Dancers Diaries

Bengaluru Habba - 2012 Part 02

2012-02-04T08:21:00.001-08:00

Sharing Video from the recent performance on Jan 18th at Bangalore Habba.

Have a great weekend friends !

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Bengaluru Habba - 2012 Part 01

2012-01-21T03:32:00.001-08:00

I just dont remember how this program happened other then the feeling of being part of a "Yagna".

This would not have been possible without the kind support of friends, students ,family members & my dear Rajendra. My deep felt gratitude to every one of you.

Sharing pictures from the recent performance on Jan 18th at Bangalore Habba.

Video clippings shall follow shortly.

Have a great weekend friends !

See the full gallery on Posterous

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Balancing Dharma & Karma :

2012-01-15T05:33:00.003-08:00

Before i tell you my story ,i seek your prayers & wishes to pass through these two forthcoming concerts in Bangalore.
1.Bharathanatyam solo by Nirupama Rajendra for Bangalore Habba on 18 th January at Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan Race Course Road.
2. Kathak & Bharathanatyam choreographies of ABHINAVA ensemble on Jan 21 st for Indiranagar Sangeetha Sabha at Purandara Bhavana,Indiranagar.

My story :

Art is our life . To reverse it & live Life as Art is nice as a concept,beautiful to read & hear from great spiritual masters , but to live it in actual is something else, like arjuna standing in the middle of kurukshetra bewildered,
i am right now in the kurukshetra of life,torn between dharma as a daughter & karma as a dancer.

Everybody knows that good art requires focussed time , dedicated efforts & above all a high spirited mode of being.Since dance is a medium to sharing immense beauty , joy & emotions & makes use of the body mind & spirit as the instrument it's all the more challenging when the tuning of the instrument gets disturbed.

My dearest mother who loved life so dearly is now slowly losing it.She is hospitalized for past ten days with complications.As a result,we have been in unpredictable situtations ,l we have been iterally living in the hospitals ,constantly talking to doctors , managing nurses.

I am sure many have people have been in such situations of having to experience the suffering of a loved one but the challenge here is that with this background we have to be in an inspired mode to deliver quality art .

Initially like Arjuna i withdrew from performances but I realize I am incomplete without dance.

I am so grateful to our friends , students & family members for their loving support in this juncture.
I am hoping to draw my strength from all your wishes & do the performances.
I don't know how far i will be successful but at least I have your prayers.

Thank you.
-Nirupama Rajendra

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Balancing Dharma & Karma :

2012-01-15T05:33:00.001-08:00

My story :

Initially like Arjuna i withdrew from performances but I realize I am incomplete without dance.

Thank you.
-Nirupama Rajendra

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"Sadbhaavana" - A new initiative by ADC

2012-01-06T01:51:00.001-08:00

Many of us are fortunate to have family ,parents ,children to share & care but there are few unfortunate ones

who are deprived of this essential element in life .

They yearn to be loved ,to be cared & seek joy & fulfillment.

They live in old age homes /child care centers.

They are just like us except that their Kith & Kin left them.

ADC's new initiative " Sadbhaavana" ,which means PURE INTENTIONS brings an exclusive performance at the studio for Seniors Citizens & Children.

The Purpose is to create a happy atmosphere for them through music & dance.

To be recognized by the world & getting invited to perform everywhere is one, while recognizing the unrecognized & honoring them with a good experience is another, rather- Special !

This January 1st 2012 we opened our new year in such a Special way where we brought some senior citizens & differently abled children to our dance studio & danced for them.

We also had good lunch & quality time with them.

It was really nice to see these special children who actually walked in expressing / talking loudly ( thats the way they are) became absolutely quiet once the music & dance started. It is beautiful how the old ladies were enjoying the program, forgetting their medications , sleep patterns & getting engrossed in the program.Each of them joyfully expressed their experience of the program.

To listen to their real life stories can be very disheartening.

However , It is better to keep it away & let every one connect with the bliss of dance & music.

Thank you Rohini, Srividhya, Neha, Radhika ,Madhuvanthi, Harini & Sohini for dancing at Sadhbhaavana.

Your talents & good energies truly uplifted the audience's spirits. Good job !

Thank you Vinay for taking lead in the project.

Sadbhaavana invites dancers to particiapte in this noble activity & make a difference.

We dont know if this can make a huge difference but at least it will make them forget their worries & be joyous at least for

THAT ONE DAY !

Quoting Sage Bharatha from Natya Shastra -

" Prekshakaneeyaka Daanamtu Sarvadaaneshu Sashasyathe "

Sharing Art is the highest form of Charity !

Happy New Year to ALL !

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Fragrant Flowers of Abhinava Garden :

2011-10-12T21:04:00.001-07:00

We are so happy to share the pictures of these most beautiful fragrant flowers of our garden.

Thanks to God & the parents who have brought such lovely flowers on the earth.

On the auspicious day of Vijayadashami they offered their talents to the Goddess of Art- Saraswathi.

We pray to the Goddess to bless them so that they blossom in special ways & spread the joy even more.

Catch the glimpse of Oct 6th Vijayadashami Celebrations at " Srujana " - The Abhinava Dance Studio , Bangalore.

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My solo at DHAATU !

2011-10-05T02:59:00.001-07:00

Performing solo on Sep 29th at DHAATU-Bangalore was a true blessing as it was much more than a performance. It was a life changing enriching experience for me . It was a perfect set up to realize my yearning to take Abhinaya to the next level & perform the same with a new understanding.

While the special NatyaShastra classes by Ganesh Sir had opened me to details of the Saathivika Abhinaya ,the performances of Dr.Padma Subramaniam & Mantap Prabhakar had greatly inspired me & deepened the desire to explore abhinaya in those dimensions.

In the recent performance,i was able to explore emotions & situations with loka dharmi specially in scenes of present day celebrations of Ganesha festival on the streets of Mumbai & other cities.Emotions of various characters & situations gave a lot of scope for Saathvika Abhinaya in the Varnam " Hidako bidabyada" - very well tuned & choreographed by Paddu Akka .In nagumomu of Sri ,Thiagaraja I portrayed Sita in Ashokavana ,thinking of Rama's beautiful face & In the Tillana I showed the Kavadi celebrations.

