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A Recital To Remember
 Yuvakala Bharathi N Srikanth’s Bharathanatyam recital under the auspices of Lalitha Kala Vedika, at the Music Academy mini hall, last Tuesday (April 27) was indeed a delightful and artistic presentation, wholly consistent with his 25 years experience.
The piece-de-resistance was of course the Neelambari varnam (Aadhi thalam) Senthil mevum Deva Siva Baala’
(Lalgudi Jayaraman’s composition), the traditional exposition of which evidenced his superior class as a dancer of great merit. The distinctive portrayal of the various facets of
Lord
Muruga, as visualized by the Nayika suffering excruciating pangs of separation, earned spontaneous approbation from the
veteran artistes present on the occasion - Lakshmi Viswanathan, Kalanidhi Narayanan and the Chandrasekars, among many others. As one seated next to
C V Chandrasekhar I could discern signs of appreciation in him in favour of Srikanth – a rare but deserving tribute from a senior artiste to a comparatively junior fellow artiste. May these tribes increase in the overall interests of
Bharathanatyam.
The Bhairavi – Misrachapu delineation of the dispute between the Nayaka and Nayika – Ivarukkum Enakkum Peru Vazhakku Irukkinrathu’ – was yet another presentation of a high order.
Despite the cropped hair, the almost bare chest (Just covered decoratively and strategically on either side by an angavasthram) and other counteracting masculine signatures, Srikanth, disciple of
Dr Padma Subrahmanyam, was able to transcend these challenges and transport himself winsomely to the characterization of a live, love-lorn, young, distressed female, in a convincing fashion. I have seen him in the roles of Andal and Devaki (Bhagavata Mela depictions) in full female attire and regalia many a time and could never bring myself to believe that it was a male in female clothing, nor could others who did not know the truth. True, feminine traits are, of course, much more charming and naturally becoming in a woman, and physical chemistry has its own say, inevitably. Even so, Srikanth’s feminine portrayals would evoke envy in many a danseuse, doubtless.
The vigorous folksy ‘Vandikkaaran Paattu’ (pull-cart wallah), of
Poet Bharathiyaar, was performed with gay, relishable abandon. That was manly, forsooth. The Hindolam Thillana (Adhi) and the Thulasidas Bhajan in Lalith were neat and sweet.
Vanathi Raghuraman, the vocalist, was not in her element that evening. She was good. The point is, she could have done better. Roja Kannan’s excellent nattuvangam was only to be expected. Vijayaraghavan on the percussion and Muruganandam on violin complemented Srikanth’s performance quite appreciably.
R Srinivasan
Ph: 24355576
Mail to : annie_thomaz@yahoo.co.in
Published on 5th
May, 2004
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