DANCING CLOSER TO MY HERITAGE

http://kkogilavani.blogspot.com/2009/11/dancing-closer-to-my-heritage_15.html

The Indian community of Cameron Highlands was treated to a rare Brathanathyam Arangetram performance recently. About 1,200 people attended the event held at the Dewan Jubli, Perak Sultan Ahmad Shah of Dewan Majlis Daerah Tanah Rata.Cameron Highlands Pahang. The guest of honor for the occasion was well-known, YB.S.K.Devamany, member of Parliament, Cameron Highlands. He has accompanied by his wife and his daughters.

The three-hour show was a graduation performance displaying eight classical Indian dances. The repertoire of the event started with Puspanjalli followed by Shlokams in praise of Lord Ganesh, whom Hindus believe to be the protector of the good and the destroyer of evil.

Following the opening presentation, the audiences were taken on Alarippu, Jatiswaram, and Sokkanathar Thandavam dance forms. Two stirring dance sequences Patham (Yenna solli Alaizhaital) with a song in praise of Lord Krishna who helped Dhurvarpathi in Mahabaratha, received special attention from the audience who greeted the dancer with thunderous applause. Another Patham (Chinna Siru Kileye) meaning taking the role of a mother to care for Lord Parasakthi to slumber.

The audiences also rewarded with depictions of Varnam in praise of Lord Siva who drank poison, his wife Parvathi, alarmed, stopped it in his throat with her hands. This caused the throat to turn blue. Due to this, He called Nilakanthan. Usually, the last item in any Brathanathyam performance is Thillanna which full of complicated movements and followed by Mangalam.

Among those in this ensemble were vocalist Nandakumar Unnikrishnan, Sri.T.Anggappan Pillai on mirdagam, vionalist Sriram, flutist Sri.A.Perambalam, Chandra Boss on ganjira, Sri Kirubakaran (gadam), Gopi (morsing), and Sri Kalaiselvan Ramasamy (veenai).

A special tribute was given to my tutor Guru SRI R.CHANDRAMOHAN, who as the founder of the Sri Nandigeswarar Dance Academy in 1984, choreographed all the dances to more this Arangetram a highly acclaimed event in Cameron Highlands.