4. Odissi

Sundarkand (Rescuing of Sita)

After a brief summary of the story, Hanuman

arrives in Lanka to rescue Sita. He locates Sita in a

grove, and observes how Ravana woos Sita to marry

him. Sita is in constant prayer for Rama to rescue her.

Hanuman drops Rama's signet ring and reveals his

identity as Ram's messenger. Sita is rejoiced! Hanuman then burns

down Lanka. Taking Sita’s ornament as proof, Hanuman returns to

Rama. Hanuman’s soldiers make a bridge over the ocean to reach Lanka.

Rama and Ravana enter a fierce battle. Ravana perishes. Good presides

over evil as stated in the Gita sloka, “Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya.”

From “Sundarkand,” the fifth chapter of Tulsidas's Ramcharitmanas.

Choreographed by Mala Desai & Juhi Pant based in Mayadhar Raut Odissi

dance technique. Dancers: Mala Desai • Juhi Pant • Shivani Sharma •

Tarini Karwal • Stephanie Lalitha Cosme • Nisha Patel • Naome Sajnani •

Saumya Valasareddy • Ayesha Patel. Presented by Odra Disha

Collaborations at Pragati with students from Mala’s School of Odissi

Dance and Juhi Pant. Tel: (516) 773-2894, Email: malaodissi@gmail.com,

Web: https://sites.google.com/site/malasodissi/

5. Kuchipudi & Bharatha Natyam

• “Sri Ramachandra Kripalu” (Kuchipudi): This is a popular Tusidas

bhajan in praise of Lord Rama. Raga: Maand, Tala: Misra Chapu.

Dancers: Sahityasri Thapi • Sreshta Paranji • Sadhana Paranji

• Ramayana Sabdam (Kuchipudi): Raga: Mohana, Tala: Adi. Dancers:

Sreshta Paranji • Shreya Kalva • Sahitysri Thapi • Vianna Sinnan

• Mangalam (Bharatha Natyam): Ragam: Madhyamavathi, Talam Adi.

Special Thanks To

Prema & Mohan Aier • Ranjana & Chitti Moorthy • Priya & C.S.

Venkatakrishnan • Vardhini & Anantha Desikan • Surekha & Shiva

Keerthy • Malini Sridevan & Sridevan Krishnaswamy • Kamini &

Bhadresh Acharya • Suguna Arunachalam & Arunachalam Reddy •

Pallavi Moorthy • Jayashree Pradeep, Hair & Makeup • Uma Dandapani,

MC • Sreenadh Jonnavithula, Audio • Shruti Laya • Sarigama

International, Video • India Center of Westchester • Sulekha.com •

Prakash Swamy, The Indian Express • P.S. 115 • Dosa Hutt, Flushing, NY.

Sri Bharatha Kamalalaya, Inc. (non-profit)

Dance School of Padmabhushan Kamala Lakshmi Narayanan

proudly presents

Jaya Jaya Sree Rama!

A presentation of the Indian epic Ramayana in Bharathanatyam,

Kathak, Kuchipudi and Odissi dance styles.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

3:30pm

P.S. 115 Auditorium, Floral Park, NY 11004

1. Bharatha Natyam

• Thodaya Mangalam (invocation)

• “Jaya Jaya Rama” (Ragam: Behag, Talam: Adi)

• Dance by Guru Kamala Lakshmi Narayanan

• Pushpanjali (Ragam: Vijaya Vasantam, Talam: Adi)

• Ramayana (From its Beginning through Exile in

Forest):

Young Rama and Lakshmana accompany Sage Viswamitra into

the forest where they fight the demons who have been harassing the

sages. Ahalya, the wife of a sage who was cursed to become a stone,

regains her human form after she is brushed by Rama’s foot. Sita sees

Rama for the first time from her balcony. At Sita’s swayamvara,

Ravana tries to lift Lord Shiva’s mighty bow, but fails. Rama lifts

Shiva’s bow, strings and breaks it. Rama and Sita are married. After

the marriage, Parasurama challenges Rama to string Vishnu’s bow. In

Ayodhya, plans are underway for the coronation of Rama. Servant

Mandara poisons the mind of Queen Kaikeyi. She insists that King

Dasaratha banish Rama to the forest and crown her son, Bharatha, as

king. King Dasaratha swoons in shock. Lakshmana is outraged. Sita

insists that she accompanies Rama to the forest. Together, Rama,

Sita and Lakshmana leave for the forest. The people of Ayodhya

express their dismay at Rama’s departure.

• Thillana (Ragam: Palini, Talam: Adi)

Dancers: Guru Kamala Lakshmi Narayanan • Pooja Aier • Rubica Aier •

Pallavi Moorthy • Shreya Desikan • Komal Keerthy • Ambika

Venkatakrishnan • Poorni Arunachalam • Sruthi Sridevan • Rucha

Acharya

Orchestra: T.V. Krishna, Nattuvangam • Kamini Dandapani, Vocal •

Sandhya Manjunatha, Vocal • Murali Balachandran, Mridangam •

Sandhya Anand, Violin

Choreographed by Padmabhushan Kamala Lakshmi Narayanan, Artistic

Director of Sri Bharatha Kamalalaya, 41 Pentmoor Drive, Mastic, NY,

11950, Web: www.sribharatakamalalaya.org, Email:

kamala.natyam@gmail.com, Phone: 631-281-2654.

••• Intermission •••

2. Kathak

Maricha Vadham (Golden Deer)

Exiled in the forest, Sita sees a golden deer. She

asks Rama to catch the deer for her. The deer is

actually Maricha, a rakshasa in disguise, who strives

to help Ravana to kidnap Sita. While chasing the

deer, Rama concludes from its behavior that it is

unnatural and evil and kills it. In its death, the deer cries out to Sita and

Lakshmana for help, mimicking Rama's voice. Sita asks Lakshmana to

go on a search for Rama. When Lakshmana reluctantly leaves to look for

Rama, Ravana succeeds in kidnapping Sita.

Performed by Sowmya Viswanath. Choreographed by Janaki Patrik,

Artistic Director of The Kathak Ensemble & Friends, New York, NY, Web:

www.kathakensemble.com, Email: janakipatrik@aol.com. From the

Ramayana of Valmiki. Sanskrit slokas chanted by Dr. P. Jayaraman, Music

composed by Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia.

3. Kuchipudi

Shabari Pratiksha (The Long Wait of Sage Shabari)

In the forest, Shabari, an elderly female sage, keeps fruits ready for

Rama. In spite of being born into a low caste, she receives a boon that

she would attain moksha (salvation) when Lord Rama takes food from

her hand. She does not know when the Lord will visit, but has been

patiently setting aside the choicest of fruits for the Lord for many years.

She would bite the fruits first to see if they were sweet or sour. She

wanted to give only the sweet ones to the Lord. One day, Rama and

Lakshmana come to her hermitage on their quest for Sita. She serves

them fruits and water, washes their feet, and demonstrates the nine

methods of devotion. Rama blesses her and thus Shabari ascends to

Vaikuntha (heaven) with Rama as witness. Shabari is henceforth known

for being a symbol of patience and devotion.

Raga: Malika, Tala: Adi. Presented by

Sadhana Paranji, Artistic Director of

Sadhanalaya School of Dance, New York, Web:

www.sadhanalaya.com, Email:

sadhanaparanji@yahoo.com, Tel: 718.380.6287.