Prayukti Arts along with
Ravi Chandra, Suryavel Chandra and
Vishwavel Chandra
cordially invite you to
uMa
Bharatanatya Arangetram
of
Suman Chandra
Disciple of Smt. Nitya Narasimhan
The dance is a poem of which each movement is a word
-Mata Hari
Sun, Sep 29th, 2024, 3:00 pm
Visual and Performing Arts Center (De Anza College)
21250, Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino, CA, USA
The Dancer
Suman Chandra
Suman Chandra is a multifaceted individual with a rich tapestry of talents and accomplishments. Over the past six years, she has dedicated herself to learning Bharatnatyam under the guidance of Nitya Narasimhan at Prayukti Arts, where she discovered her passion for this traditional art form back in 2018. Successfully navigating the challenges and joys of performing the arangetram at her age is a testament to her dedication and perseverance.
Beyond her commitment to Bharatnatyam, Suman has showcased her creative abilities through choreography, direction, and performances in various other dance styles, collaborating with nonprofit organizations across the Bay Area. Her foray into the world of film production with Eleventh Hour Production has not only earned her accolades but also four prestigious awards from BAFA for short film competitions in 2021.
Apart from her artistic pursuits, Suman finds solace in activities like yoga, sewing, and immersing herself in the world of historical fiction. Her academic background in Printing Technology from CEG, Chennai, India, reflects her diverse interests and academic prowess.
She is also a proud mother to three — Madhunila Chandra, who is no more with us was a kind, eversmiling to become an engineer, Suryavel, a recent Business graduate, and Vishwavel, who is currently studying Biology as a Junior in College. Additionally, her husband, Ravi Chandra, holds a prominent position as a Senior Vice President at Cisco.
Suman Chandra's story is truly inspiring, showcasing a blend of creativity, talent, and a deep-rooted passion for the arts..
The Teacher
Nitya Narasimhan
Choreography and Nattuvangam
Nitya Narasimhan is an acclaimed Bharatanatyam artist currently based in California, USA. As the founder and artistic director of "Prayukti Arts," she actively fosters a community for Indian arts in the Bay Area, curating and engaging in educational initiatives, performances, and community events. Since 2017, she has been teaching Bharatanatyam in the Bay Area through Prayukti Arts, specializing her class structure to cater to students of all levels and age groups.
Nitya trained in Bharatanatyam under Guru Suma Mani, Chennai in her formative years. A graceful, enthusiastic and passionate dancer, Nitya completed her arangetram (debut, solo performance) in the year 2003. She then pursued her training under the guidance of Guru Rukmini Vijayakumar, Raadha Kalpa Dance Company, Bangalore. She studied with Smt Vithya Arasu (Natyakala Vidhya) in the Marga-Nritta Karanas and is pursuing Nattuvangam training under Dr.G.V.Guru Bharadwaaj. Nitya currently continues her pursuits of bharatanatyam with Smt Shweta Prachande.
Nitya's teaching philosophy is deeply rooted in the traditional values of Bharatanatyam while embracing its turbulent history, rich present and being open to its evolving future. Her classes not only focus on the technical aspects of Bharatanatyam but also delve into its cultural context, historical evolution, and contemporary relevance. Beyond instruction, Nitya seeks to instill a profound appreciation and joy for dance in her students, encouraging them to view Bharatanatyam as a living tradition that fosters personal growth and self expression.
Snigdha Venkataramani
Vocals
Vikram Ragukumar
Violin
Snigdha Venkataramani is an accomplished Carnatic vocalist and has undergone training under various senior teachers for over two decades, prominent among them being veteran vocalists Padmabhushan Guru Nookala Chinna Satyanarayana, Sh. K. Vageesh and Smt. K. Sudha, Smt. Sarada Subramanian and Guru Smt Radhakrishna. She is currently training under the Carnatica Brothers. She received the Junior Scholarship from the Center for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT), Government of India, and is a graded artist of the All India Radio, New Delhi. She has released two music albums - "SAMARPANAM", of Carnatic music compositions and "NATYA MANJARI", which comprises a repertoire for Bharatanatyam dance. Snigdha is also an established Bharatanatyam dancer having trained under Padma Bhushan Dr. Saroja Vaidyanathan. She has composed music for several dance productions to critical acclaim. Snigdha teaches Carnatic vocal and Bharatanatyam under her institution 'Laya Dhwani Academy of performing arts.
