Monday, November 12, 2012

This summer it was bylines!




Every summer there has been some new experience that I gained over these years and this summer after some fuzzy decisions, I landed at the thought of interning with The New Indian Express. Having faced rejections at few other newspapers for the internship, I really thank the Express publications for the faith they had in me. Though commuting from T.Nagar to Ambattur (to their office) was a tiresome one, I ended up losing some pounds by the end of one month!
With my ‘off’s only on Saturdays, I was made to work in the feature section of the City supplement, ‘City Express’. The very first Thursday, I was given a reporting assignment! Whew! It was such a great experience. From then I was regularly sent to cover events, take interviews and also got to review a play. Besides these, I was taught the necessary stuffs to know in the software Adobe In Design for subbing and making a page apart from making me write my own feature story and to clean few copies. The grammar and the design lessons that got etched in my mind pops up every time I put my pen on paper to write an article.
At later stages, I developed a strong bond with the employees; got to know their style of work and above everything- WORKING UNDER DEADLINES! By the end of my internship I received eight bylines! I still feel overwhelmed looking at the bylines I received, that made this summer of mine “The Summer of bylines”

Monday, June 18, 2012

My articles in the CITY EXPRESS


Tête-à-tête over coffee with Suchi and Aalap

18th June 2012 09:24 AM
Versatile singer and ex-RJ Suchitra Karthik Kumar along with notable singer Aalap Raju conducted an enthralling session on music recently at The Lounge café, Besant Nagar  for the launch of second season of ‘The Lounge Journals’,  a series of sessions with celebrity experts on hobbies, topics and passions of the youth.
After the theme creative photography last year, it was creative music this time at the “second coming” of the same.
Suchitra  spoke about her award at IIFA, Singapore for her hit song Vaadaa Bin lada that came as a shock to her because according to her usually it is that “semi classical melody” genre that bags prestigious awards and not a mass number like this one. She recounted how she misses the RJ career that gave her the platform to use her voice in the first place! She said that it is all about personality and not the nature of the voice that matters in all her three professions namely singing, radio jockeying and dubbing.
Sharing her experiences regarding her entry into singing, Suchitra beams, “It’s always comfortable to be at CCD and discuss  music and related projects over a cup of coffee for hours together.” While Aalap Raju adds, “Guitar is my first love.” The singer narrates the story about his entry into the industry from being a bass guitarist and singer in his college band to playback singing and bringing out two mega hit songs last year. His story about the transition from being an IT professional to that of a bass guitarist and a playback singer was really an interesting one to hear.
Subsequently it was all fun when the duo shared weird experiences with their fans, their band EQ and the tact of handling situations the right way.
The  afternoon ended with them rendering an unplugged medley of their songs that concluded with Aalap’s hit number Ennamo edho. Sipping her  cup of coffee, Suchitra spoke to the media about her upcoming music album, Suchitra- Music I like where she has rendered some of her favourite songs penned by Bharathiyar in the traditional tunes as set by the music stalwarts.
 “We want to encourage the youth to develop their individual passions in life. The ambience, coffee and the food at The Lounge is designed to bring out the artist in you.” said K Ramakrishnan, President-Marketing, CCD.
http://newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/article544729.ece


‘I find peace in Auroville’

21st June 2012 08:13 AM
Understanding of god
I don’t believe in god. I  see god as one supreme power that guides us through life- its trials and tribulations.
Religious practices
I don’t really believe in rituals or religious practices.
Belief in miracles
Miracles happen when you obtain that extra help during the difficult phases of life or when you get   hints about what should be done to overcome these adversities. That is what I call a miracle. I have witnessed many such miracles over the years.
Superstitious beliefs
A superstitious belief is like an old wives’ tale. Superstition is when a person does a wrong deed and throws the blame on the other beings. Blaming a cat or a dog for any mishap makes no sense at all. I   don’t believe in any kind of superstition.
Pilgrimage sites
A pilgrimage is a journey to a place where you can integrate your thoughts and find peace. I visit temples and chant quite a few mantras, but my search for peace and tranquility often ends at Matrimandir, Auroville, Puducherry. It is quite different from the chaotic and crowded temples of India, where you can  hardly get a glimpse of the main deity after waiting in long queues.
Meditation
Meditation is actually great for a person who can sit and concentrate. For a restless person like me, it is hard to gather  thoughts as I have a lot of commitments lined up for the day. I feel ‘blind yoga’ very effective.
(Gayathri Jayaraman is a south Indian film actor)

