A report written by P.Sivakumar

Navia Natarajan’s dances to brilliance

Performing on the 4th evening of Rasa Sanje’09 Parineeta, Navia Natarajan presented a wonderful recital of Bharatanatyam

A performance highlighted with resounding perfection. Navia was able to maintain a very high degree in presentation throughout the evening. Each of the traditional items were carved into beauty, and her performance was a visual of a masterpiece being painted.

Navia commenced the evening recital with Pushpanjali and followed it up with a Sloka in praise of the Goddess Saraswati, the devoted dancer’s offering seemed to be blessed instantly. Navia carried forth from this point to be well received by the rasika’s who applauded the artist’s brilliance.

Navia’s initiation on the stage was alike a stream of water dancing through, both beautiful and capturing the attention, creating moving images of dance with symmetrical flow of hand was a highlight of her dance. Magnificent flow , use of stage space, complementing the jatis with beautiful nritta. Navia performed the opening piece with superb degree of meticulousness.

Pushpanjali was composed by vocalist Sri.D.Srivatsa set to raga Bhairavi, Roopaka talaam.

Sloka was set to raga Khandajati Ek talaam

Choreographed by Navia Natarajan

Swarajati was the second item for the evening “Mamohm thanae Meerudhae” based on the composition of Sri.Dandayudapani Pillai set to Nata kurunji raga, Roopaka talaam.

This item presented complete creativeness of the artist in all aspects, brilliant nritya, nritta and abhinaya.

Navia characterized the nayika, who is deeply in love with lord Venkateshwara. The Swarajati was a journey of the nayika’s feelings for the lord. She confronts her sakhi about the gambit of emotion she is facing out of her love for the lord, unable to curtail her overwhelmed love for the lord Venkateshwara. Madana’s cupid arrow striking her into intense love. She is unable to bear the longing for the lord. She feels her love should not meet the fate of other gopika’s, where she say’s is the lord only stealing hearts and not reponsiding to the love.

Towards the culmination she requests her sakhi to go and get her love, what ever may be he called by others, she loves him from the depth of her heart and his love is the only reason for her existence.

The Swarajati saw Navia commencing with a steady pace, and moving into swiftness with Jatis. Precise and beautiful seemed to be the order of the performance. Navia in self represented the character of the nayika. She was able to reach a completeness of the nayika in full bloom of love with the lord. Her dance portrayed the minutest situations as the nayika yearned for the lord. Her abhinaya was immaculate, as was the in depth of her expression of so much of pain in her heart longing for the lord, there was a total transformation of the expression in joy too. The gentleness of the nayika’s character was very well expressed by the dancer. As Jatis are wonderful to hear, her wonderful nritta to these Jatis was to the eyes, a visual delight of beauty in energy. If the story line was full visual of the plight of the nayika, the Jatis on either side of the story was a visual delight. Navia picturised the other characters in the dance with great perfection. Swarjati proved to be measure on which the dancer excelled.

The Jatis for this item was composed by Vidwan Sri. Prassana Kumar and Sri. Vijay Ragahavan. Navia matched with her brilliance to the wonderful Jatis.

Another high point was Navia’s conclusion into beautiful postures at various levels of the swarjati, very neat posturing of stillness. Navia was perfect in her nritya and nritta.

Swarjati was choreographed by Sri. A. Lakshman Swamy.

Navia concluded the with a telegu javali “ ya Ra rara” set to raga Khamas and Adi talaam. This javali was about a nayika asking the lord to please come to her. Situation between being unhappy about his absence it gently proceeded into nayika blooming in love. Navia performed this lasya full javali with resounding brilliance, her prays to the lord inviting him once again was a delight to the rasika’s another brilliant thing about this javali was the vocal renderation by Sri. Srivatsa, both the dancer and the vocalist seemed at a peak of complementing each other. Navia gave a deft touch in concluding the evening recital. Javali was choreographed by Guru Smt.Bragha Bessel

Showcasing great talent through the evening, Navia Natarajan, the young dancer is full of promise for the times to come. Navia’s coordination with the orchestra through the evening was good.

Navia Natarajan was well supported by Vidwan Sri. D. Srivatsa on vocal; Vidwan Sri.Mahesh Swami on flute, Vidwan Sri. Prassana Kumar – Nattuvangam and Vidwan Sri.Srihari on Mridangam

Date of Performance Friday 4th January 2009. Venue : A.D.A. Rangamandira, J.C.Road, Bangalore. Name of the festival Rasa Sanje’09 Parineeta. Festival organized by Venkatesha Natya Mandir, Bangalore.