“PANCHA PRAKRITHI” by Chi. Sugathan Mohandass - 11th year “ Visesha Kala Poshakam Utsav” 2017

A THEMATIC BHARATANATYAM PERFORMANCE DEPICTING

 FIVE ELEMENTS OF NATURE  IN FIVE COLOURS ON 5 DAYS

The “Mylapore Trio” AMARNATH, SURENDRANATH, APARNA & SUGATHAN (Kalakshetra Alumni and Cultural Ambassadors of Mylapore) and Members of Sri Sumukhi Rajasekharan Memorial Foundation conducted the 11th Year Spectacular “Visesha Kala Poshakam Utsav” - International Art Festival for Dance in Mylapore. It was a 5-day Natya Utsav from 27th to 31st January 2017 at Tag-P.S.Dakshinamurthi Auditorium, Mylapore, Chennai. This Natya Utsav was in Commemoration of Sri Rajasekharan and Smt.Sumukhi’s 100^th Birth Anniversary. The “Mylapore Trio” felt the need to expose the talents of many unsung heroes outside Tamilnadu and hence provided a Free Platform to them without sponsors. Dancers across India gave solo and group Performances all through the week in Mylapore. The Natya Utsav was a confluence of various dance forms of India viz., Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Mohiniyattam all under one roof – a posse of colourful flowers and bouquets.

THE HIGHLIGHT OF THE NATYA UTSAV WAS “PANCHA PRAKRITI”- A THEMATIC BHARATANATYAM by Foundation Secretary and “VERSATILE ARTIST” Chi. SUGATHAN MOHANDASS – (a Multi-Talented and a Multi Faceted Dancer). He Created History by Presenting A FIVE ELEMENTS OF NATURE DEPICTING FIVE COLOURS ON FIVE DAYS. He described the 5 aspects of Nature along with the stories of Panch Bhootha Sthalams. On the inaugural day he began with Prithvi- representing  Green Nature and Mother Earth- Kanchi Sthalam in which he described about divine wedding Lord Ekambareeswarar and Goddess Kamakshi. On the second day he described Appu-Blue representing Water-Thiruvanaikaal Sthalam in which he narrated about rivers like Ganges, Kaveri & Yamuna and the special Uchikaala Pooja performed by the Priest in the guise of the Godess. He used a blue veil as a prop to represent bluish water which was very apt. On the third day he presented the importance of Vaayu-white colourless – representing Air - Kalahasthi Sthalam in which he gave a description of Kannappa Nayanar, a hunter Prince who devoted the Lord of the Shrine. He again used a white veil as a prop to signify the the colourless air. On the fourth day he narrated the importance of Theeyu-Red representing Fire – Thiruvannamalai Sthalam. He very aptly described the greatness of the sacred hill, Lord Arunachaleeswarar and Apithakuchambal.  On the final day he presented his theme Aakaasam- Black representing Ether-Space –Chidambaram Sthalam, where in he performed the cosmic dance of Lord Nataraja and Sivagama Sundari. He also narrated the dance competition between the Lord and Thillai Kali. The importance of Arudra Darshan and the first darshan to Nandanaar…

Sugathan performed to a live orchestra for the krities composed by Muthuswamy Dikshitar-Vocal by Smt. Jayanthi Santhosh, Mridangam – Shri. Venkat Subramanian, Violin - Shri. Ananthulal. All his dances were highly enthralling, captivating, and charismatic and soul stirring engrossed with Bhakthi. His costumes and jewellery on all 5 days were very much stunning and significant, aptly representing the 5 elements of nature viz. green,  blue, white, red and black. His Bharatanatyam recital was filled with excellent Abhinaya & Bhaavaa and soaked with emotions and bhakthi. The audience which included the parents, children and of course some foreigners and NRIs from Sweden, Germany, Italy and Korea have all became ardent fans of Sugathan. They come every year from abroad to this spectacular Natya Utsav, especially to watch him perform various dances styles. Special mention must be made to Shri. Raja Mahadevan from Germany and Italy and Shri. Lars Fredricksson who hails from Sweeden and a lives a Mylaporean during the season. Both of them are ardent fans of Sugathan and they presented the Certificate of Appreciation to him.