From Shakti to sakhi

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Swati Biswas

Swati Biswas demonstrated her versatility at a performance in New Delhi.

Whether you are a doctor, an engineer, or even an astrophysicist; the beauty and charm of Indian classical dance, especially Bharatanatyam calls one and all. Giving in to a similar calling, one saw Swati Biswas, who is a chartered accountant by day and a danseuse by night, dancing to the enamouring choreographies of her Guru Jayalaksmi Eshwarji at the Stein Auditorium recently.

Swati began her recital with a traditional Pushpanjali which was followed by Devi Mangalam. This was a beautiful composition in praise of Goddess Saraswati – the provider of knowledge and destroyer of darkness, Goddess Lakshmi – the provider of wealth and prosperity, Goddess Durga – the provider of Shakti and Goddess Kali who blesses everyone as Bhagwati. It was choreographed by her Guru Jayalakshmi Eshwar.

The next choreography for the evening was Shankara Shri Giri, a traditional piece in ode of Lord Shiva. Swathi Thirunal’s Shankara Shri Giri depicted the legend of Nataraja dancing at Chidambaram, where all celestial Gods were mesmerised to watch his dancing form.

The lyrics also narrated the episode of Kama deva striking the flower arrow onto the meditating Shiva in order to instil love for Parvati. Disturbed and awakened from his meditation, Shiva spots Kama deva. Angered, he opens his third eye and burns him to ashes.

The dancer chose to perform Surdas’s “Mohe Chhuo Nahi” in Brij Bhasha as her next presentation. This choreography was quite akin to the traditional ashtapadis of Yahi Madhava and Priye Charushile, where Radha as a khandita nayika is broken to find Krishna dallying with another Sakhi but at the end Krishna is able to coax Radha by playing his melodious flute and wins her heart back. The choreography was set to Raga Malika and was again a choreography of the dancer’s guru.

Swati concluded the evening with a Thillana set to Raga Vasantha. This Thillana was in praise of Lord Hanuman, referred to as ‘Pawan Putra Aanjaneya’ and as ‘Rama Bhakta Hanuman’ in the choreography.

One found that the entire presentation on the whole was neat and Swati’s will to dance with her daunting careers as a mother and as a CA, is to be taken as an inspiration for budding dancers.