‘I talk aloud when I pray’

20th June 2012 08:30 AM
Understanding of god
God is the force which guides us and has written our future. Even if we try, we cannot change it. All we can do is ask him to find us the right path. I have learnt that trusting him fully will give us ultimate peace. We can be  assured that he will solve all our problems and help us move on with life.   
Religious practices and spiritual experiences
I am a very religious person but I really don’t follow any particular practice. I have had many spiritual experiences,  particularly in recent times. When I pray for something, I get a feeling that I will acquire it.
Belief in miracles
I definitely believe in miracles and feel that god makes them happen. When you  believe in god fully you can be 200% sure of witnessing a miracle. As  Buddha says, I am the miracle.
Superstitious beliefs
I am superstitious. I never leave my house without praying  in front of a photo of my mama and without drinking water. If I am missing this routine, I know something will go wrong. I am superstitious with a number of  silly things as well.
Favorite pilgrimage sites
A couple of temples in and around Tanjore, Muthumariamman temple, Othatheru Ananda Vinayagar and Porkali temple, Orathur. In Chennai, I often frequent Padmanaban temple, Adyar, Anjeneyar temple and Kapaleswarar temple in Mylapore.These days,   I visit the Ilankali temple in Saidapet. 
Meditation
It has never worked for me. I talk aloud to god when I pray.
Interaction with god
 I talk, laugh, cry and scream while praying to him. When I do so, I sense his response.
(Arasi Arul is the founder of Zha Cafe)


A book that puts the romance back into reading

25th June 2012 08:32 AM
Landmark at Citi Centre recently saw the release of the book, Letters from my Beloved, written by Akansha Bhatia, a Delhi-based 17-year-old who has now relocated to Chennai. The story revolves around the protagonist Sonia Sharma and her childhood love. The book was released by popular VJ Paloma Rao. As Akansha spoke about her debut attempt, she beamed, “It is overwhelming and amazing. The fact that my book is out still seems like a dream to me.”
The highlight of the event was the participation of children from the orphanage Shelter India that houses  HIV positive children. When Akansha and her family gifted these kids with copies of the book, one young girl from the group said that the author had inspired her when it came to reading and writing. Paloma, who pointed out that romance is a genre that has been missing for a while now in the reading scenario, said that she was glad to have found a “refreshing tinge of romance” in this new book. “This is a really cute novel. Every teenager can relate to this story and older people can walk down memory lane,” she said as she flipped through the pages of the book.
Akansha, who was still flushed from the excitement of releasing her book, recalled how she always chose to write instead of watching TV, while still preparing for her board exams. This, she said,  led to the successful completion of her book. Having faced rejections from almost six publishing houses, Akansha said that it took her over two years to get her book out.  Sashirekha, a teacher at Good Shepherd school and a volunteer at Shelter India, was all praise for Akansha, “We need more socially-responsible people like Akansha to invite these kids to such gatherings.”