Best part was that I did not rehearse any of these with the musicians , I only explained the situation & tried it all out directly on stage !

I must say it is one of the MOST BEAUTIFUL EXPERIENCES because i was NO MORE MYSELF....I HAD DISSOLVED IN THE SITUATION...
I could feel sita & enjoyed being sita..i could feel Krishna & enjoyed being krishna , i loved smiling like Rama & walking like Rama.
I enjoyed being in another time ...another space ..another era !!!

I enjoyed it so much that after the program i felt like i had passed through some amazing energy...The whole experience had done something to me.It left a deep sense of peace within.

I am hoping & praying that these new doors that opened in this program will only lead me to deeper & higher levels of Rasaloka.

Thanks Anupama, Dhaatu for all this magic.

I am very happy to share some images taken by our friend Vinod Kumar.

- Nirupama Rajendra

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Two enjoyable events !

2011-09-24T05:20:00.001-07:00

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We recently had some enjoyable social times.

The recently elected Chairperson of the Sangeet Natak Academy " Vyjayanthi Kashi" hosted a get together at Gold Club.

It was a very nice evening. the place was brimming with accomplished artists.

There was good music & great food.More than anything to be a part of the art fraternity & celebrate the success of fellow artists felt very good.

Sharing some pictures with Guru Maya didi ,friends Subhashini, Sathya ,Madhu Nataraj & Vyjayanthi Kashi.

The other event was at Doordarshan where we were invited to be Celebrity Guests for the popular quiz program " Tat antha Heli" which has crossed 10 years & 1800 episodes. We were invited for the Deepavali Festival episode which is shortly going to be telecast.Dr.Somashekar who has hosted all the programs comes across as an amazing human being.

Being a doctor himself he is highly passionate about reading & is very knowledgeable.

We were under the impression that we were going to distribute the prizes for the quiz participants but came the shock that WE WERE THE PARTICIPANTS TAKING THE QUIZ.

I was looking for the nearest exit to run.

For a person who never went to school or college & never graduated ( seriously) quiz is like butterflies in the stomach ..i thought it was that dream when you are in the exam hall ,unprepared ! GOSH !

But the host was very sweet & relaxed me.

It was really a funny experience to be answering the questions.

All the while i was looking blank while Rajendra seemed very happy & confident.

I was also very happy.... before & after the quiz :)

Just wanted to share this experience.

Till we meet again on FB.

Enjoy your weekend !

Nirupama Rajendra

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Can Art Critics be friends of Art !

2011-09-15T06:14:00.001-07:00

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Creativity is the quality one brings to an activity , it is an attitude, an inner approach.
Creativity means loving whatsoever one does , enjoying, celebrating it - OSHO

We consider ourselves creative artists using classical dance as a media to realize our visions, our dreams , our LOVE.
Dance is not just a performing art ,but CELEBRATION OF LIFE !

We believe -Artist creates out of noble purpose of sharing Joy & Aesthetics with the world.
Artist tears himself to bring in excellence in every aspect.All efforts an artist makes is for the LOVE of Art & NOT for any benefits of Fame or Finances.
The Art lover relishes it, enjoys it & participates in the celebrations .
Everything is beautiful ,audiences go into raptures & even honor the performances with standing ovation.

While both the artists & Art lovers are still enjoying that bliss comes disappointing reviews in the newspaper which is the reason for my scribbles.
It has raised some questions & emotions in me.
This is my response to the recent review/article/reports given in some newspapers & online portals on our production Kathakitathom that was staged recently in Chowdiah Memorial Hall, Bangalore.

Questions :
Do the reviewers have any clue at all of the work ? its vision ,purpose, process ,effort ,challenges?
A work that takes herculean efforts for two years ( of making) & number of hours of vigorous practise is covered as an average , mediocre report in the review & given to the millions of readers !!!
What is the purpose of any review/report if it cannot feel the depth of the work.
Where does the vision of reaching quality art to the world stand when critics do not recognize the worth of a work.
How do all those million readers who did not come to the program feel the same joy that the whole auditorium experienced if they read an ordinary report ?

As it is there is such limited interest for classical arts & when good creative energies flow through new works why are the eyes & hearts of critics not receptive ?

CAN ART CRITICS BECOME FRIENDS OF ART ?

It would be great if the reviewer could be part of the creative process of a new work before writing about it.
Then he can be more empathetic towards Art.

Whether the works gets published or not DOES NOT MATTER.
What matters is that it will lead to deeper understanding of the work.

Nirupama & Rajendra

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Can Art Critics be friends of Art !

2011-09-15T06:10:00.001-07:00

Creativity is the quality one brings to an activity , it is an attitude, an inner approach.
Creativity means loving whatsoever one does , enjoying, celebrating it - OSHO

We consider ourselves creative artists using classical dance as a media to realize our visions, our dreams , our LOVE.
Dance is not just a performing art ,but CELEBRATION OF LIFE !

As it is there is such limited interest for classical arts & when good creative energies flow through new works why are the eyes & hearts of critics not receptive ?

CAN ART CRITICS BECOME FRIENDS OF ART ?

It would be great if the reviewer could be part of the creative process of a new work before writing about it.
Then he can be more empathetic towards Art.

Whether the works gets published or not DOES NOT MATTER.
What matters is that it will lead to deeper understanding of the work.

Nirupama & Rajendra

Posted via email from Abhinava Dance Company

Untitled

2011-07-06T04:26:00.001-07:00

" I dont act ...i REACT"

When asked how she is able to bring supreme clarity & completeness to her abhinaya.

" Surrender the Ego ,then all energies will flow"

On how to connect with finer aspects of art.

"It is easier to cook with fresh vegetables"

Regarding Margi techniques on bodies that has rigidly practiced desi styles.

"Sathvika Abhinaya cannot be taught but felt with experience"

On how one can learn the Sathvika abhinaya

Sharing some snapshots of students engrossed in Dr.Padma & Dr.Ganesh sir's talk & participants from the student's session in action.

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Natyashastra- To ponder !

