Mumbai: The Bharat Ratna Lata Mangeshkar Natyagruha near ThakurMall, Meera Road, Mumbai, Maharashtra, on August 8 came alive with rhythmic sound of ankle bells, devotional fervour and expressive storytelling as the Saraswathy Kala Kendra & Research Centre (SKK), Mumbai, hosted the Salangai Pooja (Gajja Pooja) ceremony for eight disciples of Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi exponent Guru Natya Sharada Smt. Subitha V. Murali.
For a classical dance student, particularly one pursuing Bharatanatyam or Kuchipudi, Salangai Pooja is a much-anticipated rite of passage. The ceremony holds immense significance because it marks a student’s formal entry into the world of stage performance with receiving ankle bells from their gurus.
Coinciding with the auspicious occasion of Gurupurnima, the ceremony was held for eight students — Harshini Reddy, Ritisha Kaushal, Mehika Sawant, Garima Pandey, Nishita Perumal, Adwita Ovhal, Saanvee Nayak, and Meghana Kandivlikar.
The event was graced by several eminent personalities from the world of dance and the media, including renowned Bharatanatyam exponent Guru Rajendra Naidu, senior entertainment journalist Jyothy Venkatesh, Guru Shashi Ramesh, Guru Uma Devi, Guru Vidhya Sriram and Guru Vijay Shankar who lit the ceremonial lamp, blessed the young dancers and wished a bright and fulfilling future.
The highlight of the event came when the eight dancers dressed in traditional costumes and jewellery were invited onto the stage. Their guru Smt Subitha V Murali welcomed and blessed them before ceremonially presenting them with their ghungroos. The rituals included the traditional rice and turmeric purification rites, symbolising auspicious beginnings and the sacred bond between guru and shishya.
Then, the much-awaited moment came when the eight students took the stage before their mentor Guru Smt Subitha V Murali, the guests, their family members, well-wishers and a select gathering of art lovers.
Of the eight dancers, Harshini Reddy and Adwita Ovhal presented their recital in the Kuchipudi style, while Ritisha Kaushal, Mehika Sawant, Garima Pandey, Nishita Perumal, Saanvee Nayak and Meghana Kandivlikar performed Bharatanatyam.
The carefully curated repertoire reflected the rich traditions of both classical forms. It included ‘Poorvarangam’ (Kuchipudi), ‘Pushpanjali’, ‘Vinayaka Kautvam’ (Kuchipudi), ‘Ganesh Kautvam’, ‘Alarippu’, ‘Sabha Vandanam’(Kuchipudi), ‘Jatiswaram’, ‘Shabdam’ and ‘Saraswathy Stuti’.
The programme reached its high point with the vibrant Kuchipudi piece ‘Manduka Shabdam’, depicting the story of ‘Gajendra Moksham’, before concluding with ‘Mangalam’.
Staying true to the guru-shishya tradition, Guru Smt Subitha V Murali chose the items for the ceremony that she herself had learnt from her gurus, adding a deeply personal dimension to the occasion and passing the artistic lineage on to the next generation.
The artistes were lent a good support by an accomplished team of musicians: Sandhya Pishorady on vocal, Moovattupuzha R. Sakthidharan on the mridangam, Guru Shekhar Tanjorkar on violin, and Raghavendra Baliga on flute.
The young dancers’ technical brilliance, graceful movements and impeccable expressions were evident in every piece. Their confidence and stage presence left the audience spellbound and reflected the quality of training imparted at SKK, making it a moment of pride for their guru.
The evening concluded on a high note, with the audience rising to give the young artistes a standing ovation.
As the final salutations were offered and the applause reverberated through the hall, the ceremony emerged as more than a debut — it marked the beginning of a promising artistic journey for the eight dancers.
The ceremony also carried a poignant note as the SKK family remembered Shree Murali Kumar Bhaskaran, the late husband of Guru Subitha Murali and Secretary of SKK. A long-time guiding presence and the voice behind many of SKK’s productions, he was honoured with a moment of silence.
Maitree Shastri, Disha Poojary, Sanchaiyta and Venkatesh Kumar added flair to the evening with their confident and seamless anchoring.
A guru’s three-decade journey
The Director and Principal of the Saraswathy Kala Kendra & Research Centre (SKK) is Guru Natya Sharada Smt. Subitha V. Murali, whose journey in dance spans three decades. A “Nritya Visharad” in Bharatanatyam, she has trained in both Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi under the tutelage Dr. Smt. Rajya Lakshmi Seth, a renowned Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi exponent, and attended workshops with the late Padma Bhushan awardee Guru Kalanidhi Narayanan.
Alongside her extensive artistic training, she holds postgraduate degrees in Commerce & Economics and Business Administration, a Master’s in Indian Art & Culture from Mumbai University, and a Master’s in Bharatanatyam from Tamil University Tanjavur. She is currently pursuing her research work in the field.
Her contributions to the arts and to women’s empowerment were recognised when she was honoured with the title of Perfect Women Mrs. India Intellectual 2018.
A cradle for young dancers
Established in 1992–93, the Saraswathy Kala Kendra & Research Centre (SKK) is affiliated with the Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Maha Vidyalaya and the Sangeet Natak Akademi, and holds membership with the International Council of Dance (CID), UNESCO, and IWCF.
Over the years, SKK has carved a niche for itself as a prominent institution for classical and semi-classical dance training, nurturing thousands of students in Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and semi classical dance forms. Many of them have gone on to establish themselves as professional dancers, bringing recognition to the institution and continuing the artistic legacy of their guru.
For the eight young artistes who received their ghungroos on this memorable evening, however, the journey has only just begun. The Salangai Pooja was both a celebration of years of learning and a ceremonial first step towards the stage — where discipline, dedication, devotion and artistry will now come together in their unfolding journeys as dancers.