Nothing but Shakespeare and Pathak

03rd July 2012 08:27 AM
It hasn’t started yet! You can do something else,” announced a very casual Vinay Pathak at the Music Academy, as the audience suddenly fell into a deep silence as they saw the actor enter the stage for Rajat Kapoor’s much awaited play Nothing like Lear. The play started off with the weeping actor explaining his depression — his loved one leaving him, his looming old age and more than anything else, circumstances that forced him to perform in this play!
This modern day adaptation of the Shakespeare’s King Lear was presented with an interesting monologue with social satire and, hold your breath, even Facebook wasn’t spared!
Quick wit, catchy humour interspersed with horror and Vinay’s effortless transitions in portraying the two polar emotions kept the regaling crowd constantly on the edge of their seats.
There were moments when the packed auditorium echoed with laughter, but also went down in complete silence. The audience willingly participated as they watched the protagonist dance with “nothing” as a prop, the same for which the stage was perfectly lit.
Parallels were drawn with the Shakespearean tragedy as the character compared himself with King Lear, where he called himself a fool - who is seen as a man, as a father, an outcast and a child.
Vinay as the clown brought to fore various stages of his life crammed with rejections, false love and depression.  Kapoor proved his directorial talent with the execution of the play and the many funny references.
One could easily draw pictures of familiarity in their minds as he narrated scenes from his life and even drew sympathy from the much-involved crowd more than a few times. Catering to Chennai’s educated theatre buffs, the play threw many open-ended questions that most definitely made the audience think. A screenplay seasoned with witty humour, Nothing Like Lear was nothing but an eye opener to the realms of mortality, presented in a simple fashion.

Nurturing love for animals among kids

04th July 2012 08:55 AM
Over 200 students from more than 13 schools across Chennai gathered at the Ganesan Matriculation School, Velachery, for the release of The Jungle Gang, the first Indian wildlife film series made exclusively for children and young adults. This is a first-of-its kind initiative by WWF-India to instil the thought of wildlife conservation at the school level.
This animated movie series, released in four languages — English, Hindi, Tamil and Assamese, has been created by Earthcare Films and supported by WWF-India. The Tamil version of the movie was screened after an interactive presentation by R Aengals, a Scientist from the Zoological Survey of India for the students that covered various wildlife issues.
The film portrays three animated animal characters – Bo (a bar headed goose), Kuttu (a slender loris) and Bhoora (a black buck) who travel together to different parts of the country and seek out endangered animals such as the Indian one horned rhino, tiger, elephant and sloth  to narrate their stories to the children across the world. Set in simple language and with loads of fun elements, each of the four films in the series is about 15 minutes in length. The kids at the event enjoyed a peak into the world of these animals. A quiz followed the screening which saw the enthusiastic participation of school kids. S Saravanan, senior educational officer, WWF said, “A copy of the movie has been given free of cost to every school that has participated in this event.”  He also pointed out other events such as the Wild Wisdom Quiz that will be held as a state-level event this September for schools in every state. “We have planned to release a book in a month or two on Climate Change for school teachers. We are on the lookout for a venue,” said A Vijayabharathi, state coordinator, WWF India. The  CD is priced at `150 and is available at the WWF- Tamil Nadu state office.
http://newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/article557676.ece




‘Faith is god, god is faith’

18th July 2012 08:20 AM
Understanding of god
An immortal, a creator, a mentor – I have never seen him as any of these, and yet I believe in him. This is what I call faith. In a nutshell, faith is god and god is faith.
Religious practices and spiritual experiences
I have always felt that belief pushes one to practice something. Practice helps him reach perfection, which in turn drives him to achieve. Achievement makes one  realise his own self. That’s what I call spirituality. My religious practices include positive thinking and keeping the energy levels high.
Take on miracles
Miracles happened at times when I was down in life. I will not say that miracles save our lives, but they definitely help us value it.
Superstitious belief
Before starting an important task, I always look up to the sky and pray for a while.
Pilgrimage sites
I enjoy visiting the Sai Baba Temple in Mylapore. Also, every temple in the Sadhuragiri Hills is close to my heart.
Take on meditation
I never meditate but I can define it. Meditation is a process to control one’s speculative thoughts, so as to stabilise and focus on a particular vision.
Interaction with god
I talk to god about my successes and failures. This is one reason I enjoy life.
(Sravanth Ramani is the  co-founder of  MacTrics, a mime and body theatre group)
http://newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/article569836.ece



