BY JYOTHSNA HEGDE
Atlanta, GA, May 16, 2025: On April 27, the Sylvia Beard Theatre in Atlanta was transformed into a sacred forest, where tradition met transcendence in an unforgettable evening of Bharatanatyam presented by Bharathakala Naatya Academy and Third Eye Dancers. At the heart of this luminous program was Āranyani, a deeply meditative and emotionally charged dance-theatre production by the illustrious duo Shijith Nambiar and Parvathy Menon from Chennai, India. Conceptualized around the goddess of the forest, Āranyani, the production unfolded as a soul’s journey toward liberation, one that was as visually mesmerizing as it was spiritually profound.
From the opening hymn, “Hamsa Soham Ekam”—“I am the Divine, the Divine is within me”—the stage dissolved into an enchanted wilderness, inviting the audience into a liminal space of introspection and transformation. Parvathy, as the ethereal goddess Āranyani, was the magnetic force at the center of this journey. With an exquisitely controlled abhinaya, she embodied nature’s wisdom and mystery, becoming the seeker’s muse and guide through the dense forest of illusion and desire. Her every glance, gesture, and movement carried layered meanings, weaving the sacred and the sensual into a singular, luminous presence.
Shijith, portraying the seeker, gave a masterclass in physical storytelling. His body became a canvas on which the emotional and philosophical contours of the human journey were painted—with all its beauty, confusion, ambition, and surrender. The soul’s metamorphosis was rendered through five symbolic animal archetypes, each vividly distinct and rich in metaphor. As the butterfly, he fluttered with innocence and curiosity, tracing the soul’s earliest forays into the world with feather-light footwork and airy gestures. The transition to the elephant was striking—a grounding shift, marked by powerful stances and controlled movement that conveyed the burden of ego and pride. Then came the lion, a surge of unbridled ambition. Here, Shijith’s energy turned intense and commanding, mirroring the soul’s thirst for dominance and validation.
Perhaps the most conceptually intriguing phase was that of the woodpecker, symbolizing obsessive persistence. Repetitive, sharp movements mimicked the bird’s relentless rhythm, reflecting how even noble intentions can trap the seeker in cycles of exertion and restlessness. Finally, as the swan, Shijith found stillness and grace. His movement softened, elongated, and transcended form itself. It was here that the seeker merged with the divine, guided gently by Parvathy’s serene presence—a moment of moksha made manifest in dance.
What elevated these animal representations beyond their symbolism was how fully they were embodied. The dancers didn’t merely imitate the creatures—they became them, channeling their essence through Bharatanatyam’s expressive vocabulary. The transitions between forms felt seamless and natural, echoing the way human experience flows between innocence, strength, desire, obsession, and finally, liberation. These sections were not only visually arresting but emotionally piercing, pulling the audience into the heart of the soul’s struggle and awakening.
The production’s aesthetic brilliance was matched by its musical richness. A stunning soundscape interwove Carnatic music, Rabindra Sangeet, Kabir’s dohas, and Malayalam poetry, reflecting the universality of the soul’s quest across time and culture. The lighting design painted the forest in shades of dawn, dusk, and divinity, becoming an active storyteller in itself. Every flicker and glow of light mirrored the inner states of the protagonist, reinforcing the emotional landscape with poetic elegance.
The lighting design in Āranyani was exquisitely crafted, transforming the stage into a living, breathing forest that mirrored the protagonist’s emotional journey. From soft, golden hues evoking innocence to fiery reds of ambition and serene blues of liberation, each shift in light enriched the narrative and heightened the spiritual atmosphere. Seamless transitions and poetic use of shadow and color made the lighting a powerful storyteller in itself, enhancing the choreography’s depth and drawing the audience deeper into the mystical world of the performance.
But perhaps the greatest triumph of Āranyani lay in the unspoken synergy between Shijith and Parvathy. Years of artistic collaboration have forged between them a connection so intuitive that their performances felt less like choreography and more like a conversation—between seeker and guide, man and nature, soul and cosmos. Together, they demonstrated not only the spiritual potential of Bharatanatyam but its capacity for contemporary relevance, emotional depth, and transformative power.
The evening’s brilliance didn’t end there. The students of Bharathakala Naatya Academy brought the stage to vibrant life with a captivating performance on the Dasavatara—the ten avatars of Lord Vishnu. Choreographed by Shijith and Parvathy, this piece moved through a series of expressive vignettes that portrayed each incarnation, from the fierce Narasimha to the playful Krishna. The young dancers displayed remarkable precision and storytelling finesse, weaving through each scene with fluid transitions, disciplined energy, and heartfelt devotion. The performance was not only a showcase of technical training but also of thematic maturity—every avatar came alive with personality and purpose.
Adding another layer of richness to the evening were Taniya and Puneet Panda, a Marietta-based couple who continue to make waves across the country with their commitment to classical Indian dance and music. In a special segment dedicated to the choreographic works of Shijith and Parvathy, the Pandas performed Jathiswara Pallavi, a masterfully composed piece in ragamalika, embellished with rare sahityam. Puneet, a board-certified ophthalmologist, brought precision and poise to his role as nattuvanar, while Taniya, a trained classical vocalist, gave voice to the intricate rhythmic and melodic patterns of the piece. Their performance stood out for its musical sophistication, perfect synchronization, and emotive expression—hallmarks of the duo’s aesthetic and the Pandas’ own artistic dedication.
The evening was a celebration of Bharatanatyam’s timeless ability to speak to the soul. Through Āranyani, Dasavatara, and Jathiswara Pallavi, the audience was taken on a journey that traversed mythology, philosophy, and deeply personal truths. It was a night of reverence, revelation, and resounding artistry that will linger in the hearts of all who witnessed it.
Bharathakala Naatya Academy and Third Eye Dancers have raised over $700,000 for Global Humanitarian Causes
Founded in 2007 by acclaimed Bharatanatyam artist and educator Smt. Subathra, Bharathakala Naatya Academy was created to preserve the rich tradition of Bharatanatyam and to instill Indian culture, values, and compassion in the hearts of young dancers. Today, the academy stands not only as a center for classical excellence but also as a force for social good.
To extend her mission of service, Smt. Subathra founded Third Eye Dancers, a nonprofit organization committed to supporting humanitarian causes through the arts. Together, Bharathakala and Third Eye Dancers have raised more than $700,000 over the past 17 years, directly benefiting underprivileged communities around the world.
Their efforts have supported educational initiatives for underprivileged children, helping break the cycle of poverty through access to learning; families of children undergoing cancer treatment; flood relief and disaster response operations; medical care for physically challenged children in Sri Lanka; combatting hunger, disease, and social discrimination; assistance for children with congenital heart defects; and the rescue and rehabilitation of stray and abandoned animals in India, Sri Lanka, and the United States.
Even during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the world came to a standstill, Smt. Subathra and her students remained active. She mobilized her young dancers to help those in need—delivering food to frontline caregivers at hospitals, providing groceries to women’s shelters in Atlanta, and distributing hot meals to the homeless. Despite the risks, her commitment to service never wavered, transforming a time of crisis into an opportunity for compassion and action.
“Our mission is not just to create dancers, but to shape socially conscious individuals who understand the power of empathy and action,” said Smt. Subathra. “Art becomes truly meaningful when it is used to uplift others.”
Today, her work continues to inspire students across generations and borders, proving that passion, purpose, and service can go hand in hand.