2011-07-05T00:38:00.001-07:00

We are sooooo happy to share with you our privilege of having Legendary Dancer ,Scholar Padmabhushan Dr.Padma Subramaniam & renowned Sanskrit scholar Dr.Shathavadhani .R.Ganesh at our studio doing a weeklong shibira ( workshop) offering insights into Natyashastra- the Ancient Indian Scripture on Dramaturgy.

This event is presented as a fund raiser for the Bharatha Ilango Trust envisioned by Dr.Padma to have a memorial in the name of Sage Bharata which will be the first one ever in his country.

It is our good fortune to co-ordinate from ADC this workshop which is happening for a week from July 4th to 10th July 2011.

We are so happy & grateful that our dance studio is charged by the energies of 85 dancers (teachers ,professionals & students) from all over Karnataka ,Goa,Poona ,Hong Kong & USA who are here participating in this event.

Here are some images of the first day session.

The knowledge /wisdom that these masters offer is something to ponder !

We shall be sharing more information of the event shortly with more pictures.

Thank you.

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Forever in love with Arts

Nirupama & Rajendra

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We are all connected !

2011-06-12T23:47:00.001-07:00

This Sunday morning when i went to my dance class in R.T.Nagar my dearest loveliest kids of Bharathanatyam all dressed beautifully in Maroon & white churidhar gleaming with so much of love were waiting for us.

My heart filled with Joy on seeing them & at the same time sank as life was going to take a new turn, for me & them.

These children are very special to me & close to my heart because they are highly sincere ,humble ,innocent & loving.Though they are very young ( between 7 years to 14 years) they are matured & carry themselves in a dignified manner. They are disciplined & restrained, they give utmost respect to the teachers & exude purity - an essential quality for a true learner.

I have seen this from way back in 1989 when i first started teaching in R.T.Nagar.

I loved going there spending 6 to 7 hours teaching three batches of students.

It was a blissful world.Everybody sang, recited ,danced & there was no time limit.

The juniors would look at the seniors & be so inspired & the seniors took special care

to see that they bring the best & there was great chemistry between all levels of students & myself.

Throughout my travel (from Basavanagudi to R.T.Nagar) in the autorickshaw i used to sing all the Bharathanatyam songs, recite jathis & prepare for the classes.My mind would constantly be working on how BEST i could motivate these students to dance with love with joy & devised various innovative techniques to make them connect with Bharathanatyam,with carnatic music, with poetry & above all with their inner joyful selves.I used to look forward to go these classes & loved my time with the students. In all these 22 years of my teaching life in R.T.Nagar, I loved all my students.

22 years of my connection , my love ... was going to take a new turn.

Several hundreds imbibed the beautiful art of Bharathanatyam & it is heartening that some of them today have taken dance as a profession.

We wanted our senior dancers to experience our approach of inspired teaching & to have a sustenance but we only could offer modest salary to teach in the R.T.Nagar class.

My first faculty Umalakshmi did such a brilliant work that the kids instantly loved her.She stood out for her sparkling eyes & loving kindness .She not only took responsibility of classes but also danced as an active member of performing unit & even earned her way up to become the rehearsal conductor of Abhinava Dance Company.

In course of time, senior students from my class in R.T.Nagar moved away due to various reasons of marriage, family, higher education etc & so i had to call the remaining ones to continue through private classes at our Gandhi bazar studio.

While my heart was yearning to be with the children the sessions were very well managed by two faculty members.

I was able to go see my love ( children) only once a month & sometimes once in two months.

But whenever i did, i came home with great joy & pride & would not stop describing the classes to Rajendra. I had fallen in love with the children.

A deep pain gushes in my inner being when i realise that my love will now only be a past.

I need some time to contain my emotions to express further...

...................

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With time , our senior students actually become our spiritual daughters & we experience all the pains & pleasures that a parent experiences.When they do well ...we celebrate ,when they suffer we tear ourselves to see how best we can be of help.We feel very good when we see them happy & well settled.

But life offers challenges in such ways that we have to take conscious steps to transcend them.

Still life can be quite complex.There have been many situations where we have taken special paths to make things better for the students.

But what happens when ,

We have to make a choice between our own personal interest & the well being of a dear student.

One of our senior faculty member ( our spiritual daughter) had taken a break for one year from dance was looking for opportunities to get back to dance & we wanted to hand hold her into the next phase.

Then came the most beautiful idea & i knew this would be the best for all.

I was going to hand over the Bharathanatyam school completely to her just like mothers who pass on their precious ancestral jewellery to their daughters.

The person well deserved this for ,she was ready to take on any challenge & revealed upmost love & respect for Art, for us & specially for inspired teaching for the students.

It was painful to convince some children as were heartbroken but i must surrender to the Magnanimity of all the parents who silently accepted this change & supported us & in turn supported their new director.

On the beautiful morning of June 12th 2011. the Bharathanatyam class which was started 22 years ago was ably handed over with all love & affection with a traditional Puja to Lord Almighty & amidst the presence of all the kids & parents.

While i announced the name of this Parallel institution i could feel the heat rise within me .

The new director was beaming with so much of gratitude ( she was always sweet & grateful)

Some parents cried while others greeted with joy but seeing all the children ,my love for them simply could not allow me to stay normal . I quickly left the hall. Some very young ones came up & innocently said "happy journey maaaaaaam..."

I thanked them & told myself ...this indeed was ONE JOURNEY FOR ME.

I sat in the car & rolled the windows up before my face could reveal my surging emotions.

I questioned my own sentiments of my deep attachment to this long term associated class & the Children. Sacrificing personal interests for the well being of our dear ones made us touch another dimension of ourselves & we are very grateful to God for this experience.

We have the utmost satisfaction that our spiritual daughter with all her talents & dedication will take great care of the young students & create a good establishment for herself & for quality Art.

God bless her & her newly formed institution.

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Creative kathak | www.indianlink.com.au

2011-06-09T23:55:00.001-07:00

Creative kathak

Melbourne News

Bangalore based dancing duo Nirupama and Rajendra made a spectacular debut in Australia recently, they talk about their art and aspirations to Preeti Jabbal

This winter, Melbourne and Sydney were blessed with spectacular performances from the dancing duo, Nirupama and Rajendra. The dancing couple’s debut Australian performance proved revelatory of rhythmic and conceptual complexity in which identical movement paradoxically revealed individual qualities. Nirupama clearly led the way with her charm and grace, while Rajendra matched her with his seemingly effortless expertise. Their kathak and fusion dance segments were a remarkable tribute to the past with visions of the future that were presented with great artistry. Audiences in both cities were left wanting more.