Exams in dance for kids

25th July 2012 08:53 AM
Think of bharathanatyam for kids and you imagine them in shiny salangais and dance costumes like the fan skirt. Textbooks and exams are not what you associate with the form, but at the Prayathnam dance forum in the city, that is just what happens. 
The forum, which is the brainchild of three dance teachers — Sasirekha, Divyasena and Sreelatha Vinod, conducts exams on an annual basis to check the proficiency of children in the art medium. Come August, and the centre will be conducting Yathnam exams for young, budding school-going dancers for the third time.
This is how it works. Children who pursue dance from different dance schools in the city come to take the exams designed and conducted by the dance school. These exams are designed to enable the students to balance theory and practicals and to help them pursue higher studies in this ancient art. “The course book printed by us is in a simple language. It helps the parents assist their kids to crack these exams,” explains Divyasena. 
Speaking about the environment in which dance is taught today, Sasirekha says, “The guru-sishya parampara in dance has almost vanished with time. It has become necessary to conduct examinations even in bharathanatyam so that the kids don’t treat it lightly.”
The dance course is not without its incentives. The toppers of the exams are awarded cash prizes and are given a chance to perform. In some cases, the students are even said to receive higher CGPAs in CBSE schools after flashing the certificates for dance, which counts as an extracurricular activity.
Bhuvana, a parent, says, “These model exams for Yathnam, conducted by the dance school, make it easy for my daughter to face the main exam fearlessly even if she is busy in her tenth standard”.
Usually, three months of rigorous training can make kids stage performers in other styles of dance. But for bharathanatyam, members of Prayathnam feel more training is necessary. They are striving to standardise Yathnam exams for this dance form, much like the Trinity College examinations for piano.
“The evaluation pattern is transparent,” points out Revathi another parent.
The goal of the members of the forum is standardise the teaching of the artform in schools, and to make Bharathanatyam, a non-commercial art form that is affordable to all. “We hope Prayathnam succeeds in encouraging young artistes to take up dance and teaching as a career” Divyasena adds.
To know more about Prayathnam visit www.prayathnamgroup.blogspot.com.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

NATYARANGAM CAMP- FROM DANCE TO DEVOTION



It was the 26th of January 2012….
It was 2.45pm: My dad dropped me outside Narada Gana Sabha where the bus heading towards Thennangur village was waiting. Only then I and two of my other friends realized that we were late!! As we entered into the bus we were having mixed emotions of fear, excitement and expectations. For a few hours I spoke less observed more and so did my friends. It was my first time to such a “dance camp”! I had a look of the stalwarts seated along with the organizers in the front seats and young and vibrant dancers behind, alongside us. We trio started practicing some “thalams” which was supposed to be our homework. After a while we all started introducing ourselves to each other and became comfortable. We reached Thennangur and I felt a steady stream of blood gushing into my senses. As we got down the bus we were allotted very simple yet largely cozy rooms at the Lakshmi Bhavanam. Little did we know that there was a great and a tough time ahead…. We freshened up and headed towards the main temple. The scent of the gobar the non hustle bustle atmosphere of the city just reminded the strength of India-“Villages”. The gates of the sanctum sanctorum opened. There was the sublime and suave Panduranga bountifully adorned with priceless jewels and colourful garments. Witnessing such a spectacular sight for the very first time I felt hard to hold back my tears. With the head priest elucidating the beauteous art and architecture of the temple, I started to capture the marvelous paintings on my camera. Sri Krishnaswamy,Secretary Narada Gana Sabha, later, while welcoming each and every one of us even briefed about the schedule of the camp.
“Sathgurunadha Gnanananda” (I could never afford to forget this chant!!). Talking about food…! It was such a delicacy!I still am wandering about the secret ingredient in it!!

