April 5 2016, 11.17 AM IST || Pocket News Alert
A Rare Dance Production
Kalasindhu Academy of Dance and Related Arts & Ponnaiah Lalithakala Academy Presents “ Sri Tyagesa Padams of King Sahaji ”
Dance Composition by Smt. Nandini Ramani
On Monday 18th April 2016, Time- 6:30 pm
Padmini Rao Paramparaa Auditorium ,# 8, 3rd Main Rd, 8th Cross, Chennammana Kere Acchukattu, Banashankari 3rd Stage, Near CKA Police Station, Bangalore
Bengaluru 5th April 2016 : King Sahaji, the renowned Maratha ruler, scholar, patron of arts and a composer himself was known as "Abhinava Bhoja" for his great contribution to Arts and Literature. He was a great Bhakta of his family deity Sri Tyagesa of Tiruvarur. His period was considered a golden period for all aspects of arts and literature. Sahaji was a versatile linguist who composed fluently in Sanskrit, Telugu, Maratti, Tamizh and Hindustani. He authored several works in Music, Dance and Drama. His Mudra was "Sahanuta "or" Sahendra". He wrote several Prabandhas, Darus and Padams; Particularly his Padam composition were exquisite works which could be grouped as Bhakti Padams, Bhava Padams, Vairagya Padams, Srngara Padams, Hasya Padams, Niti Padams and so on .There are 208 padams in total as found in the Saraswati Mahal Library, according to Smt. Madhavi Rajagopalan, musician and musicologist, who has worked extensively on this subject and set to music several of them. These Padams have their ragas and Talas prescribed by the royal composer himself. Apart from well-known ragas, Sahaji has used some rare and lesser known ragas also for these highly ecstatic compositions. They contain several literary nuances like Svarakshara , Slesa etc.
The Presentation will feature some of the chosen gems of Padams of Sahaji to highlight the poetical genius of the composer, his Bhasha gnana and his intent love and devotion for Sri Tyagesa. Being a staunch Advaitin the king propagates the aspect of the spiritual path and the union of the Soul and the Supreme, through varied sentiments and poetical excellences as contained in the different Padams.
Smt.Madhavi Rajagopalan has notated and set the music as specified by the composer and Smt.Nandini Ramani has set the Dance interpretation of these select pieces.
Dancers: Smt. Revathi Ramachandran, Smt. Srekala Bharat, Smt. Shobhana Balachandra, Smt. Sushama Ranganathan.
The Choreographer: Guru Smt Nandini Ramani
Bharatanatyam exponent Smt. Nandini Ramani is a multifaceted Artist – a Performer, Teacher, Scholar, Critic, Actor-Director of Sanskrit plays, and Arts administrator. Nandini was trained in Bharatanatyam by Sangita Kalanidhi T. Balasaraswati and her close associate, Master-Conductor Sri K. Ganesan from 1955 to 1982 in an unbroken chain of activity. Nandini’s performing career in the last five decades includes performances for major cultural organizations in major cities of India, at American Universities like the Wesleyan, Florida, Indiana and Texas, at major cities in The Netherlands, France, UK and Canada, at Departments of Dance, Religion, South Asian Studies, and Centers for World Culture. Smt. Nandini is respected as a true torchbearer of the Balasaraswati tradition steeped in pristine values evolved from the true Guru-Sishya methodology based on uncompromising approach.Smt. Nandini is well trained in Carnatic vocal music, Prof. B. Krishnamurti for almost five decades. She has specialized in the compositions of Sri Muthuswami Dikshitar, and Padams and Javalis from Smt. T. Balasaraswati which she continued to practise with Smt. T. Mukta. With her deep knowledge, analytical approach and flair for writing,
Nandini has established herself as a well known writer and senior dance critic. She served ‘The Hindu’ for 15 years as Resident Correspondent for Dance. She is one of the Senior Associates of the well-known ‘Sruti’ magazine. She has contributed articles to several journals and worked as content writer for the online website,”Sahapedia” of the Tata group. She has authored three books, of which two are on Dance, Dancers and Musicians and her own Natya Sampradaya, while the recent one is a Biography on her father, penned for the Sahitya Akademi, the National Akademi of Letters under its Makers of Indian Literature Series.
Smt. Nandini Ramani is a former Secretary of The Music Academy and a former Board Member of the Executive Board of the Sangeet Natak Akademi. Smt. Nandini has received awards from cultural organizations like Bharat Kalachar, Kartik Fine Arts, Shree Bharatalaya, the Madras Telugu Academy, Sri Ragam Fine Arts, Suswara ,Pollachi Tamizh Sangam, Chennai Fine Arts, and Lalita Kala Vedika for her service to the art of Bharatanatyam. The Indian Fine Arts Society bestowed on Nandini the title of Natya Kalasikhamani in 2012, which was followed by the Central Sangeet Natak Akademi Award bestowed on her by the President of India. Sri Krishna Gana Sabha awarded the title of Natya Kala Visaaradaa in 2014 and Sunaada Trust honored Nandini with the Vidwan S.Rajam award for excellence in Bharatanatyam in 2016.
Details of the Institutions hosting the April 18th event in Bangalore
Kalasidnhu academy of Dance is the brainchild of Poornima Gururaja, senior disciple of Guru Narmada of Bangalore. Kalasindhu practices and propagates in the parampara of the legendary Guru Shri Kittappa Pillai of Tanjavoor. Kalasindhu has successfully nurtured several young solo artists critically acclaimed in major cities in India and Abroad.Known for their in-depth treatment of themes and neat presentations, Kalasindhu productions are much sought after. Kalasindhu is home to the Nirantara Narmada Festival that has hosted the stars of Bharatanatyam for nine years. Kalasindhu also identifies unique productions and talent and crowd funds them to bring them to Bangalore audiences. Kalasindhu is also known for its hosting of seminars and educations initiatives for Bharatanatyam.
=======================================================
Established in the year 1977 by Guru Padmini Rao under the guidance of Guru K. P .Kittappa Pillai, Ponnaiah Lalithakala Academy is an eminent Institution contributing to propagating Bharatanatyam in various ways. The Academy now run by the young couple Smt Shwetha Lakshman and Sri Shreyas fulfill all the wishes of Late Guru Padmini Rao. From imparting the art to several young and experienced aspirnts of the art to organizing and conducting various festivals and seminars at the Paramparaa art and culture RD centre, which was a dream child of Smt Padmini Rao.
Venue : Padmini Rao Paramparaa Auditorium ,# 8, 3rd Main Rd, 8th Cross, Chennammana Kere Acchukattu, Banashankari 3rd Stage, Near CKA Police Station, Bangalore
Date: Monday 18th April 2016,
Time- 6:30 pm