Ravindra Bharathy Sridharan, hailing from the well known Embar family is a distinguished performer and mridangam guru, has dedicated 43 years to mastering and accompanying leading musicians in both the US and India. With 25 years of teaching experience, he is a prime disciple of Vidwan Sri Neyveli Narayanan and the founder of Nadhopasana Academy of Fine Arts. Through his academy, Ravi has cultivated a new generation of talented percussionists, many of whom are now sought after accompanists. Ravi’s innovative spirit is showcased by his creation of the “3-P-M” (3 Part Mridangam), a versatile instrument covering all pitches, which has received widespread acclaim. His contributions have been recognized with several awards, including the Sangeetha Seva Puraskar (2017), the Prof. T.R. Subrahmanyam Award for Best Teacher from Cleveland Aradhana (2023), and the Kala Shiromani title from Kalaanjali Dance Company. Additionally, Ravi actively unites the music and dance communities through his non-profit, Guruvaram Performing Arts.
Hrishikesh Chary started learning the veena at the age of six from his father, Sri Srikanth Chary, a disciple of the late music maestro, Sri Lalgudi G. Jayaraman. Hrishikesh has won several prizes in competitions including the prestigious Cleveland Aradhana Concert Competition, and was awarded a tambura and the opportunity to present a concert at the 2011 festival. Hrishikesh has performed solo veena concerts in the United States and India. He has performed on television and provided orchestral accompaniment for programs, CD releases, and dance performances, including ensembles with Sri V. V. Subrahmanyam, at the Cleveland Festival. He performs veena duets with his sister, Priyanka, regularly in Chennai during the Margazhi Music Festival.
Vikram Ragukumar, had his initial training under legendary violinist Vidwan H.V. Krishnamurthy at Vijaya College of Music, Bangalore. He later pursued intensive training under the able guidance of All India Radio “ A” grade Violinist Vidwan B. Raghuram. Vikram has performed extensively in India and the USA as a solo violinist and as an accompanist for classical music and classical dance performances. He is currently furthering his understanding of music by training under the guidance of Vidushi. Smt. Asha Ramesh. By day he works as a software engineer in the Bay area.
The Musicians
Ravindra Bharathy
Mridangam
Hrishikesh Chary
Veena
The Program
3:00 pm
Welcome address
vAhana alArippu
rAgamAlikA | Catusra Ekam
mallAri
gaMbhIra nAttai | misra triputa
jaTisvaram
rAgamAlikA | misra CApu
Tanjore Quartet|Priyadarshini Govind
varNam (Adi shivanai kAnavE)
tODi | Adi
K. N. Dandayuthapani Pillai
Intermission
ardhanArIsvarar stuti
rAgamAlikA |Adi
Adisankaracharyar|M.S. Sukhi
nindA stuti (ISOpi hAlAhalam)
rAgamAlikA | talamAlikA
Rajkumar Bharathi|Priyadarshini Govind
padam(varuvAi endrE)
vAsanti | Adi
Kumudha Gomatam | Gayatri Kamakoti
tillAnA
kurinji | Adi|
Snigdha Venkataramani
Felicitation and Vote of Thanks
6:00 pm
Dinner and Reception
Note: Doors will open at 2:30 pm
We welcome you to come early and enjoy the decorations and to take pics in lobby before seating.
The Lineup
Alarippu
The "Alarippu" serves as the opening segment, and is typically characterized by its intricate footwork, hand gestures, and body alignments, all performed to a specific rhythm or tala. The Alarippu helps establish the dancer's connection with the audience and prepare the dancer's body and mind for the performance.
Today, we begin with a "Vahana Alarippu", a unique and enriched variant of the traditional Alarippu, that integrates symbolic gestures related to the "vahana" or the divine vehicle associated with Shiva, the Nandi and Parvathi, the Tiger.
Ragam - rAgamAlika
Talam - catusra Ekam
Dance Composition - Smt Nitya Narasimhan
Mallari
"Mallari" is a traditional item, performed as a form of homage to a deity. It does not have any words but is strung together with sollukattus (Tha Dith Thom Nam) and executed in 3 speeds. Mallari is a musical composition typically played on the Nagaswaram with Thavil and Oththu, and performed in front of a deity or when the deity is taken on a procession. It is designed to evoke a sense of reverence and devotion. Today’s Mallari is in praise of Lord Shiva, depicting his devotees going in a procession with bhakti and ends with Lord Shiva taking on his Vahana, the Nandi.