DAY 1
Yoga: I woke myself up at the right time on the first day (courtesy: mobile phone….that was used only for that purpose those three days). As our Yoga Guru Mr.Suresh, taught us each Aasana from breathing exercise to the surya namaskaram, he also explained us about the inner significance and the effect of each one of them. The yoga session ended with little joint aches and muscle pulls and not to forget to mention the beautiful yet simple Sharika who created the awareness about each person’s Prakruthi(nature) as Vata, Pittha and kapha. The Questionnaire really did help us discover our body and accordingly dietary habits were advised. Breakfast then was a heavenly bliss!!I still couldn’t get the secret ingredient.
Narasimhachaari sir’s saathvika session kick started the camp with his quick wit and humor, the aspect was beautigully rendered to us.
This followed our dear CVC sir’s Angika session. It made me wonder as to no one else could ever have the grip over Angika and Angshudham. He had also corrected my “thadhi tha” and also many other minor flaws that we as dancers had. Vasanthalakshmi ma’am (or vasantha “akka”) who still had the same charm and prettiness, still afresh, could only be the right person to teach us “aharya” Abinaya. Theoretically explaining the nuances of Aharya from the Natya Sastra, she threw light upon those aspects. Janaki akka then went about reading out the list of performers for the day. As my name was not on the day’s list, I volunteered to compere for the performance.
Dr.Sudha Seshayyan- A person who strikes a balance between the two polar ends –Medicine and Literature. Citing examples from tamil poetry, she urged us to find “spaces” and read in between the lines that made us wonder the scope of the verses. “Yen thayum enakkarul thandhaiyum” was a line that we explored and I was stunned when I learnt that even the word “Kandha” was no ordinary name but had a deeper meaning. Then was the music session by OS Arun anna. He stupefied all of us with his mesmerizing voice and his down to earth nature. We were asked to do the sanchari for the pallavi of the classic Varnam Mohamaana with a great sense of musical and thanam sync that was a tough task. Tougher was when no one could manage imagining after a particular point.  The homework sessions were also interactive where we had raised doubts to Dr.Sudha about our “homework” song based on the Ramayana.
As I got myself ready clad in a saree, I was thrilled about holding the mike and compere in front of stalwarts like CVC Sir and others. Two of us were the masters of ceremony. Once the showcase got over, we proceeded to the temple for “Dolotsavam”. I had witnessed such an event only on the television before. The Lord with his consort was placed on the swing richly embellished. The aura of the deities, the mesmerizing voice of OS Arun, the eager villagers around and a dancing space that was only few millimeters away from the lord- What else would a dancer need!!!I felt the complete surrender at that moment. No reviews, no critics, and not a pinch of tension! Each one of us felt equal before the lord. We danced for extensive range of songs from slow emotional padams to vivacious Kolattam songs. Truly such a stress buster it was. Then again the tastiest dinner! (It still kept me wondering about that secret ingredient!)
Day 2:
Yoga sessions started off early in the morning…. We received worthy feedbacks concerning our postures and other aspects of dance. He gave us suggestions about the stamina aspects. After breakfast it was OS Arun Sir’s session again. We discussed many songs from the fusion piece “Ka Ka Ka Thunga” which made our imagination go wild but finally it turned out to be just a kathak bol. It was then the time to experiment with our movements and adavus. CVC Sir again led us through some jathis …the special one being the “dhalangu” jathi.  In order to illustrate the need of aharya abhinaya, Vasantha akka projected some excerpts from their productions so that we may practically grasp the facets of it. The Narasimhacharis even proved their grip in the laya aspect …Chari Sir being a good percussionist himself! We had a short photo session with the whole group and broke for lunch! “Oru Kal oru kannadi” (a song from a latest tamil flick)- even that wasn’t left untouched as Dr.Sudha lead us through almost all faces of literature…from a nursery rhyme to a great literature works where we had to find “spaces” to bring out hidden meanings. Before the next session of OS Arun anna would begin, we were ready to experience the musical journey he was going to take us through! The thodi raga was handled by anna with high sense of beauty and precision. Then was the time to showcase our talents….we three of us danced for “Arabhimaanam” a ragamaalika for which we received good comments and few corrections as well…
Well then….Garuda seva was the next plan on our list.  I was still in my dance costumes and headed to the temple. Nadaswaram and Tavil  vidwans who toured wide internationally were playing for the lord. We gathered around in front of the lord seated over the magnificent Garuda.  Both of them shone in ultimate lusture and that was an aesthetic treat to the eyes. The  dancing at one instant included CVC Sir, Chari Sir, Vasanth akka, Janaki akka, village kids and myself holding hands in a circle and dancing to one of a joyous folk number. What a moment it was to stand…rather dance alongside great dancers and connoisseurs! I had the time of my life! Sathgurunadha Gnananandha! Yes.. After another mouth watering dinner I went off to bed!
DAY 3
Yoga sessions in the fresh air and the mild sounds of the morning chant in the temples made our meditation experience not only healthy but religious as well. We had to rush to a Lakshmi temple nearby for the Pada puja then breakfast…! There was the poetry session that followed suite then the usual angika sessions that took us through tricky and mindboggling adavus and jathis…. Then followed a Valedictory function…where we received our certificates and had good interactions among us! We all had our own photo sessions this time! After lunch and our pack-up we went to the main temple for the Kalyanotsavam to witness the marriage of the Lord! Each and every aspect was explained by the head priest and with a heavy heart we had to leave from the beautiful village!! Angika, Vachika,Aharya and Satvika abhinaya was given to us by means of a holistic and a disciplined approach! As I sat near the window inside the bus waiting for the bus to start off to Chennai I started to wonder as to what did the camp not give us?! It gave us dance, music, poetry, positive vibrations, spiritual outlook towards everything we do….and upon everything the delicious food….I recognized that “secret ingredient” in the food as love…towards God and other living beings that made the food as tasty as ever! And not to forget our own thinnai discussions where we had a great time sharing our knowledge and discussing home works! As I pondered upon these I joined my fellow members singing happily to wide range of numbers forming teams and competing, to add even that bit of fun element to make a complete trip! My first ever trip to Thennangur has given me a lifetime experience and I wholeheartedly thank the Natyarangam committee for selecting me as a worthy candidate to participate in this! Radhey Krishna! Radhey Krishna!

