Telugu Culture

Reflections on my Arangetram

Anusha Kambhampaty

Article Courtesy: Telugu Literary and Cultural Association

Expressing oneself through art is a timeless practice that will undoubtedly continue forever. Although various forms of art exist, dance is perhaps more suited for this purpose, for after all, it is about portraying inner emotions through the vehicle of a body. Yet, by simply stating "dance," we cannot clearly understand what is meant, considering there are countless styles of dance which have emerged over history. Each style had its own distinct meaning and purpose and is a trademark for the native region it came from. One of the most beautiful, subtle, sophisticated and graceful of these dance forms is Bharatanatyam, hailing from India and dating back to the second century A.D. 

However, properly mastering this Indian classical dance style, as with any art form, is no simple task. Speaking from personal experience, it requires hard work, dedication and determination. Grasping the delicate nuances of Bharatanatyam requires years of training and practice. After the disciple has gained a strong foundation in the art form, the Guru (teacher) and student decide whether he/she is ready for an Arangetram. Arangetram literally means "ascending the stage," marking the completion of the initial dance training for a dancer, enabling them to grace the stage with solo performances. From personal, first hand experience, an Arangetram requires years of commitment and rigorous training, for it is the first major performance for the budding dancer, displaying all the great skill and dexterity required in full. 

In my opinion, the purpose of an Arangetram is not only to showcase talent and hard work, but also to gain an understanding and appreciation of Bharatanatyam and Indian culture and traditions. To me, Arangetram was a personal accomplishment, teaching me more about myself and my background in a way, which can only be experienced, not learned from a book or told by others. 

I am certainly proud of my performance and all the effort that was put into the actual dance; However what I am more proud of is a bit more symbolic. The fact that I have acquired so much knowledge from dancing gives me a great deal of satisfaction. What makes me even more content is how I, in spite of being a relatively reserved person, was able to come out of my shell and fully express myself. For that is, after all, the true purpose of Art. I was extremely fortunate to have a Guru who cared enough to painstakingly explain the meaning and story behind each piece I was performing, in order to ensure that I understood everything. This way, body and facial expressions genuinely depict the stories of each item and the true meaning of the dance is illustrated to the world. If the underlying meaning is not comprehended, aesthetically the dance will not appear "whole-hearted" and will lack a sense of devotion; internally the dancer cannot feel a special bond with the art and would gain nothing out of the whole experience. But with all that I learned, I was able to form the bond and become truly immersed into each of my Arangetram items. 

In my Arangetram, the first item I performed after a preliminary prayer was Pushpanjali. This invocatory item was in praise of Lord Ganesha, whom Hindus believe to be the remover of obstacles, protector of the good and the destroyer of evil.

Next was Natanam Adinaar, a beautiful piece about Lord Shiva, the Lord of dance. "When he danced with his locks flying and his snake ornaments raising their heads, at Kalidas and in Chidambaram, the eight directions whirled, the cosmos shook and the Ganga on his head split over." This item had such a powerful meaning and was filled with emotionally stirring content, making it an exhilarating experience for me.

The next item was Shabdam, a light-hearted piece first presenting Lord Krishna as a naughty and clever child, then as a young adult and finally Lord Padmanabha himself as the protector of people. For this dance, the stories of young Krishna's mischievous acts had to be explained to me in great detail, so when they were being performed, expressions could be authentically executed and justice can be done to the art form. 

Varnam came next. It was a test of not only stamina, but of my understanding of the whole concept of Bharatanatyam, since it coalesces all the three components of dance; Nritta (pure dance), Nritya (body movements with facial expressions) and Natya (combination of both dancing and acting). The varnam I performed was "Jagadananda Karaka Jaya Janaki Prana Nayaka…" Meaning, "Bestower of happiness to the World (Rama), Sita's Husband, Victory to you!" Many people have asked me how I remembered all the hand gestures and stories of each of the dance sequences in this item, and truthfully, I myself am pretty surprised at how I remembered everything as well. But the answer is my relatively thorough understanding of the meaning behind the song, so all the hand movements pieced together to form one story (describing Rama's magnificence) and simply flowed collectively.

After Varnam, the subsequent dance was Lalitha Sahasranamam and Mahisharusa Mardini, describing the different moods of the Goddess Devi; Lalitha as the embodiment of peace, love and beauty and the enraged Durga, killing the demon Mahishasura, and establishing Dharma (righteousness). This dance was particularly special to me because of how brilliantly Goddess Devi is being portrayed. It is such a glorious piece that one cannot help but become wrapped up in its entire splendor; and when it's meaning is followed, it makes a greater, deeper impression on us.

The next item I performed was Maanasa Sancharare, a rather light, but nonetheless charming composition describing Krishna's radiance. For this piece, I had to concentrate on illustrating true devotion for that is how Krishna's devotees feel about him. 

Next came the "folksy" dance of Brahmam Okate, which describes how all beings in creation are one because the indwelling spirit and the supreme spirit in every creature is one in the same. This is such a powerful message that should be utilized today with all that is going on in the world. Perhaps then, people could be more tolerant and accepting of others, making the world a much better place. 

The final piece of my Arangetram was Thillana which was in praise of Goddess Kamakshi residing in Kanchi, followed by the concluding Mangalam.

I have just described in detail all the items I performed for my Arangetram in order to explain how essential it is for artists to fully understand what they are doing and all the background information that goes into it in order to express feelings genuinely. I am extremely proud that I was able to do so, even while living in America and being all "westernized." I feel I have broken out of the stereotype branded on Indian-American teenagers today and proved to myself that I am a determined, hard working and respectful person. 

By doing an Arangetram I have learned so much and am extremely grateful for that. I hope I have inspired more young children to begin learning this divine art form, or any art form for that matter, for it imprints such great values and ideals in young minds. They will learn about culture, determination and how to be an all together better person. They can express themselves without a sense of falseness or fakeness hanging over and be able to carry on the true meaning and tradition of art for eternity. 

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