CHICAGO: Anjali Varghese performed solo for three hours at her Arangetram on Saturday, August 1 at the Hemmens Cultural Center in Elgin.
A visual feast for the eyes, she kept the show engaging and mesmerized the audience with her dancing acumen. Her steps were performed well and her graceful and crisp adavus were in sync the rhythm. A variety of dance items were performed.
The program began with Namastubhyam Ganeshaya, was followed by Alaripu, Christu Shabdam, Varnam, Chandrachooda, Malayalam Devotional song and Thillana that ended on a light and enchanting note with Mangalam. It was quite a breeze for someone who started learning dance when she was 3.
In Christu Shabdam, the story of prostitute Mary Magdalene is shown where she almost falls in love with Jesus when she tries to pacify Jesus when his followers including Judas worry what will happen when they travel to Jerusalem and that Jesus’ following will be seen as a threat to the Roman Empire.
Judas is bothered that Jesus is associating with a woman of such a low profession but Jesus supports her and tells Judas that Mary Magdalene is with him and unless Judas is without sin he should not judge the character of others.
Of especial mention was the Varnam in which she portrayed Lord Rama lifting the heavy bow for Sita’s Swayamvara (wedding) and winning her hand for marriage. The Varnam started with the Sita Swayamvara and ended with the Sita Haran in which the demon God king Ravana kidnaps Sita, wife of Rama.
“Varnam is the longest and most challenging item from the dance aspect and abhinaya too,” Santosh Varghese, Anjali’s father and President of Kalapadma Dance Academy, said. It embodies Nritta (pure dance, Nritya (dance with hand gestures), and Natya (drama) of the highest order. She performed Varnam about the Nava Rasas (nine sentiments) through the life of Lord Rama. The Varnam lasted for more than 40 minutes. Anjali danced with extra energy till the end.
Varnam is the most elaborate item of the Arangetram.
Thillana was the scintillating final piece capturing sculptural poses, complicated steps and Tirmanams (rhythmic phrases) of the dancer. The accompanying artists included Natuuvangam by Guru Ruth Varghese, Vocal by Vasudha Balakrishna, Mridangam by S. V. Balakrishna, Flute by Raghunandan Ramakrishna, Rhythm Pad by Karthik Vydharti, and Drums by Alvin Varghese.Flutist Raghunandan Ramakrishna gave music for the Varnam. Santosh Varghese also compeered the show with Kelly Kurian and joked and quipped with the audience during the show.
Anjali, just 18, recently graduated from Maine East School and has been training under her mother for the past 15 years. She is the daughter of dancer Ruth Parijata Varghese, Artistic Director of Kalapadma Academy.
She currently helps her mother at many levels – teaching, choreography, performances, music selection, and editing. In 2009, she performed at the prestigious Bharat Bhavan at the Golden Jubilee celebration of Kalapadma. In 2011, she was invited to perform along with her mother at the prestigious Tagore auditorium Bhopal at the festival organized by the government of Madhya Pradesh in honor of Guru Shri Shankar Hombal, her grandfather.
In the future, Anjali plans to join Oakton Community College and take over dance as a career. She hopes to go to Bangalore next year for extra dance training in one of the dance schools.
HIMANI KUMAR
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