Nirupama and Rajendra currently head their own Abhinava Dance Company in Bangalore. They nurtured their skills in kathak and choreography under eminent Gurus. Graduating in dance choreography, they have also trained in the expressive elements (abhinaya) from renowned exponents. They travel extensively performing in various parts of the world. Winners of several national and international awards, the duo was awarded the Karnataka Kalashree award recently by the state government (Karnataka Sangeetha Nrithya Academy) in Bangalore on April 15. Their performance in Melbourne was hosted by Carnatic Music Circle in association with Melbourne Kannada Sangha.

Preeti Jabbal spoke to the dancers in Melbourne while they were on their way to enjoy the beauty of Victoria’s Great Ocean Road.

Preeti Jabbal:You have been quoted as saying that Indian art has a great spirit and content, but it needs better approach and has to be projected at a certain level. Can you elaborate?

Nirupama & Rajendra: In the journey of ‘dance’ we have travelled a lot. We graduated in dance choreography, we learnt how to create a production and we have worked with international choreographers. When we went to UK, we did a lot of educational work. We noticed how westerners focus so much on the presentation of art. Besides the dance itself, they provide attention to every aspect of a production like entry, exit, music, costume and backdrop. Our Indian art form also needs that outlet. Traditionally, most practitioners performed dances like kathak in small sabhas and social events, but now the world is our stage. We believe that traditional art form needs to be presented in such a way that it appeals to the masses. Today’s audience has a limited attention span and we have to be mindful of that while presenting. Ideally we would like our audience to get into the spirit of the dance and this will not reach everyone unless it is repackaged and re-presented. We want to bring in excitement and variety and give a new dimension to classical act.

PJ: You work dance, create, rehearse and live together, what effect does that have on your relationship?

N&R: We introduce ourselves as two bodies and one soul .We are together 24/7 and we have one common love that is dance. For us it is work-cum-pleasure and we celebrate this togetherness and life. I have known Rajendra for 23 years now and have been married to him for 16 years. There has never been a single dull moment.

PJ: What is your opinion of the numerous dance/reality shows on TV?

N&R: We don’t like reality shows. They initially boost your confidence, but it is such temporary fame. We have also seen many good artists cry after being rejected, which is not good for their morale. I think art should be poured out of inspiration, not competition.

PJ: Is there any type of dance that you don’t like?

N&R: Dancing is an expression of joy, it is the best way to display emotions so I love to watch all dance forms.

PJ: You are young, attractive and popular; would you be interested in acting in movies?

N&R: No, not at the moment. We love the stage and we want to share our energy with a live audience. We have consciously kept away from acting, we have been involved with dancing in documentaries, but we do not intend to enter into any commercial venture at this point of time.

PJ: What is the nicest thing a fan has said to you?

N&R: One of the biggest compliments is when people who don’t know anything about our dance, appreciate our performance. Quite like the Spanish mother and daughter duo who attended our show in Belgium. They came to us, shook our hands and could not speak; they just held our hands and cried. They later told us how inspired and touched they were by our performance.

We also remember performing to a group of Afghans and they asked for an encore. We were to reach Geneva that night for another performance, and we joked that we would repeat our performance only if someone drove us to Geneva, and they did! We danced again despite our fatigue and then were duly driven to Geneva, as promised.

Once a German technician was working with us and she had a fever. After our show finished she told us that she was so charged up by our performance that she was ready to do another show straightaway. Another nice comment came from Amla Shankar, wife of renowned Uday Shankar. She commented that she wasn’t very keen on kathak but after watching us dance made her start loving the dance form.

Appreciation of our dance and technique means much more to us than just getting complimented on the costumes or make up or external beauty.

PJ: Is it hard to strike a balance between commercial and artistic validity?

N&R: It is definitely a challenge. The world is constantly looking for creativity and we are trying to reach out to a larger audience, therefore we need the commerce, sponsors and financial backing to sustain the scale that we work on. We are not Bollywood or temple worshippers; we are performers on a unique path. Our aim is to bring classical dance into the limelight and interpret it in audience-friendly terms. In India art is still struggling for funds in comparison to cricket and sports. There is a huge imbalance. Unlike the West we do not get many grants or funding to promote our art. We present everything in such a spectacular way that it needs commercial validity therefore we charge a fee, but we also perform for charity and festivals in temples free of cost. We serve society and make money at the same time.

PJ: What is your concept of success?

N&R: If we are happy in our work, if we enjoy the whole process and people who come to watch us go back with a smile, then we consider ourselves to be successful. We do have a dream however, and that is to present our show in the best theatres around the world. We would like to perform in places like Sydney’s Opera House, Vienna’s State Theatre, New York’s Carnegie Hall etc.

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Australia Dairy

2011-06-07T11:14:00.001-07:00

TOUR - MELBOURNE - SYDNEY - CANBERRA

MELBOURNE :

After having performed in the four continents ...we were pretty excited to share our works & feel the life in this fifth continent - Australia ! Thanks to Natyanjali Australia lead by our dear friend Gayathri Krishnamurthi - an accomplished Bharathanatyam dancer/student of the Dhananjayans.

In principle , we were supposed to be with the sponsors at Sydney but since the Melbourne show came first , we were on the flight to Melbourne.

I was so happy as we were going to the land of the Kangaroos :)

Outside of the airport as we stepped in to the country ,the very first thing that caught our attention was the trolly on which it was printed - "Depart Satisfied" .

Well...may be the Australians wanted their visitors to feel the words for their trolley services or for the experience of their country , but it came as a beautiful connection to us with deeper aspects of life.

We smiled & moved on !

From the time we arrived into Melbourne we were ON OUR TOES through out till we left the city.

We were with this most lovable family in Melbourne, Ramesh Chadaga,his wife Prathima & their beautiful daughter Apeksha. They showed great love ,admiration & took great care for us.

