On the day of Shivarathri , Sunday, Feb 26, 2006 as the priests were performing Yagna to propitiate Lord Shiva, over 120 dancers gathered to present dance numbers that described the glory of the Lord.  This annual event always is huge attraction at the temple. This year the Temple added a nice touch to the event by presenting special Lakshmi pictures and specially blessed Vibhuthi to all participants. High school seniors,  Meera Kannabar, Amrita Saigal, Sandya Narayanan, Preeti Ravaliya, Soudamini Gadgil and Isha Parulkar were given a blessed Lakshmi coin to help guide their path as they go to college.

“Working with local dance teachers and dancers is always a great pleasure. They are so dedicated and work hard to keep the culture alive in US” said temple Trustee, Geeta Ranga who coordinated the event. "Dance teachers  are always willing to help the temple by giving their time for performances and fundraisers. Last year’s fundraising event presented by dance teachers  was a huge success and we have another one planned on May 7^th,, 2006” said K.G. Narayana  who is the President of the temple.

Nrityanjali opened with an exciting Otthukadu Venkata Subbaiyer composition, Shri Vignarajam Bhaje presented by Amritha Mangalat, student of Sunanda Narayanan. Amrita's precise and gracful presentation with creative movements and  faced paced Nritta made this a great invocatory piece.  This was followed by Muthusawamy Dikshitar’s Mahaganapathim presented by young students of Jeyanthi Ghetraju. Jeyanthi had beautifully choreographed the number to suit the young children some of who were only four years old.

Traditional Kautuvams, Pushpanjali, Allarippu and Jatiswarams were presented by students of Sunanda Narayanan, Jeyanthi Ghetraju , Soumya Ramanathan, Meena Subramanium and Jayashree Bala Rajamani. Sandya Narayanan, student of Jayashree Bala Rajamani presented an interesting and unusual Natesha Kavituvam composed by Guru Govindarajan and beautifully choreographed by Jayashree.  Yet another interesting number by Jayshree’s students was Swami Dayananda’s Bho Shambho where Jayashree used interesting group chorography ideas.

Of the different items presented by Meena Subramanium’s  students, an unusual number was the Marathi piece “Tandava Nritta Kari” Gajanana presented by Kriti. With energetic and precise movements Kriti brought the dance of Bal Gajanana to life.  Ranjani Saigal’s students followed with two bhajans. The young children danced to Dimita Dimita Dhem (Sai Bhajan) and Surdas’s Yashomathi Maiyya.  Her older students presented an unusual Anjali in honor of Bhoomi Devi while a couple of her students presented the Danadayudha Pani Pillai classic Arputa Shirpi Adi. Amrita Saigal and Amudha Pazhanisamy, also students of Ranjani Saigal presented Ramasamy Sivan’s Natanam Seiyyum Padanar. These teenagers had choreographed the piece themselves and made quite an impact with the choreography and its beautiful execution.

Shakti Nochur (student of Neena Gulhati) presented Vempati Chinna Satyam’s Bhramanjali in Kuchipudi style. The lovely shlokas and the Kuchipudi movements were a treat to watch. Neena’s students also presented a Kautuam and Tillana.  The Kriti Aadidano Ranga beautifully choreographed by Poornima Risbud made Purandaradasa's presence felt at  Nrityanjali.

Soumya Ramanathan’s Theruvil Varano and  Shabdam by Sangeeta Vijayasarathy  brought out the subtleties of Abhinaya that showed their considerable mastery over the art.. Mari Shaki and Poornima Surya’s beautiful presentations of the classics Idathu Padam Thooki Adum and Adi Kondadum were extremely appropriate for the occasion.  Students of Sridevi Thirumalai featured in the last segment presented precisely choreographed complicated numbers like Chandra Chooda Shiva, Swagatham Krishna. All them were very well trainined and  they danced with energy and grace.   Two Hindi numbers by Monisha Rajnikanth (student of Jasmine Shah) and Smt. Sunita Malhotra added a nice variety to the presentation. Poornima Soorya aptly brought the evening to a fitting conclusion with the Dandayudha Pani Pillai’s classic “Tala Mela Jathi Odu Adum Ennai Alla Varum Jagadeesa Unathu Talzh Pannindhu Kalayodu Vazha Varum Tarum Tillai Paremesha – I who dance to Rhythmic syllables  seek Your blessings to wish to live with art in my life”

For the performers and the audience, it was a day to remember. We hope that the dedication of all the performers and their Gurus will be rewarded and that Lord Shiva will shower His blessings on them.

(About Shivarathri:

Sathya Sai Baba describing the significance of Shivarathri says “Shiva, or the Eternal Absolute Person, in His desire to attract the world of matter, engages Himself in the thandava, the cosmic dance. The dance is a Divine plan to attract the material creation, For all Divine miracles like those of Rama (He who pleases and delights) and Krishna (He who attracts) are for drawing people to the Divine presence for the purpose of correcting or cleansing them, or for confirming their faith and then leading them on to the discipline of service so that they may merge in ecstasy, in the source of all ecstasy -- a miracle resulting in sublimation, leading to service to society and finally conferring self-realization. The cosmic dance is so fast that fire emanates from Shiva's body because of the heat generated by activity. In order to cool Shiva and comfort him, Paravathi, his consort, places the Ganges on his head, makes the crescent moon rest amidst the coils of his hair, applies cold sandalwood paste all over his body, winds round the joints of his hands and feet cold-blooded snakes, and finally, being herself the daughter of the Himalayas (the mountains with eternal snow), she sits on his lap and becomes a part of him. At this Shiva rises, and both the soul and the world of matter dance together to the immense delight of the Gods and of all creation. This happens, according to the Puranas, on the Shivarathri day.”

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