Tejas Dance Presents
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Tejas Dance
Tejas Dance was founded by Bhuvana Venkatraman in 2014 as a platform to enrich and popularize Bharatanatyam, and identify and encourage talent in the field. We strongly believe in the ever-expanding potential of all art forms, Bharatanatyam in particular. Our mission is to blend the great art with changing times and concepts, and also gain acceptance in different cultural milieus. We want to continue our efforts to bring in more cultural diversity in the mainstream dance scene. We don’t shy away from tough conversations. We want to create more works on matters that each one of us, deep down inside, is trying to find expression. We have created and presented several full-length productions in the Dallas area and are humbled by the excellent reviews and feedback. We enjoy collaborating with artists and choreographers of different art forms. We conduct master classes and engage in several outreach and cultural exchange programs that help increase the understanding and appreciation for our art and culture.
Artistic Directors
Bhuvana Venkatraman and Chintan Patel are both enthusiastic dancers/ choreographers, strongly rooted in tradition, and striving to give new meaning to Bharatanatyam techniques and themes. The duo brings a great deal of innovation, creativity and enthusiasm through dynamic movements and expressions innate to this art form. Backed with strong training in the art form, they are well equipped and excited to popularize this dance form by offering traditional Bharatanatyam performances that audience across cultures can enjoy, relate to and appreciate.
mahAmAyA
Cast: Bhuvana Venkatraman and Chintan Patel
Concept by Bhuvana Venkatraman
Choreography: Bhuvana Venkatraman and Chintan Patel
Music Courtesy: Tejas Dance
Special thanks to Athma Foundation, Pradharshana.
mahAmAyA is a thematic dance production in the Indian classical dance form, Bharatanatyam. This is our humble journey exploring this perplexing, unfathomable enigma that is mahAmAyA through Indian literature, yogic principles and music.
The dance form we are presenting, Bharatanatyam, has flourished in the temples of southern India since ancient times.
According to the treatise Natya Sastra from 2 BCE, a repertoire of Bharatanatyam consists of three attributes:
• Nritta - Pure movement with emphasis in beauty of motion, form, speed, range and pattern
• Nritya - expressive aspect of the dance to communicate feelings, emotions, stories involving sophisticated usage of hand gestures and subtle nuances of expressions
• Natya - theater or a play, that can be acted out by a solo performer where the dancer uses certain standardized body movements to indicate a new character in the underlying story
Ya Devi
The eternal divine functions of creation, sustenance, and absorption (Srishti, Sthithi & Laya) are all parts of the universal evolution.
• Srushti ( ஆக்கல் ) means Manifestation of prapancha and all living beings.
• Sthithi ( காத்தல் ) means Sustenance or Preservation of all, by her boundless grace.
• Laya ( அழித்தல் ) means Absorption, which includes destruction of the evil and salvation (Moksha).
The lyric for this dance is a compilation of select lines from Aparajita Stuti from Devi Mahatmyam and the Bhagavati Stotram by Sri Veda Vyasa.
‘Ya Devi’ in Raga Varnaroopini Talam Adi
Devi Beejakshari
Raagamaalika | Taalamaalika
The word beej means seed. Just as a seed subtly contains the whole tree within it, there is a single syllable or akshara (letter) for each deity to mediate on, which is considered beejAkshara. These mantras are considered the sound-forms of the respective deity.
This particular piece mediates upon the Mother Goddess using the BeejAkshara mantra followed by a verse from Sri Raja Rajeshwari Ashtakam. This Devi Beejakshari is set to rhythmic musical notes and mathematic rhythmic patterns.
Varnam – Amma Ananda Dayini
A varnam in a Bharatanatyam repertoire is a captivating, multifaceted composition that embodies the essence of Bharatanatyam. It seamlessly integrates the technical dance elements with expressive storytelling.
The triple principle of Omkara that is Nadha, Bindu, and Kala which permeate the entire universe, are all forms of Maya. Aum (Pranavam) is the conglomerate sound of the creative, preservative, and dissolving vibrations of Nature, represented by its letters a (akara), u (ukara), m (makara).
The story of Sri Adi Shankaracharya & 18 Shakti Peethams
She is the compassionate personification of non pareil beauty, grace and elegance. She bestows Eternal bliss, Ananda.
The great Indian Poet & Philosopher, Sri Adi Shankaracharya in the 9th slokha of Soundarya Lahari talks about how to propitiate ambaal through the Kundalini Yoga and mantra yoga. Ananda is the state of achieving the bliss of Advaita, by moving the Kundalini shakti through the six chakras - in the form of the five elemental principles (earth, water, fire, air, and space), and the sixth mind principle. In the sahasrAra (thousand-petalled) chakra, Devi is seated blessing the sadhaka with advaita siddhi.
Adi Shankaracharya then sets off to establish various Shakti PeethasBadrikashram Jyotirpeeth in the north, Dwarka’s Shardha Peeth in the west, Govardhan Peetha in Puri in the east, Sringeri Sharada Peetham in Chikkamagalur district, Karnataka, and Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham in Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu. There are innumerable Sakhti Peetams all over the world. Sri Adi Shankara charya specifically highlights 18 of them in his Ashtadasa Shakti Peeta stotram.
