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Chennai January Season
performances
Bharatanatyam by Narthaki Nataraj, Chennai Ananda Shankar Jayant’s recital was followed by a presentation of rare padams and varnams of the Thanjavur Quartette by Narthaki Natraj. Narthaki, a direct disciple of K P Kittappa Pillai, is the recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowship for 2003 – 2005 for the preservation and propagation of the Thanjavur style. She has the good fortune of having learnt many rare items of the Thanjavur Quartette from her guru. Her objective is to take the rare mudras and abhinayas of the Quartette and adapt them to choreograph works based on excerpts from epics like Thevaram, Thirupugazh, Thiruvasakam and Divya Prabhandam or songs of Bharatiyar, to name a few. “In the name of new, the traditional style is losing its identity. I have to preserve what I have learnt from my guru Kittappa Pillai. My research is based on how the same adavus and footwork can be adapted to different works without changing the purity of the form. The presentation will be new but the old style will still be preserved.” Narthaki considers
herself fortunate in receiving the prime slots for the season in all the
city’s prestigious sabhas who have given her a lot of respect and encouragement.
The audiences have also been supportive by responding with appreciative
phone calls and emails and Narthaki considers this a great start to the
new year.
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