Our performance at Melbourne was on May 22nd 2011 organised by CMC.

The members of CMC or the audiences at Melbourne (other than couple of few friends),did not really know about us or about our programs.They it seems saw the You tube clips & said YES to organise our program.

Thanks to Technology! Thanks to Ram & Ramesh for the connection.

Even in the initial meetings people were very formal & were not talking as much.We felt a little strange.

But then, we knew our program would melt them & were eagerly waiting for the program.

The program featured some upcoming local young dancers in the first half & second half was us.

While Rajendra was busy with the technical arrangement & i was ironing the costumes in the green room i over heard this conversation between some young dancers & their friends :

" Are u stayin fo the secon half ? ...dunno...

Howsit gonna be ....dunno...

who are these people ....dunno..

then heard an elderly voice telling them...oh,you know it is good to watch others dance...specially if they are from India ....then some voice said ..ok ...but...how much are the tickets...& then organisers were giving them discounts ...etc etc ...& voices were still saying we will see ...dunno & i was thinking...

MY GOD ! WE ARE IN A PLACE WHERE WE ARE TOTAL STRANGERS ....

In our own land we are so well known, here we are a NOBODY !

While we are adored ,appreciated & celebrated in India ,USA & even Europe...this part of the world we were still "dunnos" ....

How does one cope with this ?

While all our lives we are passionately involved in arts , this was a test for dispassion ,

Can one really live it ?

Something deep inside said TRY IT ....immediately i gathered up my inner self & with a smile continued the work towards the performance.

The performance went on for 90 minutes...

In between our pieces we launched Apeksha Chadaga - a new hope for Kathak in that country who looked gorgeous & also managed to sail gracefully towards the vision of quality dance.

God bless her to continue as she has full potential to do proud to Indian Art & Culture.

Soon after the program ,we were requested to meet the people in the lobby of the theatre.

There were about over 100 people waiting to talk to us .

There were many dancers,some had tears, there were Kannadigas, Bangaloreans ...all of them were simply blessing us, wishing us long life, they told us how much they loved the program,the dancing , music, the introductions, the costumes, lighting.

They were all in Awe of Rajendra for his patient & professional handling of the Sound & lighting at the theatre.

They said we should be featured in the TOP venues of Melbourne...they were overwhelmed by the program.

& we were humbled by the genuine love & affection from the sahrudayas.

It did not stop at that ,the next one week, every evening we were invited for a great dinner by the Indians.

It was the most hectic yet beautiful time of our lives.

Our friends Ramesh & Prathima ,both took one week off from their work & took us around to the most beautiful scenic places around Melbourne.We were driving for hours visiting the Phillip Island, Ballarat, Great Ocean Drive - Twelve Apostles & the beautiful Dandenong Mountain Ranges.

We never ventured into Melbourne city sight seeing.

The Nature around the city & the love of the people of Melbourne brought us close to what the words on the trolley said.

We departed to Sydney the next day !

Satisfied !

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Tears of Love - An unforgettable evening of our life !

2011-04-23T10:00:00.001-07:00

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On April 19th ,our dear friend music composer Praveen D.Rao promptly called us in the morning to remind us about the

conference which we had to attend with him in the evening.

We had cancelled our classes, even cancelled the rehearsals & was about to get ready to go to the conference with Praveen.

Then that day to our misfortune my mother fell ill seriously & was in semi conscious stage.

It disturbed me greatly.

We called Praveen & told him that we were NOT going anywhere & he could take anybody else he wished.

He kept insisting ,he kept insisting & i told him very firmly that WE WERE NOT GOING !

Then Praveen softly said :

" mmmmmm........you know.....just few of our friends are getting together to wish you for the

Kalashree Award....so would you please come .......just for a little time........." so sooooft was his request that our

hearts just melted. How sweet of him to have taken the trouble ! but then, my mother was not in good condition ....

With great hesitation & guilt i requested my mother if we could go just for a short while & in her broken voice & half conscious state she said "Waaaaaaaow so niceeeeee & agreed (what a fantastic mother ! )

The noble gesture of a student's mother who offered to stay for my mother saved us from the guilt & we set out with Praveen in his car ,casually dressed...

It was pouring very heavily outside.Well...we didnt know we would encounter a much BIIIIIIIIIIIIG POUR!

In fact the BIGGEST POUR of ......love !

Tears of love ,Fulfillment & Gratification !

Its very hard to describe the experience we underwent that evening.

Hope i am not making a fool of myself by wording the precious evening.

But i WANT to write ,because the world should know about these people who brought the POUR!

Praveen took us to this hotel -well decorated with flowers & lamps ( like a wedding) &...

as we stepped inside the hall we notices it was all quiet .....

Then a soothing music started like the chorus ,it was sweeeeeet like honey.

We saw so many smiling faces ,familiar faces ,beautiful faces ,loving faces welcoming us.

We saw almost 30 of our students on either side of a little stage singing alaaap like the choir &

eight of the beautiful prima ballerinas from our Abhinava started dancing.

We were seated right in front (VIPS) & as the song went on we started shivering ,they were singing & dancing

ON US , OUR JOURNEY IN DANCE & WERE DEDICATING THIS EVENT SPECIALLY FOR US !

Wow ! Jaggu (Jagannath of Prabhath) what a fantastic creation ! The song you wrote brought tears to us.

It speaks volumes of your talent & love for us.Thanks.

(Dr.Ganesh said he was envious of Jaggu as HE wanted to write the song :)

What to say about the music composed by none other than our Genius Praveen ? simply soul stirring !

All our dear students dressed elegantly singing ,dancing with supreme love & joy created an overwhelming experience.

Time stood still ......so did our eyes....filled with tears.

As each of our friends, walked towards us with flowers ,wished us for the Kalashree Award ,we felt hundreds of gushing waves coming one after the other , drawing us deep into an ocean/an unknown world filled with light.There were smiles everywhere.

Our joys knew no bounds when we saw all our dear artist friends who are all people of eminence.

