Program Brochure
Bharatanatyam Arangetram of
Sindhu Yaramosu
Disciple of Guru Smt. Lakshmi Raghavan
Prerna School of Dance
On Saturday August 28th, 2021
Bharatanatyam is an exquisite and beautiful classical dance form of India that dates back 5,000 years. Sage Bharatha who wrote Natyashastra, the oldest treatise on theater, traces the origin of classical arts to gods of the Hindu pantheon. Art in India was considered a means to spiritual enlightenment and not just entertainment. Bharatanatyam embodies three principles of dance forms – Bhavam (Expressions), Ragam (Melody), Talam (Rhythm) In Bharatanatyam, intricate rhythmic footwork, stylized hand gestures, swift movements and powerful facial expressions blend to bring all senses into perfect harmony. Linear geometric patterns with perfect balance of the body, eloquence of expressions, and precise footwork come together in a perfect mathematical rhythm. Arangetram is a Tamil word meaning “Debut”, Arangam means “Stage” and ‘Etram’ means “Entry”. This is the blossoming of a dancer into a full-fledged artist of proficiency.
Introduction
Acharya
Smt. Lakshmi Raghavan is an accomplished dancer, teacher and choreographer in Bharatanatyam. She is the artistic director of Prerna School of Dance in Yardley, Pennsylvania.
Born and brought up in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Lakshmi started her training in the Pandanallur style at a young age under an artist of eminence Late Guru Shri. M. V. Nagarajan at Darpana Academy of Performing Arts, Ahmedabad. After completing her arangetram under the guidance of Guru Smt. Maheshwari Nagarajan, she was chosen to perform as part of the professional troupe of Darpana under Smt. Mrinalini and Mallika Sarabhai trained by Late Guru Pathagudi Ramaswamy of Tanjore traveling with them performing all over India and around the world. Lakshmi has an unfailing passion for the art form and has dedicated her efforts to work towards making a noteworthy contribution in promoting the art form in the community. She continues to train under the able tutelage of Gurus Smt. Maheswari Nagarajan and K. Mohanan of Kalakshetra.
Shishya
Sindhu is a rising senior at The Pennington High School. She started pursuing the divine art of Bharatanatyam under the guidance of eminent Guru Smt. Lakshmi Raghavan since middle school. Passionately immersed in Bharatanatyam all these years, she has participated in many cultural and community events.
Anyone who knows Sindhu can perceive gleaming qualities of compassion, amiability, hard work, and commitment. Sindhu is also an enthusiastic academic young scholar and a distinguished honor roll student. With a clear vision, she is determined to make a positive impact where it matters. Sindhu's projects and research have been to improve the environment and protect the animals and the ocean.
Sindhu is a co-founder and ambassador for SafeTeensOnline, a non-profit organization created to spread the knowledge among teenagers about safe online practices and cybersecurity behaviors as we move into an increasingly technological world. As a co-founder and co-organizer of TEDxYouth@Newtown, Sindhu created a platform for young speakers from the inner city schools to talk about their ideas, sharing their vision and goals, and how science and technology will have a significant impact on the next generation.
Sindhu's other interests are playing the viola, piano, singing, baking, skating, and painting.
She is grateful to all family, friends, and guests for gracing this occasion with their presence.
Program Course
Pushpanjali
Ragam: Natai
Talam: Adi
The performance commences with Pushpanjali. In Sanskrit, Pushpam means “flower” and Anjali means “offering with folded hands''. It is a song performed by the dancer as an opening item to offer respects to God, her Guru and the orchestra.
Stuthi
Ragam: Mohanakalyani
Talam: Adi
Stuthi coming from the verb stu (to praise) is essentially a hymn addressed to Divinity. It can be a prayer, a description or a conversation. In this Stuthi the dancer prays to the beautifully dancing Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles.
Jathiswaram
Ragam: Ragamalika
Talam: Misra Chapu
Jathiswaram is a pure dance presentation which celebrates the fundamental elements of rhythm. It is a combination of Jathis (time measures of rhythmic syllables) and Swaras (musical notes). This item takes the dancer through increasingly complex patterns at varying speeds, consisting of intricate footwork, defined hand gestures and graceful body movements.
Varnam
Ragam: Gambeera Natai
Talam: Adi
In Bharatanatyam, the Varnam is the centerpiece and is announced as the piece-de- resistance of the traditional recital. Complex pure dance sequences alternate with passages of expressive dance which breathe life into the words of the song. This is the opportunity for the dancers to bring alive ancient mythological stories, while displaying the best in both nritta and abhinaya. Varnam means color. It can paint vivid images and present a mosaic of colorful patterns. Today’s Varnam is on the Supreme Goddess.
Keerthanam
Ragam: Ragamalika
Talam: Adi
A Keerthanam simply means "praise". It can be the praise of a human form or an idol. Usually keerthanam are composed in praise of God. Keerthanam is an item that displays pure Bhakti rasa. This Hymn is in praise of the Lord of Dance Lord Nataraja.
Sankeertana
Ragam: Bowli
Talam: Adi
This dance presses the excitement or appreciation of the Lord of Mountains Sri Hari - another name for Lord Vishnu. The essence of the song is that there is only one spirit in all of us - rich or poor, king or commoner, angel or insect. The author uses simple words, catchy tunes lays out the simple truth to the listener.
Ragam: Bowli
Talam: Adi
Thillana
Ragam: Hamsanandhi
Talam: Adi
Thillana is a joyous fantasy of pure nritya, the most graceful and beautiful of all the dances. It is a fast paced composition marking the finale of a Bhartanatyam dance program. It consists of intricate footwork, captivating poses and vibrant movements.
Mangalam
The dancer concludes this recital with a traditional Mangalam by expressing her devotion and gratitude to God, her Guru, the orchestra and the audience, for the successful completion of the performance.
Om Shanthi
