As a part of The Music Academy’s Mid-Year Dance Festival, Bharatanatyam dancer Aswathi Okay. and disciple of Shijith Nambiar and Parvathy Menon, offered a solo efficiency, seamlessly weaving bhakti and storytelling.
The night opened with an alarippu adopted by ‘Sri jalandhara’, a keerthanam in Gambhira Nattai set to Adi tala, composed by Jayachamaraja Wodeyar. The hymn praised Shiva because the Supreme Yogi, adorned with the Ganga, the crescent moon, and the serpent. Aswathi introduced alive the majesty of the deity via clear traces and expressive abhinaya, capturing his cosmic power and the fierce destruction of Tripura and Taraka. The references to sacred areas corresponding to Arunachala, Sri Kalahasti and Chidambaram had been offered with reverence, anchoring the piece in devotional imagery.
The central piece of the night was the varnam ‘Vanajaksha’ in Behag, composed by T.R. Subramaniam, which gave the dancer ample scope to show her technical agility and narrative sensitivity. Centered on Krishna, the piece unfolded via intricate jathis, interwoven with expressive storytelling. Her portrayal of the serpent Kaliya, subdued by Krishna, was notably placing, the swift-coiling actions contrasting with Krishna’s calm, commanding grace.
Aswathi Okay on the Mid-Year Dance Festival, hosted by The Music Academy.
| Photo Credit:
K_Pichumani
In the ultimate piece, the tone shifted to that of quiet anguish. Set in raga Husseni, ‘Eppadi manam thunindatho’, a Ramanataka kriti by Arunachala Kavi, voiced Sita’s heartache as she questioned Rama’s resolution to go away her behind. Aswathi’s abhinaya was transferring, permitting the viewers to really feel Sita’s disbelief and sorrow. Her portrayal conveyed emotional maturity, closing the efficiency on a notice of poignant reflection.
The orchestra included Janani Hamsini Narasimhan on vocals, Okay.P. Nandini on the violin, Chardutt V.V. on the mridangam and Shijith Nambiar on the nattuvangam. Aswathi’s efficiency stood out for her honest engagement with the themes she selected. It was a tremendous addition to the Music Academy’s mid-year celebration of classical dance.
