Young Bharatanatyam artist Manas Shriram impresses with his honest approach

Manas Shriram. , Photo Credit: SR Raghunathan

Manas Shri Ram, a disciple of Mahalakshmi Ashwin, began his recurrence in the Pongal Dance Festival 2025 with Invocator Hyiman from Thirumanthiram, ‘Atu Karthani’, in praise of Ganesh. She then went into Tisra Nadai etc. Tala in a Ganesh Alaripu, which shows the essence of the rhythmic foundation of Bharatanatyam. His movements were crisp and sharp. Subsequently, he demonstrated a Jattiswaram in Raga Rasikapriya and Adi Tala.

For the Vernam, Manas chose ‘Swamyas Azhithu Wadi’ by Tajavur Chaudi in Raga Khamas. In Pallavi, the heroine takes her friend to see the procession of Sundareshwar during Chithirai Vija. Mansa captured the expectation of proceeding through the heroine’s procession, even Sakhi questioned her whether the procession was one of the Jehovah Panch meetings in the procession. Sancheri depicted the heroine’s longing and devotion. Mansa chose a visual expansion of Durga’s Dasha Mahavidya, a unique Kirthanai. In ‘Sri Jagadiswari’, the dancer, composed by Lalguri Jayaraman in Raga Akir Bhairav, performed terrible emotions, and infection for peace with intense passion was comfortable. The red-and-orange-head lighting increased the appeal for the performance.

Mansa concluded her repetition with a Mangalam ‘Gangai’. In the orchestra, Mahalakshmi Ashwin on Nattuvangam, Nagai P Sriram (who also composed the battle) painted on Mridangam, on the vocals on Srikanth Gopalakrishnan, Anant Krishnan on Violin and Srithi Sagar on Flute.