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| Dancing with the Dhananjayans |   | ||
| V. R. Devika, Chennai-based arts promoter, goes down memory lane to the time when she was part of the first Natyanjali in Chidambaram, 1981. Here is her note - in her own words. | |||
| For people who know me more recently, they will not recognise me in the picture.
But that is me in the picture - performing the dance piece 'Natyanjali' in the first Natyanjali at Chidambaram!
I was asked to help with introductions of the artistes by archaeologist R.Nagaswamy when the dance festival was being planned and I did that with great enthusiasm. I did a preview for the 'Indian Express' newspaper and a post dance festival write up and I also got to dance my first public performance at the first Natyanjali with the piece 'Natyanjali'. The first festival was held on December 16 and 17th. The dancers who took part were Yamini Krishnamurthy, Lakshmi Viswanathan, Chitra Visweswaran, Alarmel Valli and The Dhananjayans. P.R.Thilakam, the grand daughter of the Thiruvaoor Komalammal presented a dance drama "Tyageshar Kuravanji". It rained heavily on the 17th, so we witnessed the dance from behind a water screen as there was a gap between the 1000 pillared hall and the audience seating area. I still remember being mesmerised by the powerful dancing of Yamini Krishnamurthy.
That was the only year the festival was held in the 1000 pillared hall - there was some problem in conducting it there subsequently and so the festival took place the next year in the prakaram on a hastily constructed wooden platform.
Dhananjayan performed the Nandanar piece and Shantha Dhananjayan, Radhika and Gayathri and I were very happy to dance in the 1000-pillared hall where Sekkizhaar is said to have composed the Periapuranam. (Sekkizhaar's Periya Puranam, describing poetically the life of the Saivite Saints (63 in number) was composed in the 1000 pillared hall, and was expounded by the author himself in the presence of the Chola emperor Kulottunga II, who had comissioned the work, amidst great festivity and fanfare.). In the picture, I am wearing Shantha Dhananjayan's costume. On the way out from Chidambaram, we visited the Collector's bungalow in Cuddalore - Mrs.C K Gariyali was then the local collector. She was full of enthusiasm for the festival. <<<If you wish to share, like Devika has, your early days at the Chidambaram Natyanjali, feel free to mail to us here at KutcheriBuzz. >>>>
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My gurus, the Dhananjayans choreographed the five raga, five tala Natyanjali adoring five gods of learning - Ganesha, Saraswathi, Siva, Vishnu and Guru as a beginning piece.
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