Bhakti Maargam (The Path of Devotion)
October 2009
Bharatanatyam is a complete theater form involving body, mind and spirit. Conceptualized to be an easy communion between humans and gods, it is an incomparable theatrical technique that has gone through thousands of years of evolution. This visual and performance art forms aims to educate, entertain, and elevate.
Naatya is a theatrical exercise disciplining body and mind that leads to spirituality, a disciplined path leading to enlightened entertainment. While the ultimate purpose of Naatya is increasing the quality of life (the scriptures quote: "Naatyam bhakti vivardhanam"), a solo repertoire presentation in Bharatanaatyam is defined as "Maargam", (path) signifying the paths of taking both the performer and the onlooker to a level of sublimity. Interpretations of song and music through gestures and bodily expressions communicate a range of messages from simple prayer to moralistic fables. Primary to this enterprise are the paths of physical discipline, mental devotion and spiritual dedication. Sri and smt. Dhananjayans have selected the repertoire in this presentation to provide an experience of walking through devotional fervor.
Natyanjali Australia is the proud sponsors of the Australian tour of Dhananjans' Bharatakalanjali troup. We are grateful to acknowledge the support by The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
»» View more information on the Dhananjayans.
From Bhakti Maargam
Reviews of Bhakti Maargam
The event has generated many glowing reviews:
"...one of the greatest abhinayas on stage - effortless, natural and appealing..." - Indian Link November (1) 2009 View the entire review here
"The four enticing dancers executed their footwork in accurate and crisp energetic bursts in speed and pure dance through the evening. Some of the physically challenging poses were rendered with ease and comfort." - Sydhwaney
Cast of Bhakthi Maargam
Sri. V.P. Dhananjayan
Sri. V.P.Dhananjayan, son of A.Rama Poduval and Madhavi Amma was born in Payyanur (Kerala) in the year 1939. A child poet in Malayalam, he was brought to Smt. Rukmini Devi’s Kalakshetra, Chennai at the age of 13 in the year 1953 by the famed Guru T.K. Chandu Panikkar. He received diploma and post graduate diploma in Kathakali and Bharatanaatyam with distinction and served the alma mater (Kalakshetra) as one of the most prominent performing artists and teacher till 1968. Dhananjayan was the leading dancer in the Kalakshetra dance drama productions and became synonymous with the character Sri Rama in the Ramayana series of Kalakshetra.
Sri. Dhananjayan founded Bharatakalanjali in the year 1968 along with his wife Shanta Dhananjayan also an alumni of Kalakshetra. Bharatakalanjali under the able stewardship of Dhananjayan and Shanta has become one of the well known institutions in Tamizhnaadu for Bharatanaatyam. They created several prestigious and internationally acclaimed dance productions. They also received several other State and public recognitions including Kalaimamani, Central Sangit Natak Academi, Kerala State Sangeeta Nataka Academy's Fellowship, Nrityachoodamani (Sri Krishna Gana Sabha) and several prestigious National and International awards, titles and recognitions. MA.Chidambaram Chettiyar (MAC Charities) award of Rs.50,000, silver casket and citation (2002), the “Swati Ratna” puraskaar for Madras Malayalee club, for their contribution to the propagation of Maharaja Swathi Tirunal’s compositions through Bharatanaatyam (April 2004). In 2009, the Dhananjayans were awarded the prestigious "Padma Bhusan" by the Government of India for their contribution to Classical Dance.
Through Bharatakalanjali, Dhananjayans have trained several talented poor children, who are successfully purusing their carrier in Bharatanaatyam. Dhananjayan’s contributions to the development and propagation of Indian art and culture is very significant.
Smt. Shanta Dhananjayan
Smt. Shanta Dhananjayan, wife of Sri. V.P.Dhananjayan and daughter of Sri. A. Raghava Menon and C.P.Kalliani Amma was born in Chittur, Palghat on 12th August 1943. She joined Kalakshetra in the year 1952 . As a brilliant child prodigy, she won the praise of Smt. Rukmini Devi and received both diploma and post graduate diploma with distinction. She is equally qualified in Carnatic music. Shanta was the primadona of Kalakshetra for almost 15 years, taking major roles in Rukmini Devi's dance drama productions. She became synonymous with Radha in Gita Govindam and Sita in Ramayana series.
Shanta married Sri. V.P.Dhananjayan in the year 1966. Ever since, she has been winning the hearts of connoisseurs with her immaculate perfection in the art she practiced. A perfect match both at home and stage, Shanta helped Dhananjayan to establish Bharatakalanjali, an institution par excellence. Through Bharatakalanjali she has trained number of world renowned dancers and musicians. She has traveled around the world several times and contributed to the spread of Indian art and culture in it's pristine purity.
She has received innumerable National and International awards which include Kalaimamani, Nrityachoodamani, Central Sangit Natak Academi award.
Gopukiran Sadasivan
Gopukiran, a disciple of the Dhananjayans and of Bharatakalanjali, has a Master of Arts degree in Bharatanatyam from the University of Madras. Gopukiran has made a name for himself as one of the best male Bharatanatyam artistes. He has earlier studied under Smt. Girija Chandran of Regatta Cultural Academy, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Gopukiran has featured in many dance presentations of eminent Gurs in Chennai and has become a sought-after male dancer. He was selected to visit the USA by the Clevelnd Cultural Alliance to participate in their very successful production "EakaanthaSeetha".
He has been awarded the title of Kalapratibha from Kerala University and was choosen as the best upcoming Bharathanatyam artist by the South Zone Culture Cenre in 2009.
