Embrace the rich tales of our culture through this classical Bharatanatyam performance at Miyapur

The first edition of Nishta brings together two emerging Bharatanatyam dancers, Sree Keerthy and Anju Aravind, who approach the stage with warmth, sincerity, and a shared love for storytelling through movement. Though their performances are distinct, both artistes explore the meeting point of rhythm, mythology, and emotion.

Anju Aravind and Sree Keerthy explore the meeting point of rhythm

For Keerthy, this evening is a personal reflection. “I’m performing as the budding artiste for Nishta, Edition One,” she says. Her 40-minute solo includes Anuradha anjali, avalanam – maate malayadvaja varnam, a javali, avali, and mangalam. She’s still deciding whether to close with a thillana.

Her varnam unfolds around the story of Meenakshi amman. “It shows her greatness—how she rises from the fire, brings Lord Ganesha to life, and meets Lord Shiva,” Keerthy explains. But the dance also carries an inner dialogue. “I’ve been thinking a lot about faith,” she shares. “I realised that the comfort and strength I feel from Devi, that gentle maternal presence, is what connects me. That’s the feeling I want the audience to experience.”

The final piece in her performance, avali, titled Oh My Lovely Lalana, takes a lighthearted turn. A 17th-century composition that blends Telugu and English lyrics, it portrays a playful domestic moment — a man returns home from work to find his wife dressing up, though she seems upset. “He wonders if he’s said something wrong and soon realises she’s angry because he had spoken with another woman,’ shares Keerthy. What follows is his gentle, humorous attempt to win her over through affectionate words and gestures.

Keerthy adds subtle contemporary touches — for instance, when the man waits, he glances at his watch — a gesture uncommon in traditional works.

Anju’s repertoire offers a different, yet equally textured experience. She performs Navarasa mohana, Sri Ramachandra kripalu bhajamana, and a thillana in raga poorvi. “Each piece reveals a side of Bharatanatyam — one explores multiple emotions, another focuses on deep devotion, and the last celebrates rhythm,” she explains.

In Navarasa mohana, choreographed by Rama Vaidyanathan, Krishna’s arrival in Mathura unfolds through nine emotions — from love and laughter to compassion and awe. The bhajan Sri Ramachandra kripalu bhajamana, choreographed by Manjubi Nair, follows Kausalya’s emotional journey as she awaits Rama’s return. “It’s built on manodharma, where expression grows naturally,” Anju notes.

She ends with the thillana, a joyful piece inspired by the Dhrupad tradition. “It’s all about rhythm and silence in harmony,” she says.

Tickets at Rs 200.

November 2, 6 pm.

At Shree Kiran School of Arts, Miyapur.

Email: anshula.u@newindianexpress.com

X: @indulgexpress

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