Of lineage and legacy

A recent Bharatanatyam recital by senior artist Manjari Rajendrakumar, daughter of the legendary Bharatanatyam artist, choreographer, musician, and teacher C.V. Chandrasekar, was all about distilled experience - where every movement felt inevitable, lived in and deeply meaningful.

Imagine an evening where the highlight is not on speed, athleticism, or body centric movements, but on presence. There was no hurry. The aramandi was steady, the geometry precise, but softened by age into something more inward.

The programme held at Sahrdaya Creative spaces, lent an aura of calmness and intimacy, and you were immediately drawn into a world that the dancer and musicians were creating in real time.

The programme that lasted just an hour and 15 minutes, began with the Tanjore Quartet Swarajati in Yadukulakambhoji and Rupaka tala. The jatis and nritta patterns had been choreographed by C.V. Chandrasekar, and the abhinaya for the sahithya was by Manjari.  What shone was not just the sensitivity of the artist but also the deep adherence to CVC’s approach - subtle inward abhinaya, musical immersion and adavus with precision of line and geometry. The piece showcased Manjari’s seniority where the abhinaya was layered and unhurried. Love, no longer about just longing - it carries memories, irony and surrender. 

Manjari then presented an ashtapadi - Kshnamadhuna, set to music by C.V. Chandrasekhar in the raga Reetigaula and Misra chapu tala.

Manjari spoke of how this was her father’s favorite raga and that he would be singing it or humming it very often. You were absorbed into the artist’s inner world, as she became Krishna, gently coaxing and questioning Radha. The dancer did not just “show” emotion; she became it.

The final piece of the evening were excerpts from a delightful poem from the realm of Tamil Sufism - Manonmaniyin kanavu by Gunangudi Mastaan Saheb. Again, set to music by C.V. Chandrasekar, in Ragamalika and Adi tala, it was a brilliant example of how important music is to dance. CVC always emphasized this to his students and his choreography was always so tightly bound to music. He would say that a dancer needed strong training in rhythm and music - not just movement.

Manjari traversed each raga with varied emotions, combining wit, humor, disappointment and resignation all with ease.

For a senior dancer to create an unforgettable experience, her accompanying artists play a very vital role in the process. The team included - Sheejith Krishna on nattuvangam, who not just maintained a cohesive interaction, but almost a conversation between the dancer and rhythm.  Aditya Madhavan provided melodius vocal music and Rijesh Gopalakrishnan on violin gave continuity to the music, and his transitions and pauses allowed the dancer to maintain the emotional flow of each piece. 

Manjari’s programme clearly carried the message that lineage or parampara is what connects present practitioners to past masters. Lineage ensures that this subtle, lived knowledge isn't diluted or lost, but in fact preserving lineage keeps identities intact rather than blending everything into a generic form.

By,

Gayatri Srikanth