A repertoire highlighting the Tanjore school of Bharatnatyam, nurtured by guru Kittappa Pillai, was presented by Nartaki Natraj at The Music Academy .
Beginning with a virutham in Poornachandrika in praise of Rajarajeshwari, her depiction of Sri Chakram with accurate hand gestures enhanced the sancharis that drew up a magnificent portrait of the goddess. She took up a rare composition, Guru Sthuthi in Ramamanohari, before moving on to varnam.
Seven ragas — Thodi, Purvikalyani, Bhairavi, Kalyani, Khambodi, Mukhari and Varali, and seven talas were woven in Ponniah Pillai’s ‘Sapta raga tala malika’ varnam.
She came up with a nuanced portrayal of Ardhanariswara. Her innate artistic sensibility came to the fore in the Markandeya story. However, there was a lack of consistency in movements and nritta segments.
A conversation between a nayika and her sakhi was the focus of Swati Thirunal’s sringara padam, ‘Kamini mani sakhi’ in misra chapu. The depiction of the nayika’s intimacy with the lord was handled with sensitivity.
From the pining of a lovelorn heroine, the dancer moved on to one with vigour in the Khamas javali, ‘Modi chese’.
Nartaki gave a lively depiction of the kulukku and minukku of the heroine as she adorns herself.
The Ponniah Pillai thillana in Bilahari was noteworthy for its simple adavus without too many jumps across the stage.
The orchestral team led by Neela Sukanya (cymbals), included Akshay Padmanabhan (vocal) Kalaiarasan (violin), Nagai S. Narayanan (mridangam) and Devarajan (flute), complemented the show.