Pushpanjali
Ragam: Saraswathi
Talam: Adi
Composer: Madurai R. Muralidharan
Pushpanjali, a floral offering, is a traditional piece that marks the commencement of a Bharatanatyam recital. The dancer enters the stage and offers flowers at the feet of Lord Nataraja, the God of Dance. They seek the blessings of the Lord Bhoodevi(Mother Earth), their guru, the musicians, and the audience.
Sri Ganesha Charanam: Pranavakaram
Ragam: Aarabhi
Talam: Adi
Composer: Oothukkadu Venkata Subbaiyer
The Ganesha Charanam is a tribute to Lord Ganesha, the elephant-headed God and remover of obstacles. In Hindu culture, all auspicious activities begin with a prayer to Lord Ganesha, who is the Lord of all Ganas, and in this song, the dancers pray for success in all their endeavors.
Jathiswaram
Ragam: Hamsanandi
Talam: Chatusra Matyam
Composer: Madurai R. Muralidharan
Jathiswaram explores the Nritta(footwork) element of Bharatanatyam. The dancers perform sequences of pure dance movements called "Jathis" to a set of Swaras on the melodic scale. Jathiswaram showcases the stamina and technical skill, while demonstrating clarity of Anga Shuddi(body movements), along with command and clarity of Laya Shuddhi(rhythm).
Varnam: Nadamadum Thillai
Ragam: Thodi
Talam: Adi
Composer: Ashok Subramanian
The Varnam is the centerpiece of a Bharatanatyam recital. It is the longest, most elaborate, and challenging dance, showcasing the dancers' mastery of all the three dance elements — Nritta, Nritya, and Natya. In this Varnam, the various stories of Lord Shiva and his wife Shakti are portrayed.
Padam: Vadavarayai
Ragam: Ragamalika
Talam: Adi
Composer: Ilango Adigal
This excellent verse is from Silappadhikaram, a tamil epic by Ilango Adigal. It is a part of Aychiyar Kuravai, a form of music in Silappadhikaram. It praises the seeming dichotomy of the various avatars of Lord Vishnu. For example, the same Hand that churned the ocean with the enormous mountain Meru, was also bound by trivial ropes by Mother Yashoda.
Javali: Vagaladi
Ragam: Behaag
Talam: Rupakam
Composer: Tirupathi Narayanaswamy
Vagaladi is a light-hearted Javali that depicts a lady spurned by her lord on account of the other woman. She portrays the various loving moments that she shared with her lord, and points out the questionable traits that the other woman possesses, expressing her disappointment in her lord.
Padam: Gopi Gopala
Ragam: Gamanashramam
Talam: Tisra Adi
Composer: Sur Das
Gopi Gopala is a Bhajan, or devotional hymn, that talks about the exciting Rasaleela(playful dance) that Lord Krishna plays with Radha(His lover) and other Gopikas.
Thillana
Ragam: Desh
Talam: Rupakam
Composer: Madurai N. Krishnan
Thillana forms the grand finale of a Bharatanatyam Arangetram. It is pure dance artistry, characterized by its fast beat and intricate steps. It showcases the dancers' mastery of footwork and command of rhythm. Beautiful footwork is woven into repetitive lines of Pallavi, followed by the Anupallavi and Charanam.
Mangalam
Ragam: Surutti
Talam: Adi
The recital concludes with a Mangalam, in which the dancers thank the dancing deity, their Guru, the musicians, and the audience for the success of the recital.
About the Teacher