The story of Abirami Bhattar
Not very long ago, there lived a Brahmin named Subramanyam Iyer in a small town called Thirukadaiyur in Tamil Nadu. His town had a famous Shiva temple where the presiding deity was Lord Amrithaghateswar and his consort, Goddess Abhirami (an avatar of Parvati).
Subramanyam was a regular visitor to the temple. He was deeply devoted to Goddess Abhirami.
On one new moon day, the local king, Sarfoji, came to the temple for a darshan. At the sanctum sanctorum of the goddess, he found Subramanyam deep in meditation. The king decided to run a test of his own on the man sitting before him. He nudged the meditating Subramanyam and asked him if he knew what day of the lunar month (thithi) it was. Everyone knew it was the new moon day, when the night sky would be moon-less and dark, but Subramanyam, whose eyes were fixed on the face of the goddess who looked to him like a thousand moons aglow at one time, blurted out that it was a full moon day.
Incensed by the wrong answer, the king ordered that Subramanyam be punished by being purged into the fireplace at dusk if the moon did not rise, as he had predicted. Goddess Abhirami appeared before him, removed her earring (jhumka) and threw it at the sky where it shone like the silvery moon. Subramanyam’s words had indeed come true! There was now a round silvery moon that shone like a brilliant jewel, turning an otherwise dark night sky into a brightly lit celestial canvas. The king’s pride took a fall, then he sought forgiveness from Subramanyam and set him free.
From that day on, Subramanyam came to be known as Abhirami Bhattar. The hymns called Abhirami Andhadhi, a unique piece of devotional poetry, is read and rendered by millions of Tamils even today. It is believed that rendering these hymns on full moon and new moon days can make the most impossible of a devotee’s dreams come true.
The story of Durga Devi
Durga Devi, the invincible warrior Goddess, is one of the fierce manifestations of Devi Adi Shakti. Durga Saptashati or Devi Mahatmyam, is a text in Sanskrit consisting of 700 slokhas describing the victorious stories of Durga matha in battle. As with all stories of Puranas, these are highly symbolic depictions, with each demon representing various qualities within us:
• Madhu – Sweetness or addiction
• Kaithaba – Bitterness or aversion
• Mahishasura – Stubbornness
• Dhumralochana – Unclear or distorted perception
• Shumbha – Self conceit
• Nishumbha – Self-pity
• Chanda – Anger
• Munda – Senselessness
• Raktabheeja – Unquenchable desire
In yoga, it is believed that the fight of the Goddess is actually the battle of the mind. Demons represent hurtful thoughts and feelings, such as greed, anger, bitterness, selfishness and so on. When in need, she presents
herself in the form of the fiercest protector, mounted on a lion, armed with Shula, Chakra, Shankha, Shakti, Chapa, Bana, Vajra, Ghanta, Danda, Pasha, Khadga, and Parashu ever ready to protect.
Varnam is composed by Dr. Balamuralikrishna in Gambeera nattai, and talam Adi are rendered in Ragamalika, with excerpts from Ashtadasa sakti peeta stotram and Mahishasura mardhini stotram written by Sri Adi Shankaracharya and Abirami andadi by Abhirami Bhattar.
Thillana – Shivaranjani
“Can you show me the Sakthi you have been worshipping all along?” , asked someone in a sarcastic tone to the famous Tamil poet Mahakavi Bharati. He probably was so naïve that he thought the poet would point to the picture of Kali, the one with four hands and a vanquished demon under her feet.
Mahakavi was a mystic. Sakthi to him was not a person, but a presence. Sakthi was not a symbol, but a state. He roared back in response “Thubam illada nilaiye Shakti…”
Sakthi is a griefless state, sleepless alert
A state of flowering love and of flourishing strength
It’s the flame in the mind! And the celebration
It’s the work at hand, and also the liberation!
It’s the courage that dispels all laziness
The light that dwells in the spoken word
The sweetness of the fruit!
And the thought that dwells in God
It’s the army that kills the snake!
It is the joy of singing!
It is the flame of love that adorns
The ash-laden Shiva, who lives in the hills!
It’s the life-enhancing wisdom
And the strength that defends our borders
It’s the dance that forever keeps us up
The penance that blasts our worries
To smithereens!
It’s grit that prevents our fall
The infinity that measures up
The vast expanse of the sky
It’s that state of exaltation
That keeps the fate at bay
And the light that forever adorns the mind!
Presenting Durga Saptasloki in Ragamalika followed by Thillana in ragam Sivaranjani Kanda eka talam
THANK YOU!
We are very humbled and thankful for the opportunity to present our art form in the heart of Dallas at such an amazing venue. We thank the AT&T Performing Arts Center for its support through the Elevator Project. We thank the staff of the AT&T Performing Arts Center for their support, Vignesh Babaiah for Stage management, Brent Scoggins for lights, Amitava Sarkar for Photography, Pasupathi Madheswaran and Michael Garcia for video coverage, Priyanka Narwaria, Karishma Himatsinghani, and the Saree Strong team!
Our special thanks to the Indian Cultural Heritage Foundation, FunAsia Network, Radio Karishma and Pia Beauty Squad.
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