Sacred Steps: City Bharatanatyam Dancer Elevates Spirits in the Heart of Kashmir

In a rare cultural encounter, celebrated Bharatanatyam expert Dr. Nagalakshmi Nagarajan of Mysuru enthralled the Kashmiris with her emotive performance on the occasion of Adi Guru Shankaracharya Jayanti festivities on the historic Shankaracharya Hill in Srinagar.

 

The festival, held to celebrate the legacy of Adi Guru Shankaracharya at the very location where the great saint meditated, witnessed a meeting of spiritual passion and aesthetic perfection. Dr. Nagarajan's Bharatanatyam performance illustrated scenes from the life of Adi Guru Shankaracharya from the ancient text Srimad Shankara Digvijayah composed by Sage Sri Vidyaranya. Her rendition of 'Digvijay Chamatkarah' and 'Sri Sharada Pitharohanam' witnessed the audience applauding in appreciation, combining complex footwork, expressive abhinaya, and devotional narration.

 

The festivities started with a pre-dawn Rudrabhisheka by Bengaluru and Mysuru volunteers, followed by Vedic chanting for peace in Kashmir and long life to soldiers. The Jammu & Kashmir Police Band, dignitaries, and spiritual leaders attended the event, symbolizing the strength and unity of the region.

 

Dr. Nagarajan's performance not only exhibited the eternal loveliness of Bharatanatyam but also represented the confluence of cultures, taking the soul of Mysuru's traditional arts to the Kashmir Valley.

 

Source: Star of Mysore