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100 dancers remember M S Subbulakshmi

Last updated on: September 23, 2016 14:52 IST

It was a tribute with a difference.

A hundred dancers from the Sri Raja Rajeswari Bharatha Natya Kala Mandir, led by Priti Warrier, Gowri Rao Mehta and Dr Padmaja Suresh, performed the Isai Vani Natyanjali.

The performances, in the classical Thanjavur-style Bharata Natyam dance style, was a tribute to the legendary vocalist M S Subbulakshmi and set to her vocals.

The celebration, choreographed by Guru K Kalyanasundaram, was a befitting homage to the much-loved Subbulakshmi.

Rediff.com's Hitesh Harisinghani brings you glimpses from the event:

 

Dancers pay tribute to M S Subbulakshmi

The tribute begins with the Mahaganesha Panchratnam, performed by Pavitra Vishwanath, Gayatri S and Radhika.

 

Dancers pay tribute to M S Subbulakshmi

The Meera bhajan, performed by Sivakami Shivakumar.

 

Dancers pay tribute to M S Subbulakshmi

Above and below: Gowri Rao Mehta dances to the abhang.

 

Dancers pay tribute to M S Subbulakshmi

Abhangs are devotional poetry sung in praise of Lord Vitthala (also known as Vithoba, Panduranga, Pandarinath). Vitthala is considered an avatar of Lord Vishnu and is always depicted as standing with his arms akimbo.

 

Dancers pay tribute to M S Subbulakshmi

Above and below: Krishna Pranita performs on Thyagaraja Pancharatnam Kriti.

 

Dancers pay tribute to M S Subbulakshmi

The poet-saint Thygaraja's Pancharatna kritis are considered some of the finest compositions in Carnatic music. They are written in praise of Lord Ram.

 

Dancers pay tribute to M S Subbulakshmi

Amee Trivedi Vora performs on a bhajan by poet-saint Narsing Mehta. One of his most famous bhajans is Vaishav Jan, one of Mahatma Gandhi's favourite bhajans.

 

Dancers pay tribute to M S Subbulakshmi

 

Dancers pay tribute to M S Subbulakshmi

 

Dancers pay tribute to M S Subbulakshmi 

Sruthi and Kanakavalli perform to the Ananda Nadamaduvar Thillai.

 

Dancers pay tribute to M S Subbulakshmi

Priti Warrier performs to the Malayalam devotional song, Kandu, Kandu.

 

Dancers pay tribute to M S Subbulakshmi

Sruthi, Nithya and Sivakami perform to Bengali poet Kamalakanta Bhattacharya's poem.

 

Dancers pay tribute to M S Subbulakshmi

Above and below: Dr Padma Suresh performs to the Jagadhodharana in Kannada.

 

Dancers pay tribute to M S Subbulakshmi

 

Dancers pay tribute to M S Subbulakshmi 

Subhashini Visveswaran also performs to the Kannada bhajan, Jagadhodharana.

Dancers pay tribute to M S Subbulakshmi

Sangeeta Raghavan performs to the Gurbani.

Dancers pay tribute to M S Subbulakshmi

Sivakami, Laxmi, Sruthi, Kanakavalli and Meghana mesmerise with their abhinayas, set to Mysore Vasudevachar's composition. Vasudevachar belonged to the direct line of Thygaraja's disciples.

 

Dancers pay tribute to M S Subbulakshmi

Above and below: Sruthi Natanakumar performs to the Sri Ranga Gadhyam, a Sanskrit prayer written by Swami Ramanuja.

 

Dancers pay tribute to M S Subbulakshmi

 

Dancers pay tribute to M S Subbulakshmi

Meghana and Tanya Bhavdekar perform the Maithrim Bhajatha, a bhajan composed by the Paramacharaya of Kanchi, Chandrashekarendra Saraswati.

 

Musicians at the M S Subbulakshmi event

 The musicians...

 

Backstage at the M S Subbulakshmi event

Backstage, a while earlier... the dancers get ready before a performance.

 

Backstage at the M S Subbulakshmi event

 Selfie-time :)

 

Backstage at the M S Subbulakshmi event

There's even time for a quick, animated chat on the phone.

 

The entrance to the M S Subbulakshmi event

A beautiful bust of M S Subbulakshmi welcomes the audience.

Hitesh Harisinghani