The Music Academy's Mid-Year Dance Festival showcases another promising artiste
The evening opened with an alarippu followed by 'Sri jalandhara', a keerthanam in Gambhira Nattai set to Adi tala, composed by Jayachamaraja Wodeyar. The hymn praised Shiva as the Supreme Yogi, adorned with the Ganga, the crescent moon, and the serpent. Aswathi brought alive the majesty of the deity through clear lines and expressive abhinaya, capturing his cosmic energy and the fierce destruction of Tripura and Taraka. The references to sacred spaces such as Arunachala, Sri Kalahasti and Chidambaram were presented with reverence, anchoring the piece in devotional imagery.
The central piece of the evening was the varnam 'Vanajaksha' in Behag, composed by T.R. Subramaniam, which gave the dancer ample scope to display her technical agility and narrative sensitivity. Centered on Krishna, the piece unfolded through intricate jathis, interwoven with expressive storytelling. Her portrayal of the serpent Kaliya, subdued by Krishna, was particularly striking, the swift-coiling movements contrasting with Krishna's calm, commanding grace.
In the final piece, the tone shifted to that of quiet anguish. Set in raga Husseni, 'Eppadi manam thunindatho', a Ramanataka kriti by Arunachala Kavi, voiced Sita's heartache as she questioned Rama's decision to leave her behind. Aswathi's abhinaya was moving, allowing the audience to feel Sita's disbelief and sorrow. Her portrayal conveyed emotional maturity, closing the performance on a note of poignant reflection.
The orchestra included Janani Hamsini Narasimhan on vocals, K.P. Nandini on the violin, Chardutt V.V. on the mridangam and Shijith Nambiar on the nattuvangam. Aswathi's performance stood out for her sincere engagement with the themes she chose. It was a fine addition to the Music Academy's mid-year celebration of classical dance.
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