There are moments in life when you witness something so spectacular and beautiful that it leaves you utterly speechless. I was caught in such a situation, many a time, when I had the privilege to be the master of ceremony for the Bharatanatyam arangetram of Vaisalli Navaneethan hosted by the Lasya School of Dance on 24th of June. 

As the curtains rose, lights dimmed and music started at the Grafton high school auditorium, Vaisalli stepped onto the stage with an air of confidence that belied her age. She commenced her recital with a misra alarippu, internalising the rhythm so beautifully and executing it with flawless accuracy. She then went on to perform a Ganesha Stuthi in beautiful Hamsanadam, where she portrayed Ganesha’s gait, demeanour, wisdom and hailed him as the one who brings good fortune and prosperity. Shanmugha Kauthuvam, a composition of Guru Madurai R Muralidharan followed next, where Vaisalli portrayed her technical prowess and strong command over taalam. While the audience was getting soaked in her mastery of rhythm, timing, and intricate footwork, she switched gears and pivoted from the fast-paced sequences to a more controlled and elegant presentation. The movements became softer, flowy, and expansive when she took stage for Tunga Tarange Gange, a beautiful Sadasiva Brahmendra kriti highlighting the beauty, origins and majesty of River Ganga.

A musical interlude followed, wherein two young girls, Varnikaa and Tanya,  enthralled the audience to Sarasamukhi in Gowda Malhar and a beautiful Raghuvamsasudha in Ragam Kadhanakuthoohalam, almost as if it was meant to be synonymous with the mood of the audience. The live music ensemble from India then took the audience to a place of cherished memories with a delightful violin-flute-percussion fusion of timeless classics starting with Beethoven’s Fur Elise, traversing through the world of Shankarabharanam nottuswarams and ending with the ever inspiring Vande Mataram. The beautiful vocals rendered by Sri Sudev Warrier, melodious flute played by Sri Thyagarajan Ramani, soulful violin strung by Sri Anandhu Lal and a seamless symphony of percussion sounds unleashed by Sri Nagarajan Shanmugalingam deserve a big shoutout.

Followed by the interlude, anticipation hung heavy in the air as the stage was set for a mesmerising varnam performance. From the very first note of the daru varnam, ‘Maathe Malaydwaja’, Vaisalli captivated the audience, drawing them into her world of artistry. The two sancharis, depicting Parvathi’s unconditional love for Ganesha and Muruga and Devi’s ire as the fierce Chamundeshwari were brilliantly choreographed by Guru Sapna Krishnan with contrasting emotions, qualities and energies, allowing the debutante to showcase her versatility as a dancer. She evidently possessed an innate understanding of the nuances of the varnam, effortlessly bringing its essence to life. When the final note resonated, the audience erupted in thunderous applause, showering the young girl with praise and adulation. The applause was accompanied by many tear-streaked faces, for the girl had evoked something deep within everyone’s hearts that no words could adequately describe. With a microphone looming over me and a heart bursting with admiration, I struggled to articulate all the emotions swirling within me, post this performance.

The second half began with Shankara Srigiri, a Swathi Thirunal Kriti in Hamsanandi and the beauty of Shiva’s cosmic dance was brought to fore by Vaisalli’s beautiful dance. The next padam on Lord Muruga, ‘Kanda Naal Mudhalaai’ was a crowning jewel among all the performances. Watching Vaisalli emote Shringara Bhava left me awestruck, as I struggled to reconcile to the fact that such profound depth and authenticity in portraying feelings of love could emanate from someone so young. Effortlessly transitioning from joy to sorrow, from longing to contentment, her expressions portrayed a kaleidoscope of emotions with a maturity beyond her years. While the audience was still in a state of trance, she quickly came back to stage to dance to Baso More, a Meera Bhajan describing her ardent love and devotion of Lord Krishna.

A Lalgudi Jayaraman thillana in Ragam Madhuvanthi followed, and as though the audience hadn’t seen enough of the magic that day, a jugalbandi was performed. The divine rhythm from the mridangam, Guru Sapna’s solkattus, choreography and Vaisalli’s response to the jathis left the audience yearning for more. It was a fitting finale to an evening that was filled with more than a few magical moments. When the eminent vocalist, Sudev Warrier, rendered the concluding lyrics ‘Manam Kollai Konda Kanna’,  it was hard for me not to remark to the audience that hearts were stolen that day by Vaisalli and not by Kanna. 

Even though it has been many days since her performance, the memory of her dance still lingers vividly in my head, evoking a sense of joy, wonder and amazement. Her performance that night, at the age of 15, is a humbling realisation that her talent is a rare gift bestowed to her by the Supreme power.

It is often said that ‘A thing of beauty is a joy forever’. Truly, her Bharatanatyam performance was a thing of beauty and its impression on my consciousness will indeed be a joy forever.