Summer of 2013 was a particularly busy season for Arangetrams. Dance and music alike, I have been to numerous recitals in the past few months. Sometimes I had to choose what to attend, but August 18th was no contest. I just had to go to the Bharatanatyam Arangetram of Chitanya Gopu, as the teacher, Sripriya Natarajan Moorthy is a dear friend. I have known her for a long time and have had the pleasure of working with her both professionally and artistically.

Chitanya is the first of Priya’s students to ascend the stage, a momentous occasion all around. Yet, that was not all that was in store for the audience at the Keefe Tech auditorium on this sunny Sunday afternoon. Chitanya’s youthful energy and her expressive storytelling kept one and all glued to their seats, right from the Pushpanjali all the way to the Mangalam.

The recital began with a beautifully rendered invocation in the vibrant voice of Sri Prasanth Parasini. The Pushpanjali, in Amritavarshini raagam composed by Madurai R. Muralidharan, was choreographed by Priya with the same intense delight with which Chitanya rendered it. The very first piece itself made such an impression on me that I was riveted and ready to be carried away by the deluge that followed. As a dancer, I was struck by the nritta and abhinaya rendered by the student and, as a teacher, by the seamless choreography that perfectly complimented the abilities of the student. The maiden voyage of the Guru-Sishya continued with Natesha Kauthuvam and a Jathiswaram in Hamasanandi raagam.

The Varnam, lynchpin of an Arangetram recital, was another Madurai R. Muralidharan composition in Keeravani raagam. Depicting the story of the mighty Hanuman, Chitanya took us through images of valor, loyalty, and the ultimate form of devotion, which resonates with every Indian. Chitanya’s vigorous nritta and expressive abhinaya carried the audience through the birth of the monkey God to his heroic leap over the ocean to Lanka and his deeds in the golden city that leads to Sita’s rescue. Both the choreography and the rendering of this timeless story was expertly done. This item was originally choreographed by Madurai R. Muralidharan himself. With its many jathis this item was a test for the Guru’s skill with the Nattuvangam. One that Priya just seemed to ease into and breeze through. Incidentally, she also happens to be the Nattuvangam disciple of Shri Muralidharan.

After the intermission, Chitanya resumed the recital with a Vyasaraja krithi, “Krishna nee begane baaro”.  The imaginative choreography and Chitanya’s very mature abhinaya provided the audience a glimpse into erstwhile Mathura. Here we see the antics of the young Krishna and the torment of the mother torn between love, responsibility and devotion.

Chitanya continued the recital with a skillful portrayal of the nayika in a Devi Stuti composed by Smt. K. Lalitha. First, as Durga, or Shakti, she receives the powers of the trinity to vanquish the evil Mahishasura. Then as the courageous Goddess Meenakshi, she sets out to conquer Mount Kailash and ends up conquering the heart of the Lord (of Kailash).  This item was choreographed by Priya’s own guru, Smt. Revathi Kumar.

This was followed by a padam composed by S. Chidambaram in Madhuvanti raagam. Here Chitanya depicts the lovelorn maiden Valli, who pines for Lord Muruga and is forced to wed a disgusting old lecher, who turns out to be none other than her beloved!

Chitanya’s skill was enhanced by the orchestra, which boasted of stalwart musicians like vocalist Sri Prasanth Parasini, Sri Dhanamjayan Muthukrishnan on the mridangam, Sri Surya Narayanan Krishnan Iyer on the flute, and Sri Muruganandhan Vasudevan on the violin. This amazing troupe from Chennai has had several appearances in the New England area.

Chitanya concluded her recital with the evergreen Thillana in Dhanashree raagam composed by Maharaja Swathi Thirunal, “Geet dhun ko tak dheem”. Watching her perform this energetic item, one would not imagine that Chitanya had been dancing for the past 3 hours. Her movements and expressions were full of animation and vitality. After a sprightly Mangalam composed by Bhadrachala Ramadas, the event concluded with many effusive speeches. The one made by a gushing mother, not just bespoke of the ability and learning of young Chitanya, but also of talent of the guru. Every week, a two hour ride brought this young girl from Kingston, RI to Framingham, MA to pursue this art. We were told that for 2 months leading up to the recital, Chitanya lived with the Moorthy family. I cannot imagine the level of stress the parents of this soon to be college freshman felt. I myself am quite neurotic each time my 15 year old leaves home for week-long trips and camps. Here is a young girl who will go away to college in a few days and she is already living far from you, especially at a time when she is preparing for this challenging recital. Hats off to Savita and Gopu for enabling this gurukulam type of learning and nurturing their daughter to not just respect but embrace these great values. And I can’t think of any one better to guide this young girl other than this amazing second generation American-Indian. Priya herself learnt Bharatanatyam in the US under Smt. Revathi Kumar of Ellicott City, MD. Priya has also started a branch of Smt. Kumar’s dance school in Framingham. She now runs Abhinaya Natya Sala in Framingham. Both her dance guru and her Nattuvangam guru were in attendance as the chief guests of the day, showing their support for both Priya as well as Chitanya.

In every Arangetram I find that there is one aspect of the presentation that stands out and shines. In Chitanya’s dance, her passion oozed and permeated through to the audience. It is such a joy to see a young dancer, not just show the skill and learning, but also the level of enjoyment that touches each person who observes the dance. I see many great things in store for Chitanya in the years to come, and not just in the field of Bharatanatyam. Chitanya is an active member of her schools dramatic arts program and proficient in other dance forms including tap.  She will be joining Boston University this fall in the undergraduate program and hopes to minor in dance! I am sure her dedication and discipline will help her get ahead in anything she chooses to pursue.

Congratulations Priya, for an excellent debut. Chitanya sets the perfect mark for your school and serves as an inspiration for the many students to come. And congratulations Chitanya! The New England Rasikas hope to see you a lot more on stage for a long time to come!

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