Ragam - Gambheera nAttai
Talam - misra triputa
Dance Composition - Smt Nitya Narasimhan
The Lineup
Jatiswaram
The Jatiswaram is a classical Bharatanatyam piece that combines intricate rhythmic patterns (jatis) with musical patterns (swarams). This particular Jathiswaram is dedicated to Parvati, the goddess consort of Lord Shiva, reflecting her grace, strength and her vahana (the tiger). This Tanjore Quartet Jathiswaram composition holds a special place in Bharatanatyam repertoire due to its historical importance and the contribution of the Tanjore Quartet, a group of four brothers—Ponnaiah, Chinnayya, Vadivelu, and Sivanandam—who have made several prominent contributions to music and Bharatanatyam in the 19th century.
Ragam - ragamAlika
Talam - misra cApu
Music Composition - Tanjore quartet
Dance composition - Smt. Priyadarshini Govind
Varnam
(Adi shivanai Kaanave)
The Varnam, serves as the centerpiece of the recital and is the most challenging part of the recital as it is typically the longest piece presented and tests the dancer’s stamina and ability to blend nritta (pure dance) with abhinaya (expressive storytelling), showcasing the dancer’s technical precision and emotional range.
The varnam for today 'Adi Shivaney Kaanavey' is a powerful expression of love /Viraha towards Lord Shiva. The lyrics describe the Nayika's (heroine’s) yearning towards Lord Shiva to appear before her eyes and describes how she is struck by cupids arrow and has gone weak and thin thinking about him. She says to her friend that she is not afraid of what the town might say about her and she has no choice but to marry that “Gnana Sabesan”(virtuous man) and she can never forget him even if the sky or land may fall apart.
This choreography is a creative interpretation where Goddess Parvati is potrayed here as the Nayika(heroine), stubborn on her quest to seek her lord and be one with him.
Ragam - tOdi
Talam - Adi
Music Composition - KN Dandayuthapani Pillai
Dance Composition - Smt. Nitya Narasimhan
The Lineup
Stuti
(Ardhanareeswarar Stothram)
In this piece, the divine union is beautifully captured through the portrayal of Ardhanarishvara, the composite form of Shiva and Shakti, symbolizing the perfect harmony of masculine and feminine energies.
This piece offers a unique perspective, rendered from the eyes of a devotee who admires the duality of Shiva and Parvati. This stuti poetically expresses the concept of Ardhanareeshwara as the perfect balance of opposites where Shiva with his matted hair and serpent around his neck as an embodiment of renunciation is one half and Parvati with her beautifully braided hair adorned with flowers and jewelry as a nurturer and the power that grounds and balances him as the other half, indivisible and all encompassing.
Ragam - ragamAlika
Talam - Adi
Music Composition - Shri Shankaracharya and set to tune by MS Sukhi
Dance Composition - Smt. Nitya Narasimhan.
NindA Stuti
Isopi hAlahalam
Ninda Stuti – a form of devotional poetry where a deity is humorously criticized by the devotee. This is a playful and light-hearted piece, that offers a unique spin on why Lord Shiva might have decided to drink poison during the churning of the ocean, but with a delightful family drama twist!
Ragam - ragamAlika
Talam - talamAlika
Music Composition - Shri Rajkumar Bharathi
Dance Composition - Smt. Priyadarshini Govind
The Lineup
Padam
varuvAi EndrE
This next piece is a beautiful and emotionally resonant Padam that reflects a mother’s deep longing for a daughter. In this abhinaya composition, we explore the divine story of Parvati, who, while blessed with two sons—Muruga and Ganesha—yearns for a daughter to complete her family. She seeks solace in the Nandavanam(garden) under the sacred Kalpavriksha(wish fulfilling) tree, praying for her wish to be fulfilled
As Parvati sits on her vaasal(porch) in expectation of her wish to be fulfilled, she dreams of the conversations and moments she would share with her daughter. She expresses her longing to cradle a baby girl and imagining the joy of caring for her. She envisions herself braiding her daughter’s hair with mullai and shenbagam flowers, engaging in endless conversations, with the light of the moon casting a gentle glow on their home, filling her heart with hope and anticipation.
