Abinayadharpana, an expectational programme

Reviewed by Saratha Sabeshan

Abinayadhara is a classical dance programme which was well produced by the Vimalothaya classical Bharatha Natya Kendra on January 21 at the Ramakrishna mission hall at 6. 00.p.m, to mark the centenary celebration of the great Bharatha Natya maestro, the late Padmashree Vazhuvoor Ramiahpillai, who was Subashini Pathmanathan's Guru.

Subashini.Pathmanathan started her dancing career at the age of two and a half. But today Subashini is the top most Bharatha Natyam dancer of Sri Lanka. In the Abinaya Darpana performance Subashini and her disciples participated to pay homage to the world renowned Guru.

Subashini's own dance school Vimalothaya Classical Bharatha Natya Kendra was established by Subashini's late father on January 30 Jan1991 on Thaipusam day in Dehiwala.

The chief guest of the performance was the Vice Chancellor of the University of Colombo Pro.Kshanika Hirimburegama, the guests of honour were.D.M.Suwamy Nathan, M.P, and Kumar Nadesan Managing Director of the Express Newspaper s(Cey)(Pvt) Ltd.All the items selected for the programmes were heart melting and soul stiring.

Style

Vazhuvoor style is an exceptional and rare style in the classical Bharatha Natyam. This particular style is still vested in the Gurukula tradition only. It hasn't yet moved to the institutions.

The programme started with Ganapathy Sthuthi followed by Gnanasabesar Sthuthi, which is often called Thodaya Mangalam.Subashini is the only one in Sri Lanka following pure Vazhuvoor style. According to the Vazhuvoorar tradition it is customary, for all those who follow this particular style must pay obeisance to the presiding deity of Gnanasabesar temple at the village of Vazhuvoor, in the Thanjavur district of Tamil Nadu.

The stage was decorated simply without affecting the aesthetic value and the essence of the dance. The selection of songs presented were excellent. A limited number of students was presented with perfect training. Perfect professionalism was seen in the overall performances of the students and their Guru Subashini Pathmanathan. The stage was not at all over crowded with students. Bharatha Natyam is always a solo dance. The programme took nearly three hours which was a little longer for the present audience.

All the items were beautifully choreographed by Subashini alone. All the pieces were totally classical; it was an evidence of Subashini's deep commitment to protect the Bharatha Natyam from alien influences. The group of students performed certain items as pushpanjali, in the raga Gampiranaati set to Aathi thala, Sabtham on Lord Krishna based on raga Ragamaliga, set to Misrachapu thala. 'Sabarimali' was another devotional song on Lord Sabarimali Iyeppan of the Sabarimali temple, in the raga Ragamaliga, and set to Aathi thala. Last a set of students performed a brisk Thillana in the raga parasu, set to Aathi thala. The group students showed perfection in the execution of adavus, and the co-ordination between the hands and leg movements.

Graceful

Two senior students Kasthuri Marimuthu, and Tikiri Thotamune performed a Javali Athuvum in the Raga Sourastra which showed their exceptional and excellent skill in Lassiya through their graceful facial expressions. Hasini Wijesinhe performed one Keerthanam on Lord Muruga, and, Deshani Ratnayake,danced gracefully for another Keerthanam on Lord Krishna.

Two small students Mahetiri Mahindanayagam, and Girithvhina Ganesh performed one pasuram of Saint Peeriyalwar on Lord Krishna in Kamas Raga, set to Aathi thala and a long Thillana in Thesh raga. Both of them proved their perfect and individual training in pure Nirtha, and Nithiya. These two young dancers danced perfectly. Their standards implied their individual training in the dance.

The crowning pieces of the performances were performed by Subashini. One Keerthanam was on Lord Shiva, in the Keerthanam Subashini interpreted the meaning of the song with exceptional Bhava and rasa skill, and stunting sculptural poses. She also performed Brocheva a Telugu Keerthanam on Lord Vishnu and another Tamil song by the great Tamil poet Barathi Dasan's composition Thunpam Nirkail were performed with poise, grace and appropriate expressions. Both songs were dedicated, in memory of her late father Nataraja Pathmanathan.

The long and crowning piece of the performance was Subashini's thirty five minutes Varnam on the Lord Thiruchenthur Murugan. Her perfect adavus for Nattuvangam, and Surajathis, were brisk, firm, and steadily bound with thala, laya, and kala scales. Her beautiful facial expressions revealed the meaning of the songs even those who could not understand the language. Indra Chapa Suduwella,Vithumini Jeyawarthana, and Shivendrini Sathiyadran were some of the students who equally showed their deep skill in this ancient dance.

On the whole the performance Abinayadarpana gave full satisfaction to the audience. Vimalothaya classical Bharatha Natya Kendra deserves to be congratulated for it's perfect contribution in the field of Bharatha Natyam, for the past twenty years in Sri Lanka. It is an institution which preserves the pristine purity of classical Bharatha Natyam.