I recently attended my relative Vaishnavi’s Bharatanatyam Arangetram in Houston, Texas. Even though it was held abroad, the evening felt like a deep connection to the roots of our rich Indian tradition, with Vaishnavi beautifully carrying forward this great legacy. Vaishnavi has been learning Bharatanatyam for many years under her teacher, Smt. Indrani Parthasarathy. The Arangetram is a dancer’s first solo performance, showing how much they have learned and practiced.
The event started with a prayer offering flowers to Lord Nataraja, the Guru, musicians, and the audience. Then, Vaishnavi performed a dance honoring Goddess Saraswathi, representing knowledge, music, art, and wisdom. Her movements were graceful and precise.
One of the best parts was the Varnam, where Vaishnavi showed her skills in expressing emotions and telling stories through dance. She portrayed nine different emotions, which was very impressive. Another great dance was about Lord Krishna and his time in Vrindavan. Vaishnavi brought the stories of Krishna to life with her lively expressions and movements.
She also performed dances depicting Lord Shiva’s cosmic dance, the Shiva Tandava Stotram, and a prayer to Mother Sita. The evening finished with a lively Thillana in Adi Thalam, honoring Lord Nataraja with detailed footwork and rhythmic moves.
Throughout the evening, it was clear that Vaishnavi is not just a dancer but also someone keeping Indian culture alive. Her Arangetram showed that Bharatanatyam is still beautiful and meaningful today, even when performed in a different country. Watching Vaishnavi dance made me feel proud and happy, knowing that talented young people like her carry our cultural traditions forward.
Read more about Bharatanatyam at: https://www.forbes5.pitt.edu/article/effect-indian-social-structure-perception-and-development-bharatanatyam.