2011 Hanuman Jayanthi celebration was a special five day event at The Shri Shiva Vishnu Temple (SSVT) in Lanham, MD. The event included Sri Hanuman Chalisa chanting, Rama taraka mantra Japa, Sundara Kanda Parayana, Special Moola mantra homa and Pavamana homa.

Ending the celebrations on 25th Dec was Maha Abhisheka, Rama Pathabhisheka, and procession of Sri Ram and Hanuman deities aroundthe temple. Following this was the glorious dance performance by Smt. Jeyanthi Ghatraju and musical performance by Little Master Pranav on his tabla in praise of the Lord!

Pranav is 14 yrs old and a freshman at the Westford Academy in Westford, MA. His initial training in tabla at the LearnQuest Academy of Music under Dr. Nishikant Sonwalker, and the tutelage of Ustad Shabbir Nisar of the Ustad Sheikh Dawood Academy in Hyderabad, India in recent years all came together alive on December 25th at the SSVT.

For the ocassion of Hanuman Jayanthi, Pranav played teen taal, with a 16 beat, rhythmic cycle. At such a young age, Pranav profoundly touched everyone’s heart through his spellbinding 20 minute performance.

Jeyanthi's recital, “Anjaneya” followed next. For Jeyanthi, there has been no barrier for her dance stage, always experimenting and innovative making her canvas massive and inclusive. Jeyanthi’s charity performances are not new to the New England audience.

For the occasion of Hanuman Jayanthi, Jeyanthi performed 4 items in praise of the Lord. She was dressed not only in the finest temple jewelry and beautifully customized costume but also kept in mind the orange color, a favorite of Lord Hanuman.

The program commenced with a pushpanjali in ragam Vijaya Vasantham, followed by Jaya Maruthi kavithuvam, a poetry in praise of Lord Hanuman. Both are compositions of Madurai R Muralidaran, and the music was from the album, “Sri Anjaneyam”.

Jeyanthi described the scene of Rama and the army of monkeys strategizing their search for Sita. The highest moment in Hanuman's life was being selected as Rama’s messenger from among so many in the army. Reassured by the bear, Jambavan, Hanuman realizes his own hidden talents, and takes off to Lanka.

Jeyanthi successfully delivered the message to all viewers through this dance piece of Hanuman’s strength, courage, perseverance, devotion, selfless service, and how he blesses his devotees with a life of happiness and prosperity. Nature, in the form of the five elements obeys Hanuman’s command and by the mere chant of the name “Rama”, one can cross the ocean of life and attain salvation.

Next was Varnam, Bhavayami Raghuramam in ragamalika and rupaka talam, a composition of Maharaja Swati Thirunal. The composer has condensed the contents of 24000 slokams of Valmiki Ramayana into six beautiful charanams/verses representing the six khanda (books). Many of the phrases employed in the charanam are long and winding, since each phrase accommodates an episode in the epic of Ramayan in a concise form.

Jeyanthi elaborated three vital episodes from the epic, Ramayana, whichwere Sita’s swayamvaram, Mandhara’s malicious advice to Kaikeyi to send Rama to the forest and the war scene. The music was taken from the album Noopura natanam.

And it was these 30 minutes of glorious solo performance self choreographed by Jeyanthi which enticed and mesmerized the audience. So well recited that every mudra, and expression depicted various characters and narrated all episodes with no ambiguity.

And the recital concluded with a Hanuman Dhrupad, sung by Gundecha Brothers, Ramakant and Umakant, in ragam Bhimpalasi. This gave a different flavor to the program, coming from the Hindustani style of music.

It indeed was an enriching experience, and also motivating for a journalist like me to be inspired to again get back into the passion of learning this art form! Something which I gave away 10 years ago!

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