There was Faiyaz Khan with his talented sons, Uday Raj ( Tabaliya) Dr.Shathavadhani.R.Ganesh,

Popular dancer duo Kiran & Sandhya with their princess Rasika, Ekavyakthi Streevesha Yakshagana expert Mantap Prabhakar with family, Ace cameraman G.S,Bhaskar , Our very dear friend -accomplished Animator Vinod Gowda ,Renowned Astrologer Jayarama Acharya,Singer Manasi Prasad,Flautist Mahesh,Dancers Praveen Kumar, Veena Murthy, Anupama Hoskere,Ashok Kumar,Nandini Mehta, Subhashini with her gorgeous daughters, Shadakshari & several young dancers were there for us.

Our family members Srinivasa - Lakshmi,Malathi Vijayasimha,Raghavendra -Shakuntala, Jaggu ,Lata & friends like Prakruthi Banawasi, Ambarish with family were present.

I deeply missed my parents who were at home, my sister Anu who was in the USA & my dearest brother who recently left us to the heavens.

My sister in law Anitha along with her Children Keerthi & Avinash were present.

However people from the art field were there to uplift our spirits.

Our first student who did Arangetram with us - Anuradha Vikranth who is now a popular dancer conducted the evening most beautifully.Faiyazji with his divine rendering of Thumris,Bhajans & Devaranamas simply mesmerized all of us.

His Khayal singing on the values of a Guru brought the memory of all our dear Gurus.

And believe me, our beloved GURUs really appeared !

Yes ...Maya Didi & Chitradidi came to participate in this celebration.

When ever we see them , we feel so complete.Our day was done by their elegant presence.

In the presence of our Gurus our shishyas once again presented the song & dance.

What a unique connection of Parampara ! beautiful harmony between past & present.

"It is said that when one is in love it lights up the face "

Well....each of these beautiful students were radiant ,their eyes glittering, their personalities exuding pure love !

It was so infectious that all the people that evening were brimming with Brahmananda ...Bliss!

Our hearts wept when we heard about the trouble taken by our students who had devoted themselves for over 3 weeks.

They had designed the invitation & strictly told the guests NOT to breathe a word to us about this function.

They had invited everyone in person & followed up with phone calls, got a song written , auditioned under Praveen's guidance ,choreographed the same,spent a lot of time on rehearsals,money of course on the event for the hall, food & all the arrangements.Each student created an art work & wrote their vision of dance/us in a book & presented the same to us at the end of the evening.

Everybody who came that evening had all praises for the efforts of the students.

Our dear friend Vinod who was with them throughout the preparations said that it was amazing to see our students

EVER CREATIVE & NEVER GIVE UP approach to work.

He said like how people have RBCs & WBCs in the Blood for a healthy body ,our students have ADCs ( Abhinava Dance Company) in their Blood.

So how does ADC add i asked ?

oh, it adds LOVE & ENERGY was the answer :)

Well....if thats what ADC stands for ,then our words for the students would be:

You took completely a new avatar at this evening !

You became embodiments of GOD's LOVE !

The nobility of your soul & goodness of your beings created so much harmony that,

all those who were present there felt truly expanded from within including Rajendra & myself.

The Awards,The Achievements, The Artists, Art....everything dissolved....that evening.

Everything dissolved & became ONE divine energy called LOVE.

Your love ! dear students !

Congratulations to YOU for being the creators of Life's biggest Award

" Manushree " which we wish to confer on everyone of you.

God Bless you !

A gratified Nirupama & Rajendra.

Posted via email from Abhinava Dance Company

Kalashree Award Ceremony - April 15th 2011

2011-04-16T12:09:00.001-07:00

Smt.Nirupama Rajendra & Sri.T.D.Rajendra were conferred with the prestigious State Award for their services to the dance field.

They were Awarded with the title " Karnataka Kalashri " by the Karnataka Sangeetha Nrithya Academy-Government of Karnataka.The Award ceremony took place on April 15th at 6.30 pm at Ravindra Kalakshetra , J.C.Road ,Bangalore.

The artists speak:

Dear Friends,

We had quite a pleasant evening yesterday at the Kalashree Awards ceremony in Ravindra Kalakshetra.

What actually happens inside of an artist with this whole thing of AWARD.

REWIND..........

One evening while we were buying ( at Mantri Mall) beautiful gifts to our artists who had performed with us ,we were distracted by a phone call...(I really dont like answering phones specially while i am doing something i love ... shopping ! Yes ...i love shopping :)

Well this phone i took as it was from an artist who also happened to be the Sangeetha Nrithya Academy member who said " Congratulations ! you both are chosen for kalashree Award this year ,please rush your pictures before 5 pm to the registrar with 20 of your duet pictures.

When i heard this news, my heart just expanded but i didnt show it , with a gentle smile i told Rajendra & my heart was racing to feel his response.Rajendra simply smiled & i said we had to go & deliver the required materials .....both of us left the mall quietly.

Now, why was the shiver ? was it the temptation of the EGO ? Well...its hard to say but it came as a lightening flash & consciously i quietened the emotion.We were just quiet in the car as i observed the gentleness ,calmness in rajendra I calmed down 90 %.

The 10% shivers continued but not about the AWARD but that it was already 4 pm & calculating the travel time,the print of photos & the bio datas it was a big challenge to delivering this program in such a short time.

Well heres where our managerial skills helped majorly.

We made several phone calls & had people ready at the door step, one to print the pics ,other to reach the materials.

We quickly chose the pics from our computer ,sent it to the photo studio to print within ten mins.

We re-created our bio data & took 20 print outs & within 15 mins 20 huge covers with all details left our house to the Academy.

Mission accomplished ! wow !

We sent the info & didnt worry about what they would do with it.Our focus is to do the work sincerely.

We actually enjoy the activity/process more than the product :)

Having known of many stories that go around the Awards we kept quiet till it was published in the News papers.

Then finally when it was out in the media ( Mainly Kannada Newspapers & Television Channels) & we also received the official letter ,we slowly took the courage to inform our family members & close friends.

Many thoughts kept bombarding me on this matter of how to handle this?

Should we tell people at all, wouldnt it be like as if we are blowing our own trumpet ?

Mentioning it ,would it look like a display of a pompous character ?

