The Repertoire
The traditional sequence of a Bharatanatyam Arangetram, performed in full by Ananya on 18 July 2026 — Ragam, Thaalam, composer, meaning, and the video of each dance.
The opening dance of the recital — an offering of flowers to the gods, seeking blessings from the divine, the guru and the audience. Rasikapriya, the raga used, is a complex and richly melodic scale that sets a joyful tone for the evening.
A traditional invocatory hymn combining rhythmic syllables with lyrics in praise of a deity — historically performed by temple dancers during rituals and processions. This piece honours Lord Murugan, the youthful god of war, beauty and wisdom, and patron deity of Tamil culture.
A foundational piece of pure, non-narrative dance — combining jathi (rhythmic syllables) and swaram (musical notes) to showcase rhythmic precision, footwork and geometric body movements without storytelling or facial expression.
The central, most elaborate centrepiece of the recital — performed non-stop for nearly 50 minutes — weaving together pure rhythmic dance (nritta) and emotional storytelling (abhinaya) to showcase command over laya (rhythm), bhava (emotion) and stage presence. This Varnam tells the story of Hathiram Baba, the devoted 16th-century saint of the Tirumala Venkateswara Temple, whose faith was proven through the legendary "elephant miracle."
A devotional krithi praising Lord Shiva, sung as a ragamalika (changing musical scales). The lyrics describe Shiva's divine beauty, his crescent moon, his blue throat, and his residence in Kumbhapura (modern-day Kumbakonam), playing the veena.
A fast-paced, light classical love song performed through abhinaya rather than footwork — the dancer plays a heroine (nayika) pleading with her beloved to speak to her. "Maatadabaaradeno" means "Why won't you speak one word to me?" in Kannada — upbeat, conversational, and full of expressive charm.
The culminating, pure nritta item of the Margam — brisk, lively and dynamic, with complex footwork and geometric spatial patterns. Composed in the cheerful Brindavana Saranga raga, this Thillana is a vibrant rhythmic tribute to Lord Krishna and the enchanting sound of his flute, bringing the recital to a joyous close.
See the complete Arangetram recording, the live stream, and more from Ananya's decade on stage.