Arangetram Imran & Kimberly: Varnam Angayar Kanni

VARNAM - ANGAYAR KANNI
Ragam: Navaragamalika
Talam: Adi
Composer: Padma Bhushan Lalgudi G. Jayaraman
This varnam is in praise of the Divine Mother Meenakshi, and highlights the Navarasa, or the nine sentiments as experienced by Her.
The dancer begins with Veera Bhava or valor, showing the prowess of the young Meenakshi who conquered lands up to the Himalayas. In this section, the dancer describes Her birth to Malayadwaja Pandya. Upon reaching the Himalayas, Devi encounters Nandhi the mount of Shiva and guardian of Kailas. A scuffle ensues when she is refused entry. Her victory leads her to Lord Shiva himself.
Seeing Shiva, she falls in love and Shringara, the sentiment of love is revealed.
As predicted at birth, her third breast disappeared and she became demure and ladylike. Shiva then promises to marry her in Madurai at the Southern tip of India.
As Devi witnessed each of Shiva’s lilas; the burning of Manmatha, the kicking of Yama and the destruction of Tripura, she experienced Adbhuta, or wonderment. When Shiva received strokes of the cane while disguised as a coolie and sang songs as a woodcutter, Devi laughed and experienced Hasya. But when she saw her father, Daksha’s arrogance and disrespect for her husband, Lord Shiva, she was filled with Bheebhatsa or disgust.
As the great Kali, the skull-garlanded wielder of the trident and the rider of the Lion, Devi is the epitome of wrath, Rowdra. When Lord Shiva drank the Haalahaala poison and when Ravana lifted Mount Kailas, Devi experienced Bhaya or fear. Who can love and show compassion like the mother? With her compassionate glance she protects the worlds. And to those who surrender, she shows her compassion, Karunyam. She is the epitome of peace, Shanta, as she takes her abode in the Bindu of Sri Chakra. Her radiant moon like face, grace -brimming eyes and gentle smile bespeak of a peace beyond words.
Orchestra:-
Nattuvangam: Shri Shankar Kandasamy
Vocal: Shri Nandakumar Unnikrishnan
Mridangam: Shri Vasanthapuram Ramamurthy Chandrashekar
Violin: Shrimathi Kanagamani Vijayendra
Flute: Shri G Sridhar Gopala Raman
Dancers:
Imran Syafiq bin Mohd Affandi
Kimberly Yap Choy Hoong
Both Imran Syafiq and Kimberly are Bachelor of Dance graduates from Faculty of Dance ASWARA trained under multicultural syllabus of dance such as Malay Dance (Classical and Folk), Chinese dance (Folk dance), Indian Dance (Classical Bharatanatyam), Ballet and Contemporary as well. Both are now in Ask Dance Company (also known as ASWARA dance company) as the principal dancers. They learn Bharatanatyam under the guidance of Shri Shankar Kandasamy and Shrimathi Vasuki Sivanesan from The Temple of Fine Arts Kuala Lumpur.