Seetha Sasidharan
Seetha Sasidharan hails from a family of Bharathanatyam and Kathakali artists. Having graduated from Kalakshetra College of Fine Arts, the world renowned institution for performing arts, Seetha trained in Bharatanatyam under the Dhananjayans for nearly ten years. She has received various awards and recognition including the Lakshmi Viswanathan Prize for Excellence from Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai, Yuvakala Ratna award from Kaladarpanam, Ernakulam and Vocational Excelence award instituted by Rotary Club, Payyanur. Seetha has participated in all the major productions of Klakshetra and Bharathakalanjali. She started Bharathakalanjali, at Payyanur with an intention to propagate pure Indian classical dances. She is a senior member of Bharathakalanjali, Chennai and is the Director of Bharathakalanjali Payyanur.
Divya Shiva Sundar
A danseuse par excellence and an eternal student of the art of Bharatanatyam, Divya hails from a family of artists. A devoted disciple and niece of the Dhananjayans, Divya has accompanied her gurus on stage at major performances and has played lead roles in a number of Bharatakalanjali productions. Divya is the recipient of the senior merit scholarship from the Govt of India, a Distinction of Merit, in theory from ABHAI. Divya has travelled widely all over India and abroad. She has performed at major dance festivals in India. Divya was chosen by the Shobana Jeyasingh Dance company to be their guest artiste in London. She was also privileged to have been selected for Chakra, a major event in New York. Divya holds a degree in Economics, from the University of Madras and is a senior member of Bharata Kalanjali and assists Dhananjayans in teaching.
Lavanya Raghuraman
Lavanya is a gifted dancer. A disciple of Sri V.P. Dhananjayan and Smt Shanta Dhananjayan, she is an accomplished Bharatanatyam dancer, Carnatic Music singer, Violinist and a Theatre Actress. Lavanya is the only Singaporean to have presented a solo Bharatanatyam production titled 'Alchemy of Opposites' for Singapore’s landmark cultural theatre, The Esplanade theatres on the bay, to a full house. Recently, on 1 January 2009, Lavanya was conferred the prestigious title of Natya Chudar by Karthik Fine Arts (Chennai, India). She is the only Singaporean to receive this title thus far.
Lavanya’s performances have received laudable reviews in prestigious media publications such as The Hindu.
Lavanya is a graduate of Singapore Management University with majors in Accounting & Law. Lavanya serves an honorary Bharatanatyam tutor at Alapana Arts. Through lecture demonstrations, master classes, workshops and seminars, Lavanya shares her thoughts on Bharatanatyam and its propagation in its purest form in Singapore.
Accompanying Artistes
N. Sasidharan (Vocal)
Sasidharan hails from a family of musicians, having had his basic training from his mother and later under Dr K J Jyesudas and is presently learning under Sangeetha Vidwan Shri P S Narayanswamy Iyer. He has a Masters degree in Arts, Indian Music vocal from the University of Madras.
He is the vocal musician for Bharathakalanjali's Dance Troupe of the Dhanajayans. He has performed in all the major Sabhas of Chennai, all over India and also in Asia, Europe, Australia and the United States. He sang in a live classical carnatic concert for the San Francisco Radio in 1998 for 4 hours. Sasidharan is also the recipient of the titles "Isai Chemmal" from the Indira GandhiIlakkiya mandram 1993 and "Isai Mani" form Bharathi Youth Asoociation, Chennai in 1995.
K.P. Ramesh Babu (Mridangam)
Ramesh Babu hails from a family known for its artistic talents. His father K.P. Bhaskara Das directs an art Institute in Kerala. Ramesh started to learn percussion at an early age from his father and from his teacher Shri Puthukode. S. Krishna. His mother Kalamandalam Chandrika a noted Bharathanatyam dancer helped him train as an accompanist for dance.His passion for music & dance led him to his guru Shri Karaikudi R. Mani.
Ramesh babu has won many prizes in the All india Radio Music Competitions. His versatility earned him a scholarship from the Cultural Department of India. He is now a freelance artiste and has accompanied some of the finest musicians & dancers in the media & stage. He has accompanied dance luminaries such as The Dhanajayans, Krishnaveni Laxman, Chandrasekhars, Narasimhacharis, Leela Sampson, Madhavi Mudhagal, Alarmel Valli and several upcoming artistes.He has accompanied music virtuosos such as BV Raman and Laxmanan, Vairamangalam lasminarayanan,Sriram Parasuramand Anuradha Sriram, Palai CK Ramachandran, OS Arun,and TV Ramaprasad. He has worked as a dance accompanist with the Dhanajayans at Baharathakalanjali in Chennai for the past 16 yrs. He has travelled throughout Asia, Europe, Australia & the United States.
For the past several years Ramesh has worked closely with dance companies such as Kalanjali dances of India,Californis, Apsaras Arts, Singapore, Bharath Kalanjali Australia. He has played in important occasions such as Khajuraho Dance festival, Konark Dance Festival, India International Centre, Swaralaya Festival, Soorya Festival and Indian Art Circle,Kuwait, San Francisco Ethnic Dance Festival etc. Apart from being a percussion virtuso with proficiency over several types of percussion instruments, Ramesh has many music compositions to his credit. His skill, versatility and sophistication have earned him high praise from critics and audiences world over.
Kalaiarasan Ramanathan (Violin)
Kalaiarasan hails from a family of musicians. He is a disciple of Dhanadevi Mithradeve and graduated (Sangeetha Bhushanam) with honours from Annamalai University . He has several gold medals to his credit, South India University Competition at Andhra University, Chennai Tamil Isai Sangam Competition etc. He is a B grade artiste in All India Radio , Chennai. He is a staff of Bharatha Kalanjali , Chennai and has taken part in all the productions of The Dhanajayans. He has performed at major festivals in India & abroad & has also accompanied several leading Bharathanatyam artistes in India and abroad.