As part of the mandala pooja celebrations, Ayyapa Seva Samiti,Vasai, organised several classical music and dance concerts at the temple premises.

On 24th December 2022, renowned Bharata natyam exponent, mentor and scholar, Dr Lata Surendra presented "Samarpan" highlighted the strength gathered in subjugating the self at the lotus feet of the Lord. An absolute surrender to the will of providence incarnate through "madhura bhakti" etched through diverse pathways, sheathed in different styles and performed by accomplished professional performers with choreography by Lata Surendra.

The prelude was set by the defining of "Diksha" by tender feet, tiny shishyas  of mentor Dr Lata Surendra from Vasai and  also the tribal  children from the Kaman, Vasai- Virar belt, endeared to viewing  hearts  in their interpreting of surrender unto the Mentor - the Guru. What was most amazing was their enthusiasm, sincerity, uniformity and the flawless quality of the performance.

The promise transformed to an intense exploration of Samarpan by dancers and dance forms. Surrender to Bhavani (goddess) by Chattrapathi Shivaji Maharaj, very energetically and creatively performed by Kathak exponent and mentor, Guru Manisha Jeet and her talented and artistic team. One marvelled at the subjects she chose that was conceived and  choreographed by herself with lyrics by Kavi Bhushan, Anuradha Chauhan, Shyam Narayan Pandey and Atal Bihari Vajpayee .

The performers who performed along with their mentor were Ashwene Vij, Rohini Vij,Riya Vaidya, Kuhu Datar, Omkar Chitnis, Mihika Sathe. Rachana Chaudhari and Tanisha Mangaonkar. The most striking aspect of the performance being their team spirit, complete involvement with the performance with apt expressions and body language.

The dancers in absolute patriotic  spirit and fervour brought out the valour and spirit of Shivaji Maharaj urging a  surrender  to the soil of Maharashtra  With pounding feet, the energised and well co- coordinated performers glided and  executed the message through  the potent  kinesthetics of Kathak.

The other choreography Shikhandi -  a re-birth of Amba to King Drupada who was  an ally of Pandavas in the Mahabharat war and who  was participating in the war as the army commander. For Bhishma, it was a sort of history being repeated as he knew that Shikhandi   was a  re-birth of Amba, and thus he surrendered  his weapons after seeing her. Being Bhishma - he  could never  fight with a woman. A brilliant choreography of intense thematic content draped in the kinesthetics of Kathak with Manas Cultural Institute,  re- endorsing the standard set by themselves  absolutely. One was relieved that they did not give in to 'impressing '  pirouettes, urging claps that is the weakness of most  Kathak presentations  but rather sought to “express rather than impress".

Dr Sailaja Desai etched Samarpanam  through the persona of Shabri  - one who believed in her Guru Matanga Rishi's words "My child, Shree Ram will come one day, He will give you darshan; do not leave the ashram." Shabari believed her guru's words, with her heart and soul.Never was she alone in the ashram; God and guru always resided in her heart, directing her every thought. She did not have any knowledge of the "vedas" or "puranas" but her devotion was pure and sincere. With Ram naam on her lips and His roop in her heart, she waited, as her guru instructed her to do. Forty long years went by, old age crept upon her, her body drooped, and vision deteriorated, yet her faith in her guru's vani never faded. Every second of her life became a worship of Shree Ram. It was the exact spiritual life that she longed for over more than one lifetime - an eternal gift that God bestowed upon her through her guru! With  restraint and poise the two characters were portrayed by the artist . Sailaja concluded with the popular Tharangam "Krishna Kaleva Sakhi Sunderam" in Mukhari ragam, ,the climax being her dancing on the  rim of a brass plate  with rhythmic sequences  and shollus shaping out as an intriguing dialogue  between the dancer and   nattuvanar - her Guru Usha Maddali Gayatri.

