HYDERABAD: Students of Sri Rama Nataka Niketan, run by Guru V.S. Ramamoorthy’s daughter Manjula Ramaswamy presented a dance recital as part of the Kalasagaram’s Annual youth Festival, at Keyes High School last Sunday. The dancers opened with Kautvam in Shanmuukhapriya ragam, packed with jati syllables. This was a composition of the Tanjore quartet. And the presentation part went to the share of veteran guru Ramamoorthy’s grand daughter and Manjula’s daughter, Ramya Sudarshan. It was a salutation to Gods especially Saraswathi before moving on to the main piece, a varnam in margam style — Srikrishna Kamalanadho . This Krishna-based theme was presented by Amitha and Srushti. The entire musical part was pre-recorded. The vocal support was brilliant to Manjula’s matching nattuvangam. Episodes pertaining to Krishna’s childhood were presented through well-etched abhinaya by Amitha Vallal and Shruti Sreekumar.
Oothukadu Venkata Subbaiyer’s famous composition Ashaindhadum Mayil Ondru Kandal in Simhendramadhyamam was interpreted in dance by Arza Varshini. How nature reacts to Krishna’s presence and his flute was the subject it dealt with. Peacock dances signalling his arrival, cows stop grazing grass listening to those sounds. All these reactions and actions were presented in abhinaya by the dancers.
The other interesting number was Para Chidambara Natam Kruti Bhaje with focus on Lord Siva. This was nrutta dominating dance presentation. The lyrical part brought out some episodes from ‘Sivapuranam’. This was presented by Meda Sameeksha, Tejaswini and J. Maheswari
Ananda Thandavam Aadidum Eesha was another scintillating number describing dance of Siva as Nataraja as witnessed by sage Patanjali in the golden hall of Chidambaram. Meda Sameeksha, Tejaswni Chakaraborthy and Jagabattla Maheswari presented this number with perfection.
The folk dance ‘Kavadi Chindu’ with song in praise of Lord Subramanya was followed by final number, a breezy tillana of Balamurali in Kadanakutuhalam.
