Mahathi Bharatanatyam Arangetram

About Mahathi

Mahathi

Mahathi began her Bharatanatyam journey at the age of six in Boston. After moving to Cary, North Carolina, she continued her training under the guidance of Smt. Sridevi Jagannath at Laasya School of Dance and Music, where she has been a dedicated student for the past eleven years. Over the last four years, she has also enjoyed mentoring and assisting younger students at the school, sharing her love for the art form. In addition to dance, Mahathi has been learning Veena under Smt. Vyjayanti Jandhyala at Swarveena School of Music for the past seven years. Her passion for Indian classical arts, coupled with her dedication and perseverance, has enabled her to grow as both a dancer and musician. Beyond her artistic pursuits, Mahathi is an enthusiastic baker who enjoys experimenting with new recipes and flavors. This fall, she will begin her studies at NC State University, where she plans to pursue a degree in Food Science. Mahathi is deeply grateful for the unwavering love, encouragement, and support of her family, friends, teachers, and mentors, and she looks forward to continuing her artistic and academic journey in the years to come.

Guru: Sridevi Jagannath

Sridevi Jagannath is an accomplished Bharatanatyam dancer, teacher, and founder of Laasya School of Dance and Music, established in 1995 in North Carolina. Trained under renowned gurus including Smt. Padmini Ravi, Smt. K.J. Sarasa, and Smt. Shobana Balachandra, she has been performing and teaching for over three decades while also pursuing Sattriya, India’s eighth classical dance form. Under her guidance, Laasya School of Dance and Music has become one of the premier Bharatanatyam institutions in the NC Triangle area, with over 60 students completing their arangetrams thus far. A recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the Aryabhatta International Award, Konark Nritya Ratna Award, and Natyasarvabhouma International Award, Sridevi has presented acclaimed productions across the U.S., Canada, Australia, the Middle East, and India. Beyond dance, she is deeply committed to community service, raising funds for charitable causes, mentoring youth through initiatives such as NATYA (North American Triangle Youth Association), and serving as a cultural ambassador, examiner, certified Life Coach, and MBA graduate.

Program

Mallari

Raga: Gambheera Nata | Tala: Adi

“Mallari” is a traditional piece in Bharatanatyam, an ancient Indian classical dance form that originates from Tamil Nadu. It is often performed as a part of a temple dance repertoire and is typically associated with worship and devotion. The term “Mallari” means “to call” or “to summon.” In this context, it often refers to the invocation of deities during temple rituals.

Ganesha Kriti

Raga: Kalyani | Tala: Adi

This Bharatanatyam composition is a devotional piece dedicated to Lord Ganesha, the remover of obstacles and the Lord of wisdom. The dancer depicts the various attributes of Ganesha, such as his elephant head, large ears, and his position as the Lord who grants wishes and removes difficulties.

Panchanadai Alaripu

Tala: Talamalika

Alarippu is the simplest piece in a Bharatanatyam recital. Alar means ‘to bloom’ and Alarippu means ‘flowering’. It comprises a set of movements, without any meaning or expression. The movements are performed for syllables set for a Tala (rhythm). This unique Alaripu has all the five jaathis or rhythm cycles - Tishra (3), Chatushra(4), Khanda(5), Mishra(7) and Sankeerna(9).

Kriti on Devi

Raga: Mohana Kalyani | Tala: Adi

This divine Bharatanatyam piece is dedicated to Shringara Shringeri, an incarnation or form of Goddess Saraswati, embodying the essence of love, beauty, and artistic grace. The composition celebrates her as the universal ruler of the kingdom of arts, music, and devotion.

Varnam

Raga: Neelambari | Tala: Adi

Varnam is the item where the dancer is tested on her capacity to perform Abhinaya (expression) and Nritta (dance). This can be treated as a benchmark to judge the artist’s talent. The item will contain many complex steps, and will have room for expressions. To perform this item, the dancer needs to have a lot of stamina and concentration. The lyrics can be in praise of a god, a king or a lover. This varnam is in praise of Lord Muruga.

Parathpara

Raga: Vachaspathi | Tala: Adi

Hindu God, Lord Shiva (the destroyer), is also known as Nataraja (Lord of Dance). An integral part of a Bharatanatyam recital is an item that sings the glory of Lord Shiva while providing an opportunity for the dancer to demonstrate her dancing abilities. In this item, the dancer praises and seeks the blessings of Lord Shiva, who displays a majestic posture with his left leg up, has a hooded snake around his neck, is dressed in tiger skin, with a crescent moon on his head, and is the consort of Sivakami who demonstrated supreme dancing abilities in Chidambaram.

Padam

Raga: Kapi | Tala: Adi

This lively and joyful Bharatanatyam composition celebrates the playful and divine nature of Lord Krishna, particularly focusing on his childhood in Gokulam. The song highlights Gopalan (Krishna) playing his flute amidst the vibrant and idyllic setting of Gokul. This is a beautiful composition in praise of Lord Krishna, who is joyfully herding the cows in Gokulam and where happiness and prosperity is in abundance due to his blessings.

