Program

2:30 - 3:00 Seating

3:00 Program Begins

5:00 Dinner

Mallari

Ragam: Gambheeranattai

Talam: Tisra triputa

The Mallari is a passage of sollukattu (jathis) set to a certain Raga, in this case, Gambheeranattai. The piece is executed in three speeds, in chaturasra nadai. During the Shiva Tandava (the frenzied dance of Lord Siva), his anklets gave rise to the Jatis,"Tha Dhi Tom Nam". This formed the basis of jatis for several percussion instruments like Mridangam. The Mallari is traditionally played on the Nadaswaram (a wind instrument similar to an oboe) at the beginning of a Purappadu procession. This is when the ‘utsava moorthy’ or temple deity is being taken out in a procession.

This evening, the Mallari is performed as an invocation item in the Bharatanatyam repertoire. The dance movements showcase different musical instruments being played such as the flute, veena, mridangam, cymbals and blend these with the grace of pure nritta.

Bhajan: Gayiyeah Ganapati

Ragam: Yaman Kalyani

Talam: Adi

This item is a bhajan on Lord Ganesha written by the saint poet Tulsidas invoking the blessings of Lord Ganesha, known as the remover of all obstacles. Gayiye means sing (the praises of) Ganapathy, another common name for Lord Ganesha. The Bhajan depicts Lord Ganesha as the son of Parvati, the brilliance of Lord Shiva, and describes his characteristic elephant features.

The Bhajan showcases different forms of devotion for Lord Ganesha. It shows how he removes obstacles, bestows joy upon everyone, loves his sweets, and creates an ocean of knowledge. The song concludes with Tulsidas requesting for Ram and Sita to reside in his mind forever, as he is their primary devotee.

Shabdam

Ragam: Ragamalika

Talam: Misra Chapu

Poet: Kavi Shemmanarkoil Shanmugam

Music Composition: Madurai T Sethuram

Nritta composition: VP Dhananjayan

The composition of a shabdam is usually separated into stanzas, each with different stories. Between each of these stanzas is a Korvai which includes nritta, or pure dance steps.

Thandai muzhanga is a beautiful song in praise of Lord Muruga (the precocious son of Lord Shiva, and younger brother of Lord Ganesha). In this piece, the dancer describes Lord Muruga in different stages of life: the sound of “thandai”, or ankle jewelry, as he walks as a baby, his mango-color complexion, and his blue peacock feather. In one depiction, the dancer portrays Lord Muruga disguised as an old man who schemes with Lord Ganesha for Valli to come to him after fearing an angry elephant. The dancer expresses joy and happiness by his presence and calls out to him in admiration.

Speeches by Drs. Bhupesh and Rakhee Mangla, Mrs. Jaynti Seshan, and friends

Abhang: Bhaktajanavatsale

Ragam: Brindavana Saranga

Talam: Chathrusra Ekam

A padam is a musical composition that shows graceful dance movement, expression and emotion. The dancer uses graceful and round movements through hand gestures, eyes, and facial expressions. The shabdam typically involves less complex feet and hand movements.

In this evening’s recital, Anjali performs an abhang as a form of padam. An abhanga is a form of devotional poetry written in Marathi, mostly in praise of Lord Krishna in the form of Vitthala or Vithoba. The saints who wrote and sang them belonged to the Varkari movement, a Bhakti movement in Maharashtra which was popular between 13th and 18th centuries.

The dancer acts as a devotee who has been consumed by her devotion for her Lord. She says:

Come O Vitthal, for the love of your devotee! Filled with mercy, O Panduranga, with a complexion like a rain cloud heavy with water, wearing yellow clothing, come and give us salvation, O King Keshava. Namadev says you are the creator of the universe, the One who lives in the milky ocean, O Mother of the world!

At the end of the abhang, the dancer collapses with the sheer power of her own love for God.

Keerthanam: Vaishnava Janatho

Ragam: Misra Khamaj

Talam: Adi

Vaishnava Janato is one the most popular Hindu Bhajans which was written in Gujarati by the 15th century poet Narsinh Mehta.

Nritya Angaharam

Ragam: Brindavani

Talam: Adi

The Nritya Angaharam (Thillana) is performed at the end of a recital, and literally means a garland of pure nritta. It is a brisk item involving pure dance sequences, and rhythmic patterns ending in a crescendo.

The piece performed tonight is dedicated to Lord Krishna. Here the dancer asks the Lord, ‘Why do you ignore me even when I sing your glory? Everyone is mesmerized by my singing but not you? Please, lord, come before my eyes and make me happy.’ The dancer expresses the joy of Krishna’s melodious flute and asks for his blessings.

Mangalam

Ragam: Sourashtram

Talam: Adi

The dancer ends the performance with a Mangalam, in which the dancer thanks God, her Guru, the musicians, and the audience for their blessings. The mangalam is composed by saint poet Thygaraja, and is a prayer to Lord Rama.

The Guru

Smt. Jaynti Seshan belongs to a family of musicians and connoisseurs of the Fine Arts. She graduated in Bharatanatyam from the Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society and performed her arangetram under the legendary Smt. Krishnaveni Lakshmanan. She continued her training with Smt. Neila Satyalingam, and in Bharata Kalanjali under the directorship of the Dhananjayans, increasing her repertoire and developing her style. She has performed extensively representing the Republic of Singapore. She established the Apsaras Dance Company in 1992 in the US with the sole purpose of propagating the rich legacy of Bharatanatyam.

The Sishya

Anjali has been training in this traditional form of dance under Smt. Jaynti Seshan for the past 10 years. She graduated from Choate Rosemary Hall in 2020 and matriculated in Yale University that year itself (starting off her college career online). She is now a sophomore at Yale and is potentially double majoring in neuroscience and global affairs or economics. Anjali is currently the science and technology editor of the Yale Daily News, director of programming for a non-profit consulting organization, teaches high school health classes, previously was an Elections Fellow for the Yale College Democrats, and is the treasurer for Alzheimer’s Buddies Yale Chapter.

Nattuvangam Jaynti Seshan

Master of Ceremonies Deloshene Sittambalam

Orchestra Srikanth and Company

Makeup Renu Kurian

Costumes D.S. Aiyyelu

Jewelry Indu Nidheesh

Credits