At the LTG Auditorium, a soulful evening of Bharatanatyam unfolded as ‘Aayam’ presented ‘Odyssey of Love’, a solo recital by Tanusha Tyagi, disciple of Guru Sindhu Mishra. Conceived and choreographed by the Guru, the performance sought to trace love in its many resonances: cosmic, devotional and deeply human, through the cosmic Shiva-Parvati pair.
Structured as a traditional ‘Margam’, the recital opened with an invocation to Ganesha and Shiva. The ‘Ganesh Kriti’, set in raga Nattai, established a tone of auspiciousness, with Tyagi’s vibrant movements carrying both the joy of praying to the Lord and years of tedious practice. This was followed by ‘Bho Shambho’ in Revathi, where the dancer moved between stillness and fluidity, invoking Shiva not merely as the cosmic dancer but as a compassionate, omnipresent force.
The central ‘Pada Varnam’, drawing from the ‘Ramcharitmanas’, explored Parvati’s steadfast devotion. Here, Tyagi carried the dual demands of ‘nritta’ and ‘abhinaya’ with sincerity and grace. The narrative - Parvati’s penance and her testing by the Saptarishis - was rendered with emotional clarity.
A more unusual presentation came with the ‘Padam’, again sourced from the ‘Ramcharitmanas’, depicting the wedding of Shiva and Parvati through the eyes of a startled and resistant maternal gaze. The tension between fear and faith was delicately suggested, with Tyagi’s abhinaya depicting the nuance in Maena’s disbelief and Parvati’s quiet resolve.
The recital concluded with a lively Desh Thillana, where rhythmic agility took precedence. Tyagi’s footwork here was energetic, providing a fittingly vibrant close to this deep, contemplative evening.
The live orchestra - featuring G Elangovan (Carnatic vocals and flute), Nitin Sharma (Hindustani vocals), Sachin Sharma (tabla) and Dr Ramamurthy Kesavan (mridangam) - offered a textured musical canvas. Guru Sindhu Mishra’s ‘nattuvangam’ anchored the performance, maintaining cohesion across the repertoire.
‘Odyssey of Love’ remained anchored in its thematic intent - exploring love as surrender, endurance and transcendence.