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

SCENARIO OF COLLEGES IN TAMIL NADU



         “I heard that you have admitted your son in this autonomous college. .. . . Do you think the college is among the top twenty?” to which the other replied “yes yes! I heard from that office person .The college is really great”….. one sunny afternoon I happened to overhear the conversation in a bus stop between two parents. Well, it was admission time then, and students were seen shuttling from college to universities to institutes for higher education after their schooling.
         Basically degrees, here in Tamil Nadu , are provided by many kinds of educational institutes-Deemed Universities, Affiliated colleges, Autonomous ones and private institutes. Each one has its own pros and cons but the point here is to overlook its negatives and extract the essentials. Students who luckily got into the IITs and NITs have fewer problems when compared to others. One could study the different varieties of colleges under some essential criteria….

*FACULTY:
        Acquiring a degree means acquiring the essential knowledge which corresponds to a good teaching faculty which can considerably seen in deemed universities and autonomous institutions whereas in Government ones, reports of lethargic staffs have been highly reported. The students rarely make use of libraries due to the fact that the faculty, in any kind of institution is expected to give away the notes. This gives the students te least exposure to study beyond the scope of the syllabus.

*FEE STRUCTURE:
        Not everyone is economically strong to afford to posh institutions .Deemed universities have their own fee structures that would/would not be affordable to all. Government allocated seats in various private colleges ensure that the studious lot though economically backward could afford to study in a good private institutions (Both arts and science/Engineering) Nevertheless, Government colleges have a nominal fee structure and even scholarships would be provided to the ambitious ones.