It is deeply ingrained in our systems that true artists dont pay much attention to the awards & many seniors have been so who have even inspired us.But then , if we go quiet,wont it reflect a tuff attitude on our part ?

These questions are i suppose questions rise in every artist.

If an Institution like Sangeetha Nrithya Academy which upholds Art & Culture had recognized our work ,wasnt it our Dharma as Cultural Ambassadors to gracefully accept & honor the gesture ?

The truth is that WE LOVE OUR JOB & WILL ALWAYS DO SO.

Awards is actually not just a pat on the shoulder for the Artists alone, it is for all those to feel good about the work of this artist, it is for the family & well wishers who have supported & who have taken pride in this achievement. It is a reaffirmation to the younger generation for looking up to the Awardees( Well...the artists) faithfully.

For me this Award ( Rather the Event of Award ) was very significant because i kept my mother alive with hopes of having her at the function.

She is ailing with several complications & was almost giving up in the hospital with oxygen supplement & treatments,this Award function gave her sustenance to LIVE just to see the daughter & son in law being felicitated.

On the evening of the Award function,i was nervous (of looking over dressed with my specially designed Sari ) & my mother walked in confidently with her stylish dyed black hair & elegant silk saree with silk shawl with the nurse accompanying & NO WHEEL CHAIR !!! GOSH!

The function was interesting as we met many artists from different places & i was even more embarassed as most of them were MUCH older ,some with walking sticks,some needed assistance,they were musicians of yesteryears ,some retired, some still active & they were all brimming with Joy -Naturally ! It was a pleasure to meet all of them. It was fun to see some feeling elated by the attention of Paparazzi :)

It was time to be seated on the stage.

While we walked on the Dias everybody sat in their seats with their names written on it & then ...

We noticed something really strange !

There was only ONE CHAIR with both our names written on it.

I thought " How Romantic" The Academy wanted me to sit on Rajendra's Lap ? Like our wedding ? Well...

The Academy brought another chair & said " Neeevu Eradu Deha Ondu Athma Allave adakke ondu Chair !!! ???

(This is a line we use to introduce ourselves at the end of the show that we are two bodies & one soul )

Well...bravo ! right usage ! but WRONG CONTEXT Pardon !

May be they thought we had discarded our bodies & came as souls ( we were dressed in whites ..ha ha) .

Anyways Jokes apart we got our due chair & felicitations of course.

Very sweetly B.Jayashree made Rajendra & me exchange garlands on stage !

We felt all the more like the bride & groom as many people started taking pics with us as couples...( In the Lounge)

We clicked pics with students, with parents, with family,also with some public who insisted & even the photographers !!!

Isnt that fun!

We had all forgotten about the the beautiful Natya Saraswathi statue, the citation & the fruits which was all cozily placed in our car.

Only after a fantastic dinner & when we came home did we realise that we had actually come from an Academy Award's function & not a wedding.Well...whatever it was it was one happy fun filled occasion :)

PRESENT .....

This morning ( April 16th) as usual we started the day with the classes, planning rehearsal schedules & sequences for the forthcoming programs.

All these processes keeps us literally on our toes & we GOTTU be in a good Joyful motivated state to work in the field of Art ....

& this event did create a nice feel good factor.

Thanks to the Academy for the Kalashree & the Samarambha on April 15th 2011.

Life goes on with a sweet song in the heart:

"Haadu Hakkige Beke Birudu Sammana ....Haaduvenu Maidumbi Endinanthe ...

Ede Tumbi Haadidenu Indu Naaaanu..... "

Our Guru Mayadidi always says " People's love & appreciation for the work is the biggest reward to an artist " .

We surrender to this approach didi !

Our sincere thanks to all our lovely audiences.

We pray God to always make us work hard & offer our love to the world through music & dance.

Nirupama & Rajendra

Posted via email from Abhinava Dance Company

Brussels - Paris - Greece !

2011-04-13T12:22:00.001-07:00

Our experiences in Brussels ,Paris & Greece

The places we visited after our Switzerland trip were all super Artistic places.

The people, places, culture, discussions with Dr.Ganesh on Art /Life etc ....was splendid !

BRUSSELS:

In Brussels we had an apartment of our own with a beautiful living room ,good kitchen ( very imp) & accessibility to shops for vegetables & groceries (very very imp ! as we were cooking almost everyday).

We used to have an interesting combination of yummy Belgium breakfasts & SOUTH INDIAN BRAHMIN FOOD for lunch & dinner ( the food habit of Ganesh sir as mentioned by him). But i dont think my cooking came anywhere near good Rasa-Swaada, However the Chitranna Gojju ,Chatni Pudi & Tamarind Tokku brought by Ganesh sir pampered the Indian taste buds.

Brussels was highly fulfilling for us as artists because of the warm response that the audiences brought to our program.

It was a sold out show ,Bravo Eric ! for all the aggressive marketing.

Actually we were sold out by the josh of the audiences.

One beautiful observation made by Ganesh sir was that the whole BOZAR (theatre) it seems looked like an exciting Indian Festival (Habba) ....specially one at our GandhiBOZAR studio where all our beautifully clad Abhinava students gather to celebrate the events of our dance studio....the way they dress & bring in the joyous atmosphere. ...He could feel the same at the Belgian BOZAR !The European girls were all beautifully dressed in bright colors , big big jewellery & cheerful faces !

there was Vaibhava everywhere.Their interest in Indian dance/culture is amazing !

After the performance one elderly lady from Spain came inside the green room along with her daughter ,held our hands & started crying.It seemed like the program had deeply touched her. Both of them didnt know english & so could not communicate through words but their hearts spoke of their emotions.

This is indeed a great tribute to Indian Music /dance & culture as it had stirred these souls beyond their bodies,minds,religion,nationality or any background...Wow !

Even at the workshop, one of students walked up with flowers in her hands & her eyes were filled with tears.

She spoke in French & we gathered that she was very happy by the experience.

She couldnt speak also but here again her face was brimming with deep experiences.

What a lovely way to connect with art !

In the Bharathanatyam workshop there were about 60 participants ( all adults) & 99% of them were all Europeans.

Taught by Eric Rozen in Brussels & few others in France & India, the dancers were very sincere & dedicated to their learning.We have worked with the students at Brussels earlier & every time we see them ,we see a rise in their passion & understanding.What a pleasure to be with these people !

