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Namaskaram is performed both at the beginning and also at the end of every dance programme. This Namaskaram is obeisance paid to mother Earth and also all the eight directions. It seeks the pardon of the mother Earth for having to kick her (applying more force than is required to walk) and also for moving into the space in all the eight directions. It also signifies thanksgiving to the mother Earth and the directions as also Nature that endowed the artiste with the health, vigour and energy required for the performance. It also seeks their blessings for the performance to go on smoothly and without anything untoward.
Namaskaram is an important and first item both for the learner and the dancer performing in the stage. Every single one of them starts anything connected with dancing only with Namaskaram and end with it. Bring the legs close together, turn around in circle with both the hands pointing all the directions and to the earth, squat with the legs bent at the joints, touch the floor and apply the hands that touched the floor on the eyes, in total reverence is what is known as
Namaskaram.
This has been our humble attempt to bring out the basics of Bharatam and take to the rasika to serve as a bridge between the artiste and the audience. We hope that our attempt has taken the general audience who do not know much about the nuances of Bharatam, a little closer to it. If it has, it would be our pleasure and
fulfillment.
There is a lot more to converse with you on these items going still deeper into each one of them. There are things like the costumes and their colours, the meaning and purpose of each item of costume etc., to speak about. We hope to be back with you for a deeper discussion. Goodbye until then.
Krishangini - Neeraja Nagarajan
Postures by Neeraja Nagarajan
Translated by Hari Krishnan
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