Dr Sunil Sunkara  interpreted surrender unto Krishna through the  male perspective. of the husband of mystic saint Meerabai of the 16^th century, a rare exposition. A journey by Bhojraj  to the lotus feet of the Lord and an absolute surrender with suspicion  and disbelief as the prelude, brilliantly conceived with small capsules of bestowed time, the potency of the art and  imagination, a journey of Maharana  unfolded in the limelight ..   The manner whereby every line Meera sang in her ecstatic  reaching out to her Prabhu being misinterpreted as directed towards him - her husband, the Rana of Chittor was very evocative and unusual.

The evening concluded with a surrender defined through the synergy of Kathak  by two male dancers. Dr Sunil Sunkara and Aditya Garud who is the disciple of Guru  Mayur Vaidya and Bharata Natyam by the very experienced and consummate exponent and Guru Kalashri Dr Lata Surendra. The concept of Samarpan by  her unfolded with an  outlining of all  beauty as being  Radha in Krishna's eyes, all passion as the embrace of Radha and Krishna wooing the galaxies and all music as the melody of Krishna's flute luring and animating all creation 

All hearts went out to the persona of Krishnathmika  Radha by Dr Lata Surendra  who chose  to stay back in Gokulam as  she surrendered to the waiting purpose of his incarnation  with battles to fight as Dwarakadheesh-  the king of Dwaraka. It was a commendable performance with all aspects Nritta,Nrithya and Natyam of Bharara Natyam highlighted through choice verses of Sri Krishna Charitamrutham  and Surdas's Padavalis and a commentary that blended beautifully enhancing every sequence. Eyes glazed with tears and hearts choked as Radha tells Krishna, "I know you as my Krishna, with the flute as your weapon and the peacock feather as your. Crown” Dr Sunil complimented the moment of separation with restraint and poise.

Aditya Garud as the Gwala and as Udhav,  pleading for Krishna's return  was impressive. A very moving portrayal,  as he evocatively paints the  sense of desolation in  all creation as they surrender to a life without their kanha ...and  finally  Krishna   as Dr Sunil Sunkara  highlighting his sense of incompleteness without  his atmika  Radha.   recounting to Udhav ..'mohe braj bisarat nahi' with suggestive flashbacks where all three dancers  in a brief moment portrayed the truth of the incompleteness of Jeevatma minus Paramathma and Paramathma minus Jeevathma. . Each surrendering to  a  waiting  higher purpose  etching the loftiness in Samarpan concluding with  the stotra by Rishi Bilvamangal Swamy - Govind Damodar Madhavethi where  with beautiful   sequences,  he urges his tongue to recite the name of Krishna… A surrender that lifted the evening to divine realms through the  unforgettable  Krishna - Sudama episode  highlighting the theme of complete surrender to the divine.

A beautiful theme selected  by Kalashri Guru Dr Lata Surendra was performed with complete involvement 

Lights by Shri Pednekar enhanced the theme, the sound arrangement by Adithya Sorap and Shri Nandlal Rele, the Vocalists of each Dancer endorsed the interconnected support  vital for Performing hearts. As Dr Lata Surendra  says "It is the Sangath that transforms Dance to a Satsang".

A well thought of and well-executed capsule  that made the evening memorable as ever !  Particular mention must be made of Mahindra Finance for supporting the under- privileged  tribal sector  of Vasai-Virar Kaman to be a part of a chapter where there is room for all in this one life accorded by Providence.

By Guru Vijay Shanker

Guru Vijay Shankar is a professional Kuchipudi, Kathakali, Bharata Natyam exponent, dance teacher, choreographer, actor and eminent arts critic for over four decades based in Mumbai.

Recently he was invited as guest speaker to participate in the Art Criticism workshop organised by Sangeet Natak Akademi (New Delhi), UP Sangeet Natak Akademi and Bhatkhande Sangeet Vidyapeeth held in Lucknow on 14^th and 15^th January 2023. He was also invited as judge for the dance competition organised by Rotary Club of Mumbai Parleshwar held at Savarkar auditorium, Shivaji Park on 29th January 2023.

He can be contacted on email: vijaydance@gmail.com