The Kalasagaram Annual Youth Festival of Dance recently featured an exhilarating Bharatanatyam solo recital by Sahana Umesh, student of senior Guru Dr. Rajeswari Sainath and also Vyshnavie Sainath.

She looked picturesque in scarlet and indigo aharya, which suited her. Sahana, who has trained under the precise guidance of her Gurus for almost two decades, has grasped the nuances of her art form to perfection. Deeply rooted in the classical tradition, her journey reflects a balance of rigorous training, artistic exploration, and teaching. Having performed her arangetram along with her sister in 2014, she has showcased Bharatanatyam through both solo and group performances in India and abroad. Working in Investment Banking as a career, Sahana captured the attention of the audience with her immaculate stage presence from the outset.

She started with a 'mallari' in praise of Lord Ganesha in gambhira nattai composed by Dr. Rajeswari. Her Guru's composition was enunciated with elan, demonstrating flexibility in the nritta aspect as Sahana went through complex stances fluidly with liquid ease. Angika abhinaya was her forte throughout, with an accuracy of laya inherent in her ability of mastering a keen sense of space and time. This was a special feature of Sruthilaya Kendra Natarajalaya to develop the student's adherence to working out rigorous tala patterns infused with mathematical subtlety by mridangam Vidwan Karaikudi Mani, a wizardly master of percussion. The crystal-clear recorded music had the mridangam beats by late Karra Srinivas, a special highlight as explained by Dr. Rajeswari.

The central majestic 'valaji varnam' dedicated to Goddess Kamakshi by Radhakrishnan was a blend of plangent nritta and exalted abhinaya.

Four magnificent stories of the Goddess were recited: She is Visalakshi of Kashi, responding to the heartfelt prayers of her devotees during severe droughts, quenching their thirst by blessing the land with munificent showers of rain, causing the sacred Ganga to overflow in cascading abundance. As Meenakshi of Madurai, she is a radiant warrior Queen, valiant and graceful, whose beauty and strength captivate Lord Shiva. Abhirami turns a new moon night into a luminous full moon night by tossing her brightly sparkling earring into the sky to protect the honour of a devoted follower, demonstrating her exceedingly benevolent concern.

Lastly, as Kali, she embodies fierceness and righteous anger, destroying evil and restoring cosmic balance, reminding that the Divine Mother is not only nurturing but also a powerful protector.

Sahana beautifully weaved together a series of cameos delineating devotion and mythology, capturing the many facets of the Goddess as a protector and nurturer, as well as being a formidable force. The jathis were delivered with a measured poise and control, which delighted the audience. Sundar's wistfully engaging composition 'Enna Daan Maayam' in suddha saranga changed the mood to a mellifluous, gentle evocation of Krishna's presence in Vrindavan, set by nuanced and subtly soft abhinaya. As the soothing melodies of his flute waft entrancingly through the air, all of nature seems to pause-not out of obedience, but by being completely undone by the ravishing of all the senses. The flying butterflies float in mid-air, the fluttering peacocks pause in their dance, and the deer are startled into halting their cavorting and bounding leaps. Every syllable of music and stanza of sahityam were conveyed with light and deft touches by the dancer, a skill obviously infused by her younger Guru Vyshnavie.