Vijayaratnam Foundation, which established Taarana, has kicked off its exciting line-up of events and activities for 2016 with MAHAMAYA, a dance production which enchanted the crowd last Saturday and Sunday at Kompleks Tan Sri Jeffrey Cheah in USJ 1 Subang Jaya, Selangor.

The show which featured a combination of exquisite traditional Indian Bharatanatyam and Odissi dance styles, left the audience mesmerised in the 90 minutes they were treated to this rare classical performance.

In collaboration with Kalpana Dance Theatre, the Foundation staged the show to raise funds for our school and help the children lead productive and quality lives.

The show was performed by two principal dancers, Datin Sri Umayal Eswaran and Nritta Ganeshi Manoharan, both very renowned in their works of art.

Datin Sri Umayal presented Bharatanatyam in her rare, mature and dignified style. Vivacious facial expressions and crisp foot work being her hallmark while Nritta Ganeshi illuminated the stage with her grace and radiance through the soft and pristine style of Odissi.

Bharatanatyam originated from the temples of Tamil Nadu and is well-known for its grace, elegance and purity. Lord Shiva in his Nataraja form is considered the God of this dance style. Today, it is one of the most performed dance style in the world. Odissi, on the other hand, originates from Odisha and is the oldest surviving dance form in India according to archaeological evidence.

The crowd was also enthralled with the all-new choreographic works by P.T Narendran from Chennai and Leena Mohanty from Orissa. The two live orchestras were led by the one and only Prince of Carnatic Music, O.S Arun and Orissa’s Nightingale Dheeraj Kumar Mohapatra.

Datin Sri Umayal Eswaran, Chairperson of the Foundation, returned to the stage after many years, all for a cause that is close to her heart. She found pure joy in channelling her talent to aid the children and was so pleased with how both evenings turned out to be.

Lastly, the management of Taarana, parents and teachers would like to thank everyone who has helped make MAHAMAYA a success. Your contribution and support mean the world to these beautiful children. Without you, we couldn’t have made it happen.

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Photo by anoop.photography