The theme of the day at Natyarangam’s Pancha Bhootha Bharatham festival was ‘Vayu’ (air), and true to the spirit of that element, Bharatanatyam artiste Christopher Guruswamy breezed onto the stage with gusto, delivering a riveting performance.

The core idea, envisaged by Natyarangam’s committee members to foster a creative exchange among Carnatic vocalists and Bharatanatyam dancers, found compelling expression in Christopher’s collaboration with Vignesh Ishwar. The presentation testified to the fact that a well-conceptualised repertoire can not only sustain interest but also expand its scope. Carefully curated compositions, ranging from classical to contemporary, alternated between brisk pieces and gentle numbers, keeping the momentum alive.

Attired in an elegant silver-grey dhothi, Christopher began with a salutation to the Sun, as a path to self realisation through pranayama. Taking verses from Thirumoolar’s Tirumandiram, set to Nattakurinji and Saveri ragas by Vignesh, Christopher conveyed the significance of air for the very existence of life. This was followed by a Navasandhi Kavuthuvam in Harikamboji.

The soft, lyrical notes of raga Durga in Vignesh’s alaap for the ghazal ‘Hawa Mahal’ set the mood for the dancer to explore the many shades of romance, portraying the anticipation, elation and disappointment experienced by a nayika. Here, the hero is visualised as the wind, which arrives to unite, embrace and vanish. Christopher’s graceful movements and nuanced abhinaya beautifully captured the ephemeral nature of the wind.

From the gentle touch of vayu, the narrative shifted to its destructive power and the havoc it can unleash. This was depicted with vigour in ‘Katre vaa meduva vaa’, a vachana kavidhai by Subramania Bharathi. Set to music by K. Arun Prakash and Vignesh, the composition’s vigorous rhythm and power-packed rendition found fitting reciprocation in Christopher’s dance.

The performance reached great heights with its visualisation of ‘If I must die’ by Palestinian poet Refaat Alareer. Written amid the ongoing war in Gaza, it conveys a powerful idea about survival, memory and hope. The imagery of a kite, in white fabric and strings flying high in the sky as a symbol of love for the child who lost her father, was handled with sensitivity by the dancer. The music elevated this piece. The plaintive melody of the violin reflected the sombre mood before gaining momentum through Vignesh’s evocative singing, which served as a prelude to Christopher’s poignant interpretation of the verses. A sudden burst of rhythm from the mridangam and kanjira, along with the melancholic notes of the nagaswaram and dramatic lighting, evoked the horror of bombings. The piece lingered in the mind long after it had ended.

A depiction of Hanuman, drawn from Adi Shankaracharya’s Hanuman Pancharathna and presented as a thillana, preceded the concluding Dikshitar kriti ‘Sri Kalahastheesa’, which sought the sublime source of prana (life force).

The formidable team of musicians played a crucial role. Sri Sudarsini’s nattuvangam remained firmly in control, while her rendition of jathis was appealing. Sumesh Narayan seamlessly integrated the mridangam and kanjira rhythms into the soundscape. The use of nagaswaram at pertinent points, enriched the narrative without overpowering the ensemble. L. Ramakrishnan’s brilliant violin playing blended beautifully with the orchestra. Vignesh Ishwar’s robust voice and sensitive singing complemented the performance.