Ragam - vAsanthi
Talam- Adi
Music composition - Kumudha Ammanur Gomatam, Set to tune - Gayatri Kamakoti
Dance Composition - Smt. Nitya Narasimhan.
Thillana and Mangalam
In this vibrant and joyous piece Thillana which is the concluding piece, we celebrate the divine union of Uma-Maheshan, Shiva and Parvati, who complete each other and watch over their family with unwavering love and strength. Their presence is a reminder of how divine forces guide and protect us all, ensuring harmony, balance, and blessings for the future of us all.
This will be followed by a mangalam in which the dancer will dance to a small prayer or music thanking God, the orchestra and the audience for watching to conclude the recital.
Ragam - kurinji
Talam - Adi
Music Composition - Smt. Snigdha Venkataramani
Caranam Lyrics - Suman Chandra and Vijayalakshmi Kirtivasan
Dance Composition - Smt. Nitya Narasimhan
The Venue
De Anza College VPAC
Visual and Performing Arts Center
21250 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA 95014
More about Suman Chandra
More about Prayukti Arts
The Credits
Sets and Decor
Saranya Ravikumar, Kanmani Brindavan,
Sharmila Rajamanickam, Sudarvannan Sivakumar
Sketches
Madhumathi Ahelesan
Pre Photoshoot and Video
Mohan Subramanian
Photography and Videography
Sf Bay Photo and Video
Print and website Design
Nitya Narasimhan, Suman Chandra,
Deepthi Karanam, Utthara Shankar
Make up and Hair
Pria Krishnamurthy
Lighting
Naveen Nathan
Stage Manager
Utthara Sankar
MC
Prithi Pichai, Nandhini Manoharan(reception)
Dinner and Reception
Manasa Rao, Ram Pillati, Enchante Team
Program Management
Nidarchana Gunasekar, Dharshana Eashwaran
Volunteers
Bhargavi Chandrasekaran, Sneha Simhadri, Priya Krishnamoorthy
Sudarshan Kandasamy, Ravi Chandra, Harini Srinivasan, Sharat Varma,
Kavi Nagarajan, Prayukti family, Family and Friends.
Special Thanks
Gayatri Kamakoti
Music composer - padam
Dr. K Gayatri, a talented and illustrious disciple of Vid. Smt. Suguna Purushothaman of the Musiri-Semmangudi Parampara is the torchbearer of the style. Gayatri is under the tutelage of Vidushi Suguna Varadachari since 2015. After her B. Com degree, she studied music through an M. A. programme, then went on to do her M. Phil and PhD on 'The concept of Vaishnavism in Muthuswami Dikshitar's compositions' from the Madras University. She has inherited the skill of composing and rendering pallavis from her revered Guru and is an exponent of Niravel, Dvi- tala Avadhana and rare Talas. Gayatri has performed in all Sabhas in Chennai and has also released CDs 'Tiruvadi Saranam','Tiruppavai' Live concert-The Music Academy- 2006 Dec.
Dr. K. Gayatri’s titles include 'Isai Arasi' from Trinity Festival of Arts, 'Kalarathna' from the Cleveland Tyagaraja Festival,‘Isai Peroli' from the Kartik Fine Arts Society, 'Sangeetha Sundaram' from Bharathanjali Trust,‘Sangeetha Shiromani' from SriShanmukhananda Fine Arts, Yuva Kala Bharathi' from Bharat Kalachar and 'Isai Chudar' from Karthik Fine Arts. An A grade vocalist from the All India Radio.
Dr. Gayatri has been adjudged the Best Vocalist (Yogam Nagasamy Award), Best Pallavi singing, Outstanding Senior Vocalist and Best Concert Award multiple times by the Music Academy, Madras.
Dr. Gayatri has travelled to the United States, France, Australia and Singpore with her music and is known for her impeccable technique and brilliant style.
Kumudha Gomatam
Lyricist and Composer - padam
Kumudha Ammanur Gomatam has been an enthusiastic writer in Tamil. She has watched and learnt from her dear Guru Kalaimamami Smt Suguna Purushothaman revered as a pioneering Lady Vaggeyakara. Her current passion is to explore modern formats like rap to introduce old Tamil poetry to young audiences.
For any Info Contact sumansarangetram@gmail.com Ravi Chandra (408) 206 7028
Nidarchana Gunasekar 412 519 4582
Utthara Shankar 408 707 7785