Impresses with bhava
T. K. GANAPATHY
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Through select songs, Lavanya Shivakumar beautifully conveyed Tyagaraja's devotion to Rama.
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Lavanya Shivakumar. Photo: K. Ananthan.
When Tiruvaiyaru gears up at this time of the year to pay homage to Saint Tyagaraja on Bahula Panchami day, music lovers and sabhas vie with one another in organising functions to sing the poet's pancharatna kritis in chorus. A music concert worth its name is incomplete without the presentation of the songs of Tyagaraja.
Lavanya Shivakumar presented `Tyagaraja Samarpanam,' a Bharatanatyam recital, ` featuring select compositions of the bard of Tiruvaiyaru, for Alapana at the Ramar temple in the Abhinavatheertha Pravachana Mantapam, Ramnagar, Coimbatore.
Lavanya, a disciple of K. J. Sarasa, has a sprightly stage presence. Her agile movements are a treat for dance lovers. She is good in nritta and abhinaya and this was evident in the four numbers she presented as a tribute to the saint. Her pushpanjali, followed by "Sri Ganapathi" in Sowrashtram set to Adi tala, was an appealing devotional opening number.
Tasteful costume
Lavanya, dressed in a tasteful costume, established the sthayi bhava in front of a beautiful painting of Lord Rama, flanked by Lakshmana and Sita on either side with a worshipful Hanuman in the forefront. "Nagumomu Ganaleni" (Abheri) was an apt depiction of the poet's prayer to Lord Rama. Eurhythmics was at its best in her presentation of the kriti, "Ksheerasagara" in Devagandhari. In the item that has tremendous scope for bhava, Lavanya's facial expressions were impressive and proved her mettle as a dancer. In the tillana, combined with "Thelisi Ramachintanato" (Poornachandrika), the dancer effortlessly executed the complex movements.
Fitting finale
The bard's plaint in the song that one should control the mind and concentrate on the tharaka mantra through namasankeertanam was a fitting finale, full of rhythm and melody. The teermanams, footwork and movement across the stage were performed with dignity and intensity.
The orchestra comprised S. Shanmughasundaram (nattuvangam), Randhini (music), Venkat (mridangam) and Srinivasan (violin).
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