Javali

Raga: Karaharapriya | Tala: Adi

A Javali is a light classical, fast-paced Telugu composition commonly featured in Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam. Known for its expressive themes of human love, longing, and sringara (romantic sentiment), this particular Javali was composed by Sri Karur Shivaramaiah in the early 1800s. In this piece, the hero expresses his deep longing for the heroine.

Thillana

Raga: Sindhubhairavi | Tala: Adi

This is usually the last item in any Bharatanatyam performance. Thillana is a dance of exuberant joy and full of rhythmic movements and postures. It typically also has complicated Muktayas or Sholkattu (ending of any step or adavu). Thillana is mainly a Nritta piece, which might have a charana, meaningful lyrics for which Abhinaya (facial expressions) are choreographed. This Thillana is in praise of Lord Krishna.

Mangalam

Raga: Gambheera Nata | Tala: Adi

The Bharatanatyam recital concludes with the Mangalam- meaning an auspicious ending. Here, the dancer does Namaskaram (salutation) to the Gods, the Guru and the audience to conclude the recital.

Accompanying Artists

Rohit Bhat Uppoor

Vocalist

Rohit Bhat Uppoor is a versatile musician, singer, and composer who has trained under renowned gurus including Vidhushi Shobha Sharma, Vidwan M. G. Venkataraghavan, Vidwan Bangalore S. Shankar, and Shri Abhijeet Shenoy. As a playback singer, he has contributed to films such as Manoratha, Made in Bengaluru, and Rama Rama Re, as well as popular television series including Triveni Sangama, Mithuna Rashi, Mooru Gantu, and Dasa Purandara. As a composer, he is recognized for blending diverse musical styles and creating works featured in dance productions worldwide. His achievements include the title Nrithya Sangeetha Nipuna, the Best Singer award from Sri Kumarans Children’s Home, the Ananya Award, and a Gold Medal in Swarna Madurya conducted by Chandana Channel.

Vinay Nagarajan M

Mridangam

Vinay Nagarajan M is a distinguished Mridangam and Konnakol artist trained under Vid. N. Narayanaswamy and Vid. Bangalore S. V. Balakrishna. A Direct B High Grade artist in Mridangam and B Grade artist in Konnakol with All India Radio, Bengaluru, he has accompanied leading Carnatic musicians, Bharatanatyam performances, and Bhajan ensembles across India and abroad. A passionate teacher, he serves on the faculty of several music and dance institutions and has received honors including the Best Percussionist Award, Yuva Kala Sadhaka, and Yuva Kala Ratna. He is also a member of the acclaimed performance trio Rasa Triangle.

D. Arun Kumar

Rhythm Pad

D. Arun Kumar is a renowned percussionist skilled in Mridangam, Tabla, and Rhythm Pad, with over three decades of experience as a performer and accompanist. Trained under Vidwan Sri Nandyala Ramamurthy, he began performing at the age of 10 and earned his Vidwan certification in Mridangam by age 19. He has accompanied leading Carnatic, semi-classical, and Bharatanatyam artists across India and abroad, earning recognition for his versatility and artistry. A sought-after recording musician, he has contributed to numerous albums, film songs, television productions, and background scores. Arun is also a familiar presence on Doordarshan and All India Radio and has received several awards for his contributions to music.

Rakesh Dath HK

Flautist

Rakesh is a Carnatic flautist, performer, and educator who began learning under Vid. K. V. Madhura and has trained for over a decade under Ganakalashree Vidwan Mysore Chandan Kumar. He passed the Karnataka Education Board’s Junior and Senior Music Examinations with distinction and has been recognized with honors including the Kala Rathna Award and the title Yuva Rudra Gana Prathibhamani (2025). For over a decade, he has performed and taught Carnatic flute to students across India and around the world. Alongside Indian classical music, he also specializes in Progressive Rock and other international genres, and has presented concerts on major national and international stages.

Credits

Emcee: Smt. Mari Shakthi Muthuswamy

Smt. Mari Shakthi Muthuswamy, Master of Ceremonies

Serving as the Master of Ceremonies for tonight’s Arangetram is Smt. Mari Shakthi Muthuswamy, founder and Artistic Director of Anvita Natyalaya, based in Boston, Massachusetts.

Mari's Bharatanatyam journey grew under the guidance of the esteemed gurus Sri Kalaimamani S.K. Kameswaran and Smt. Saroja Kameswaran. Over the years, she has performed in numerous fundraisers, dance productions, and temple festivals across India and the United States. Beyond the world of dance, Mari is a Director of Product Development at Bose Corporation, where she leads innovation in the field of engineering. Her deep love for music and artistic expression beautifully intertwines with her professional journey, inspiring her commitment to preserving and passing on the rich tradition of Bharatanatyam to the next generation.

Tonight’s Arangetram is especially meaningful to Mari, as she has known Mahathi Kishore since she was just nine months old and has had the joy of watching her blossom into the beautiful, intelligent, and graceful young woman she is today.

MUA: MakeupsolutionsbyNila

Photos and Video: Dot Red Studios

Event Decor: Geetika Events