Solo act has audience hooked
GUDIPOODI SRIHARI.
|
Susheela Mehta, the alluring danseuse from Bangalore, enthralled both teacher and student alike, says
|
RHYTHM DIVINE Susheela gave an impressive recital.
The State Department of Culture and the College of Music and Dance, Secunderabad arranged a Bharatanatyam recital at the college venue by the renowned Bharatanatyam exponent from Bangalore, Susheela Mehta for the benefit of their students and teachers. Susheela is the student of Adayar K. Lakshman, an internationally renowned Bharatanatyam guru.
Susheela performed to an audio of her guru Lakshman's recording of all numbers along with a full orchestra. Raman, Lakshman's brother was also one of the accompanists. The well-projected voices on the audio had a positive effect and none missed the live presentation.
Susheela is endowed with perfect rhythmic sense and imagination in translating the bhava of the lines into probing abhinaya. She had the needed stage presence and her repertoire included traditional numbers mostly dedicated to lord Shiva. Opening the show with a traditional pushpanjali, Susheela went for a difficult Ardhanareeswara Sivastotra in Ragamalika and Talamalika. It described the unique concept of Hindu philosophy, where Shiva is also attributed with being part female as envisaged by Adi Sankara. She performed this piece with ease posturing as both Shiva and Parvathi with good effort. The footwork lasya for Parvathi and thandava for Shiva was impressively planned.
Simhasana sthiti another Ragamalika piece in Roopaka thalam was a difficult composition to convert into assertive abhinaya. Dikshitar wrote this in praise of the mother goddess who uses her rowdra to punish evil and sowmya to save the virtuous. Susheela portrayed the change in moods well.
Amanda natamaduvar in Poorvikalayani is the dance of Nataraja comprising many adavus and karanas. The dance is symbolic of creation, preservation and destruction, eventually granting liberation. Kathanan bedana, Mohi desi madana a padam by poet Vidyapati was in raga Sankara where the heroine is Mugdha and the mood is Ninda Stuti. Here Parvathi gently berates Manmadha. This was a pure abhinaya piece, presented well. Shri Jagadamba, a padam in Bhairavi marked the end. The nattuvangam and vocal support were perfect and pleasant.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Entertainment
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
