Apeksha Niranjan
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The well-known Sanskrit shloka ‘Yato hasto tato drishtih, Yato drishtih tato manah/ Yato manstato bhao, yato bhavo tatah rasah’ from the treatise Abhinaya Darpana means, ‘The place the arms go, the eyes ought to comply with, The place the eyes go, the thoughts ought to comply with, The place the thoughts goes, the emotion or rasa is generated.’

‘Nayanam’, the solo Bharatanatyam recital by Apeksha Niranjan offered on the Stein auditorium of the Habitat Centre in Delhi just lately, conveyed the essence of this shloka as she expressed numerous bhavas by means of her eyes.

A disciple of senior Bharatanatyam dancer and trainer Sucheta Chapekar and Alka Lajmi, Apeksha, who can also be a Marathi actor, is the founder-director of Nrityanjali Performing Arts. Her expressive face, seamless actions and  sculpturesque stances lent to the enchantment of her efficiency.

The fantastic thing about drishti bheda in Bharatanatyam
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Particular Association

The core of ‘Nayanam’, her theme-based recital, was that the whole Bharatanatyam margam is predicated on ‘nayan’ (eyes), proper from the opening Alarippu that invoked the trinayan Shambho (Shiva with three eyes), jagat janani Meenakshi (the goddess with fish-like eyes), and kamal nayan (one whose eyes are just like the lotus) Padmanabha. This was set to Misra Chapu tala and was choreographed by Apeksha herself.

‘Krishna Kauthuvam subsequent, primarily based on the Marathi music ‘Mi Krishna pahila’ was about the fantastic thing about Krishna and his pretty eyes admired by the gopis. This was choreographed by her guru Sucheta Chapekar. 

Apeksha reveals the way to convey feelings by means of the eyes
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Particular Association

‘Varnam’, the central piece of the recital, was primarily based right here on Soundarya Lahari ‘Shive shringara radhra ’, the place Apeksha emoted numerous feelings reflecting within the eyes of Parvati, just like the Shringar bhava when she appears to be like at Shiva, ‘Sarosha gangayah’ anger when she sees Ganga sitting in Shiva’s matted locks, concern when she is terrified of the snakes round Shiva’s neck and at last praying for Karuna or compassion within the eyes of Devi, who is sort of a mom, ‘Dehi mayi janani drishtih sakaruna’. Choreographed by Apeksha, it was composed by Smita Mahajan in raga Bihag with jatis by Venkatesha. The principle raga Bihag modified as a Ragamalika of various ragas corresponding to Malkauns, Kalawati and Hindol based on the altering feelings.

Erasing geographical and cultural borders, Apeksha, who earlier had integrated Gregorian chants (sung in Roman Catholic church buildings in Europe) into her Bharatnatyam recital, included Polish people music that night in her efficiency. The music from Lubiena was sung on a lilting rhythmic gait, just like Dadra taal of Hindustani music. Composed by Odmienciese Kapela group of Polish people musicians, the music was in regards to the ritual of stealing the bridegroom’s footwear prefer it occurs in North Indian weddings.

Eye make up is a crucial a part of a dance presentation
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Particular Association

This was adopted by a vatsalya padam the place Apeksha depicted the sentiments of a younger mom trying to find her baby whom she had scolded for his naughty behaviour. Composed by Smita Mahajan, it was choreographed by Alka Lajmi.

 The Surdas pad ‘Ankhiyaan hari darshan ki pyasi’ composed in raga Shiva-Ranjani was in regards to the inside eyes (antar chakshu) of the visually impaired poet, who continues to be capable of see his ishta dev, the lotus-eyed Krishna. Apeksha concluded with a tillana in raga Yaman, the place the dancer’s eyes mirrored the mudit (comfortable), chakit (amazed) nayan of Devi, asking the goddess to bestow her kripa drishti on the dancer and the viewers!