Natyarangam, the dance wing of Narada Gana sabha organised its annual 'Natyasangraham' camp for dancers at the temple town of Thennangur, near Chennai, recently. S. Janaki, a committee member of Natyarangam and Deputy Editor, Sruti magazine, shares her camp diary here...
On February 16, three score and more persons boarded the bus at Narada Gana Sabha in Chennai. Destination -- the little village of Thennangur situated in Vandavasi taluk, Tiruvannamalai district. Purpose - to attend the seventh Natya Sangraham camp for dancers and teachers organised by Natyarangam from 17 to 19 February. History students must have read about the famous battle of Wandiwash fought by British and French troops. Well, Wandiwash is but our Vandavasi!
Among the 26 participants there were many dancers from Chennai, a few from Baroda, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bangalore and a sprinkling of foreigners (from England, Scotland, Japan & Italy). Guru C.V. Chandrasekhar was the convenor of the camp for the seventh year in succession. It was a busy schedule with dance, dance and more dance-related activities from morning till night.
Dancing around the temple during Garuda Seva
Yoga expert Dr. E.R. Gopalakrishnan gave an introduction to yoga and taught us to relax (very important in these racy times!). Leela Samson, Director of Kalakshetra, drove down from Chennai, put the participants through their paces with warm-up exercises, fun with teermanam-s, and a session on aharya. It was lovely to listen to Carnatic musician and scholar vidushi R. Vedavalli's raga expositions, tanam, and niraval, and the dancers went into a flurry of movement trying to translate the musical nuances into dance. But everyone enjoyed the song and dance for 'Vaaranamaayiram' describing Andal's dream of her marriage to the Lord.
The participants danced to classical and contemporary poetry as writer M.R. Rangarajan recited lines and sang. Ambika Buch gave an insight into the do-s and dont-s of aharya - costume and stage decor. Senior dancer Rhadha combined with Sujatha Vijayaraghavan to conduct sessions on satvika abhinaya. In the adavu workout sessions conducted by C.V. Chandrasekhar one wondered wherefrom he derived that inner energy to sustain anga suddham - couldn't have been from the lavish meals and snacks offered each day. What a repast with no repetitions in the menu!
Dancing in the temple mandapam during Dolotsavam
Usha Rani's solo presentation of the Sikhandi-Amba story in an afternoon session was quite a revelation. Penned and directed by Mangai in the Terukoothu-isai natakam idiom, it provided an insight into the rich aesthetics of the form and the versatility of the artistes.
One had a 'divine experience' at the Panduranga temple each day as everyone danced and sang during the Dolotsavam, Garuda Seva and Kalyana Utsavam for the Lord and his consort.
Ambika Buch's aharya session in progress
This year we halted on the way at the Sundaravarada Temple in Uttaramerur. It is a beautiful temple with a three-tiered sanctum sanctorum for lord Vishnu who is standing on the first tier, is seated in the second, and is reclining in the topmost tier. One wished one could do the same after that steep climb to the top, but we poor mortals had to rush back to ground level! The return bus journey to Chennai was fun with everyone joining in the robust antaakshari in which no song was left unsung - from downright 'dabba' film songs to classy slow Carnatic kritis.
Aah, the Tinnai discussions were as interesting as ever! We debated about everything under the sun, spared none and learnt more than a thing or two as we relaxed on the pyol of the cottages after 10 p.m. admiring a firefly and gazing at the Great Bear and the stars in the sky - a rarity in the congested metropolis.
Want to know more about the camp? Ciao at Natya Sangraham 2007!
You can write to S. Janaki at sruti@eth.net