They were also able to connect with the lectures of Dr.Ganesh very well. Really nice !

Above all ,the love & affection shown by some of them is something to remember forever.

Specially "Yana" , she is an exceptional woman with a genuine caring nature,ever cheerful countenance & generosity.

She will remain very close to our hearts.

May the dancing clan of Belgium keep increasing !

Our Brussels stay was for a week & then we went to PARIS.

Luvre....the heaven of artists is SOMETHING !

We shall speak about this in the next session.

Lots of love

Nirupama & Rajendra

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Swiss Experience !

2011-03-31T13:02:00.001-07:00

Our weeklong stay at Switzerland: 25th March - 1st April 2011

Though we have been to this wonderful country many times before ,every time we see the snow mountains,the pure air &

the lovely people ,it brings refreshing & beautiful feelings.

One can see in the pictures the Alps, Lake Thun,Geneva & Bern city.

This tour is special as we have with us, an encyclopedia of knowledge- walking,talking,laughing & enlightening us around - it is none other than our dear Ganesh Sir ( Shathavadhani.Dr.R.Ganesh) from Bangalore.

We are currently staying at Berne with our soul mate Monica Kunz.

What can one say about this lady !

She is a rare creation of God,a Mother of four big boys, a Bharathanatyam dancer, Yoga teacher but what we observe of her is that ,her every cell,nerve,thought & action exudes all that is pure & spiritual.

One can only surrender to her being.

With a sense of Dhanyathe ( deep gratitude) for the enriching experiences she has given us at Switzerland ,we are getting set to go to Belgium tomorrow.We shall share more about our Belgium experience soon.

Wish we could bring the cool/pure air or the soothing swiss alps to Bangalore :)

Cheers !

Nirupama & Rajendra

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Lights OFF on the Lighting Designer

2011-03-13T20:42:00.001-07:00

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Basant Panchami at NIKC - Feb 8th 2011

2011-02-08T22:34:00.001-08:00

Annual Re-Union of Dance mates !

It was so exciting to rewind times & celebrate Basant Panchami yesterday ( Feb 8th 2011) saluting Goddess Saraswathi & her great representation the Goddess of Choreography (Mayadidi) Dr.Maya Rao- who has imparted knowledge to thousands of students.

It is unbelievable that it is almost 24 years since we started with Didi as students of Natya Institute, it feels just like yesterday

( as per did's words). The ambience was beautifully set with Yellow as theme as always with all the instruments, books, ghungroos, pictures & idols of Ganesha ,Saraswathi, Krishna kept at various levels on the stage .

It was the same stage where we all used to dance for our exams :)

Everybody was in Yellow garments, saris, churidjars ,Kurtas. It was bright & beautiful !

The event was filled with past present & future students /lecturers & friends of NIKC.

Madam Vijaya Marthanda.Naina Morey,Minal Prabhu,Chitra Venugopal,Vimala Rangachar,Revaty Sathyu ( from USA),Sai Venkatesh,Suparna,Madhu Natraj,Prakash,Nandini, Subhasini, Sathya & other younger dancers who were present at this event.

It was laughing times all the while.

We were remembering the goo old days when Sathya,Rajendra, Subhashini Vasanth, Nandini Mehta & i used to enjoy the full day dance sessions at natya after class hours would love to eat at Chowpatty ( a little joint that served great lime juice ,masala puris & hot choclate fudge !) which was a perfect joint just by the side of the institute.

That was our favourite eating point.

We were soooo touched when Chitra didi ( Maya didi's sister & our first Guru in Kathak who we greatly admire for her supreme dedication to punctuality & tireless three hour singing) she said that it seems even now she quotes to other students about how Rajendra & i used to enjoy every class ,with unfailing smiles as if every class was like a performance ! ha ha well it still is the same & we have injected this virus into all our 200 odd students :)

It is indeed very kind of chitra didi to even remember us & mention it to other students.

Umakanth ji was there too ! we remember how well he used to make us all do the tatkar with emphasis on Ta- & Aa counts.

He was amazing ! He looked the same ( since 24 yrs) i wonder how ?

After the puja there was all great lunch with Yellow as theme again with sweets & savories & rice & Obbattus...absolutely delicious after which we kept chatting & taking pictures.

Sweetly Mayadidi said "I feel like a film star" for which Rajendra said " You are much more ,much higher & most valuable to us " We felt very very good taking pictures with our teachers & friends.

While every body was leaving Maya didi further tempted us to sit for coffee & glad we did that as we got more precious time with her & our dear friends.

Finally when it came to the topic of Awards Maya didi was mentioning about how the Academy Awards were earlier called President's Award & we had seen Maya did recieve one from the President & felt soooooooooo proud.

After taking her blessings as we were leaving Rajendra said that one doesnt feel like going from the place & maya did said that there was a great energy in the space which Raju rightly put it as it was HER LOVE & VIBRANT ENERGY OF YEARS that had energized the place.

As we came out ,we thought this year's Padma Bhushan or padma Visbhushan should have been conferred to Maya Didi, she is 80 years & has contributed sooooooo much for the dance field.

If it was not for Maya didi, Bangalore ,Karnataka or South INdia would never have experienced Kathak & also the concept of introducing compositions & abhinaya pieces in Kathak which is a rarity in the Art form was so well explored 30 years ago by didi & new doors were opened by her for the kathak world.

She truly deserves the Award but then one wonders like what is said in the song of

Rashtrakavi .G.S.Shivarudrappa " Yede Tumbi Haaadi denu" where the words say :

" Haaadu Hakkige Beke Birudu Sammana ? "

Haaaduvenu Mai Thumbi En dinanthe

Yaaru Kivi Muchcidaru....

Yarru Kivi Muchcidaru...

Enagilla Chinthe ..."

Maya didi we are blessed to have you on this Earth!

Thank you O God

Thank you Basant Panchami for this beautiful experience !

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Basant Panchami Pictures

2011-02-08T21:42:00.001-08:00

Posted via email from Abhinava Dance Company

Basant Panchami at NIKC

2011-02-08T21:40:00.001-08:00