*INFRASTRUCTURE:
        The infrastructure does matter when it comes to a college….Here many private colleges boast about their “infrastructure” which eventually would turn out to be false! The laboratories are found to be well equipped in private colleges where the fees are collected high compared to the aided institutions. The seminar halls and other facilities though available are found to be inaccessible to students.

*REPUTATION:
   As every commodity has a “brand name”, so does a college or a University. Brand name matters a lot when it comes to a respect for an individual in the society or recognition in the place of work. When a person studies in a “well known” institution he feels confident of himself. For this kind of respect and recognition, the students choose to study or even forced to study in a reputed institution even if they don’t wish to. People are looked down in Tamil Nadu if they don’t admit their ward in a BRANDED institution, unlike in other south Indian states where they respect a person whatever course he studies.

*PLACEMENT:
      The ultimate goal of any person who studies would be to settle down with a good job. Certain companies offering a good pay package target only some colleges and most of the students get placed. But one must not get deceived when the college boasts”100% placement”. It lies in the hands of the student to fair well during the interview. The colleges must take adequate care to see workshops are being conducted that would teach the nuances of modern interview techniques. Placements differ from college to college-whether an affiliated or a deemed one.

    There are many other elements too beyond these five broad categories. Even, Seminars and Guest lectures are being organized just for a formality in many of the educational institutions. The trend now in Tamil Nadu is that people go behind lucrative names neither do parents give importance to their ward’s interests nor analyze the college before admission . The definition of “college” has admittedly changed over a decade. With number of private institutions offering professional and non professional courses, the teaching methodologies must evolve with it, emphasizing practical knowledge and encourage wide reading rather pertaining to the book and syllabi. 

Sunday, January 8, 2012

SMILE CARRIED IN EACH BREATH


Supraja the student of A.Lakshman delivered a soothing recital that had worthy notables. Gentle expressions and vivid footwork constituted the blithering pushpanjali in Simhendra madhyamam raga. Varnam was executed with jubilant confidence levels coupled with transparent flaws in the form of non-synchronous footwork. The beauty of khamas was personified by Sri.Srikanth’s mellifluous voice in the padham “Theruvil vaaraano” with Supraja portraying the naayika’s longing for a single gaze of Lord Shiva at her. The tint of imagination and fascination brought out the imaginative counterpart of the choreographer. The Kathanakuthuhalam Thillana though well executed with a neat ending showed some drawbacks like the lacking araimandi and her inability to complete the steps. In a nutshell Supraja made complex to simple giving a beautiful crisp maargam with a pleasant smile carried throughout.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

AN EXALTED STYLE OF DANCE


A neatly presented nritta coupled with geometric lines is the phrase that explains the performance of Divya.V.G. for the Indian Fine Arts society. Her commitment and sincerity towards the art form was evident from the way she carried herself throughout the khanda alarippu that kick started the repertoire. The Neelambari pada varnam elevated the recital with many intricacies like the rhythmic ethukkadai theermanam sans the sollukattu. When subtlety and grace marked the Abhinayaa aspect of the Varnam, non executable jathis at some places revealed her tiredness and the lack of stamina left the audience wondering whether “grace or fatigue?” She moved efficiently and fluently between araimandis to muzhumandis, without any superfluous moves. Then followed the javali well choreographed by Smt.S.Divyasena; moreover well presented. Divya drew a clear picture of the naayika’s mind be it the infantile acts to grab the hero’s attention or her possessiveness and it was an entertaining number. The Thillana set in Revathi was a perfect finish though there was a lack of stamina observed. The dancer’s costume drew interest to convention. Sri. Srikanth’s in depth vocal accompaniment, Sri.Haribabu’s vivacious and highly professional mridangam lent a helping hand to the recital that gave the audience “a feel good” factor to take home.