New Delhi :  Renowned Dancer and Guru Padmashri Geeta Chandran presented a Bharatanatyam recital to pay tribute to her Guru, Late Smt. Swarna Saraswati at Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi that witnessed a large turnout of music and dance lovers. On this occasion Union Minister Sh. Ravi Shankar Prasad was the Chief Guest, while renowned dancer and Member of Parliament Smt.  Sonal Man Singh and renowned Odissi dancer Smt. Madhvi Mudgal were also present.

In her tribute performance to her first Guru Smt. Swarna Saraswathy, dancer Geeta Chandran showcased salient elements of the Devadasi style of Thanjavoor Bharatanatyam that her teacher practised and taught her. In an innovative medley comprising all elements of the traditional Bharatanatyam repertoire, the essence of the dasi dance was relived. After that Geeta Chandran delved deep into a varnam that was a perennial favourite in the devadasi repertoire. “Mohamaana” in ragam Bhairavi was dedicated to Lord Shiva of Tiruvarur. In her approach to the emotive element of the varnam, Geeta Chandran is inspired by her teacher’s training. The heritage of padams (expressional nuanced dance) – for which the devadasis were famous  – was also showcased in a traditional composition in Sahana Ragam which portrays a married nayika in love with Krishna. She was assisted by Assisted by Nattuvanar S. Shankar, K. Venkateshwaran (Vocalist), Manohar Balatchandirane (Mridangist), G. Raghavendra Prasath(Violinist) and Rajat Prasanna (Flautist).

Recalling her guru, Geeta Chandran said that, Swarna Saraswati hailed from one of the biggest Gharanas of dance and music. She was the daughter of famous singer Rajamani Ammal and grand-daughter of noted dancer Amrita Etiraja Ammal. In 1931, at the age of 10, she stepped into the field of Bharatnatyam presentation through Arangetram. In 1967, she was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award, the greatest honor in the field of art.

A celebrated artist and a star-performer, Geeta Chandran herself is a renowned artist who has synthesised the knowledge she received from her Gurus to imprint Bharatanatyam with her personal vision of the dance. In her dance presentations Geeta Chandran skilfully weaves abstract notions of Joy, Beauty, Values, Aspirations, Myth and Spirituality. A rare combination of being both a luminary and a visionary, Geeta Chandran is a widely respected role model for the young generation. She guides reputed national cultural institutions and prestigious universities as their Board member, and she also serves on the Advisory Boards of several reputed schools and colleges and on several Boards and Empanelment and other Committees of the Government of India. Geeta Chandran is Founder-President of her dance academy Natya-Vriksha in New Delhi, which aims to make youth aware of the immense potential of Bharatanatyam to become a live voyage of learning.

Geeta Chandran launches a campaign on World Toilet Day

Since it’s a day that does not get the attention it deserves in India, Dancer Geeta Chandran has taken it upon herself to launch a public information and culture-changing campaign focusing on toilet-use education. Geeta Chandran believes that while we may be building structures as part of the national Swachch Bharat campaign, there is no thought of training first-generation toilet-users on how to use a toilet? So she has created a paradigm of rights and duties which she wishes to take to students and the public. Her slogan for World Toilet Day 2018 is “YOU have the right to a CLEAN TOILET; But the person after you, also has the right to a CLEAN TOILET”. 

In his message of support to Geeta Chandran’s campaign, Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Puri writes: “Under the Swachh Bharat mission, a lot of toilets have been constructed across the country, but the most important need of the hour is to change the mindsets and behaviour of our people towards the use of toilets in one’s daily life. People from all walks of life must be sensitised about their lifestyle, health and dignity to make it a mass movement.  That is why I congratulate your efforts in taking this initiative forward.”