance.This was a easy walk through for our dear Shraddha who by now was enjoying herself.
JATHISWARAM an abstract dance follwed next. This dance is solely set to "Sollu" (dance syllables) that showcases the pure dance " Nritta". This is a beautiful synthesis of beats and rhythms(Jathis) and melodious notes(Swarams). This complex pattern of footwork requires grace, technique and loads of stamina. I can vouch that our Shraddha has been blessed with abundance in all these qualities.
SRIMAN NARAYANA the song in praise of Lord Venkateswara followed. Here the devotee(dancer) describes the Lord in all possible wyas. Having now come under the protection/sharanam of the Lord prays for salvation.I could not believe that Sharddha that little girl could perform so well and more importantly hold the audience spell bound as by now all eyes in the auditorioum were glued on this dimunitive dancer who was perfromimg as if in a trance.
VARNAM was up next. It is the most complicated and challenging piece in a Bharat Natyam Recital showcasing the dancer's prowess in Abhinaya(expression) and Nritta(dancing skills). The elaborate item also tests the dancer's stamina and presentation skills. This Varnam was in praise of Lord Muruga. By now I had become one of Shraddha's lifelong fans and her ease of performance and stamina made me mentally compare to another debut I had the good fortune to witness, that of Sachin Tendulkar when he made his Ranji Trophy debut and scored a scintilating Century.
ANANDA NADANAM ADUM quickly followed and the audience was by now lapping up the treat and was thirsting for more.There was an unsusaul silence in the auditorium since every one was concentrating on a flawless performance and felt that they were fortunate enough to witness this great debut.This dance describes the celestial dance of Lord Nataraja.
TIKKU THERIYATHA KATTIL came up next. The story of a person lost in the wild jungle ,this is a popular composition of the great Tamil poet Subramania Bharathi and was a change from the so far technical stuff served up since this is of the light music variety. The largely Tamil audinece was able to appreciate the meaning of the lyrics and closely follow the dance steps performed by our little Shraddha. She literally took us to the jungle and made us feel the presence of wild animals, strange sounds of the jungle and the presence of thorns by enacting as if her dress was caught in the thorns.
THILLANA came up next. This normally is the last item in any dance recital.In this the tempo is gradually built up to a brilliant climax and highlights the footwork of the artist and shows the command over rhythm. There was by now no doubt in any one's mind about Shraddha's ability to perform this with the effortless ease which has been her hall mark throughout this great performance.
There was a brief recess after this item and everyone in the auditorium was discussing the great debut being made by Shraddha and praise was on each and every ones lips. No one was willing to get up and take a stroll for fear of losing thier strategic seats. I was truly amazed at the capacity of such a small girl to hold such a large audience. No doubt we were all witnessing one of the greatest debuts and Shraddha was destined to achieve greater heights in her future career. We were all being a part of history having had the good fortune to witness her first public performance.
TARANGAM followed in which the mischievious and naughty nature of Lord Krishna was enacted in KUCHIPUDI form of dance .The brilliance of Shraddha brought out the art by her expressive eyes through which she conveyed to the audience present the true meaning of the lyrics in such a way that even though the lyrics were in tamil, a person not knowing the language also could follow the story line through the wonderful expressions Shraddah displayed. She also showcased her wonderful act of dancing on an upturned pot and a flat plate (Thambalam) on the floor in this part of the dance. She also showed her balancing skills when she balance three lamps one on her head and two , one each in her outstretched hands. We were also witness to her presence of mind when the lamp on her head slipped once and she so quickly recovered the same with half the audience not even notcing the lapse on her part.Truly the sign of a great performer in the making.
KURUVANJI a folk dance item, which was the last item was served up next and truly it was as if the dessert of the sumptuous fare enjoyed by the lucky audience.
MANGALAM which means completion the end of the performance was next. Here the dancer thanks the GOD, her gurus and the audience and her successful completion of the first public appearance.
This was not only the completion of a performance but a COMPLETE performance by itself. I confess that I have never been captivated by an artist so much that I never once got up from my seat throughout the performnace and that was true of most of the audience. Truly A STAR IS BORN and it has been my privilege to have been a witness to the same.
I am sure if an announce ment was to be made that Shraddha was to perform an encore I am sure the majority of the audience would have gladly sat through another couple of hours in spite of the lateness of the hour. I thought that the performance which started at 6.15 PM would be over by 8.45 9.0 but was shocked to note it was past 10.00 PM when I looked at my wristwatch.
This blog will be incomplete without my acknowledging the contribution of the musical accompaniment, specially the vocal artist Sivaprasad who has such a melodious voice. The efforts of the selfless gurus of Shraddha who have been instrumental in making her such a complete artist.
I want to dedicate the last paragraph to Jyoti, Shraddhs's mother, who has been the king pin behind Shraddha's dancing carrer which has just begun and am sure will flourish in the future. She has been what Lalit Modi has been to the IPL, what Ajit Tendulkar behind Sachin Tendulkar's cricket career working selflessly towards her Lakshya of making her daughter an accomplished artist. Probably she has made Shraddha what she herself dreamed of being. Hats Off to her.
In the absence of Photographs taken on the occasion yet to arrive I have clicked some images from the invitation card and am uploading below the same for visual effects.
Comments
Even though I did not attend the Arangetram, it has partly got offset by your wonderfully expressive writing.........
Tnx for this update
Thanks for pointing out the typos. They have been corrected, hopefully. Many thanks for being the first one to comment.
Thanks for the nice comments. I am trying to pass some time by writing these blogs for those who missed some family events. Did you show the blog to your mom?
Regards to Shradhha its simply unbelieveble and Awesome...
Its an honour and we can all take the pride of she being our own STAR KID
My wishes to Shraddha for having cast a spell on her audience!
CheerS!
Do I know you? Sorry that I am unable to recollect who you are from your email id. Thanks for the comment anyway. Though the poriginal idea emanated from Mr Kerry packer, due credit must go to Lalit Modi for dreaming IPL and making it happen. The idea of shifting the tournament to South Africa was also timely and has proved to be beneficial.
The tournament shifting to SA seems to be another marketing strategy aimed at earning more revenue. The whole concept of home and away matches is lost. Its like depriving the fan his/her true share of live excitement.
CheerS!
PS: yes, you do know me
PPS: In the midst of all the action, one of the best outcomes - fakeiplplayer.blogspot.com, should not be lost
after the conversation with you over the phone yesterday, i was wondering what was in store at the blogspace. i was captivated with both the writeup and ofcourse the dancing ability of little Shraddha(though i was not physically present at the occassion). i am confident that she has a long way to go and kudos to all those who have contributed to her success including you without whom we would not have been enlightened about the talent in this young lady.