When a mall's atrium turned into a stage
The atrium of VR Chennai in Anna Nagar echoed with music and sounds of the salangai during 'Pradosha Arpana', an event curated by Laasya Dance Academy, Bengaluru.
Anchored around the legend of Pradosham, when Shiva drank the deadly poison and danced to restore the cosmic balance, the evening unfolded before a majestic 10-ft Nandi.
The evening featured Bengaluru-based young Bharatanatyam artiste Nithyashree, who presented three pieces that she performed more as an offering. She commenced with 'Pradosha Samayadi', set to raga Purvikalyani and Adi tala, which made for a fitting invocation. Composed by Padma Charan and choreographed by Gowri Sagar, the dance evoked the solemnity of twilight, when Shiva dances in response to the gods' prayers. The interplay between the rhythm of Ganesha's drums and Shiva's cosmic dance was conveyed through confident footwork and apt abhinaya.
The second item 'Thillai ambalam shabdam', brought a shift in the tone . This Ragamalika piece, set to Adi Tala, traced the emotional arc of a devout woman pining for Nataraja, the Lord of Chidambaram. The shabdam, composed by Thanjavur Arunachalam Pillai, offered Nithyashree an opportunity to delve into the layered emotions of Virahotkandhita nayika (one of the eight types of heroines in classical dance called Ashta Nayika, who suffers the pangs of separation) .
The final piece, a Shiva padam, was a crescendo in every sense. Composed by G. Gurumurthy with music by Bala Subramanya Sharma, the choreography celebrated Shiva as the embodiment of the five elements, the seven swaras, and the Omkara.
Nithyashree's transitions between vigorous Tandava and delicate Lasya mirrored the duality of Ardhanarishwara, the union of Shiva and Shakti.
Pradosha Arpana was not just a Bharatanatyam recital, but a reclaiming of a public space for cultural memory — reminding you that even amongst the most urban settings, spirituality can be invoked through dance .
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