📖 My Ideal Margam ❤️
The message of Brahmamokkate—that whether king or pauper, man or woman, sage or sinner, all are equal before God, aligns perfectly with what I wish to express through my arangetram—not just to my family, but also to my teachers, friends, and mentors who come from different backgrounds. 🌈🤝 Among our guests will be my coaches, teachers, friends, and families who reflect this diversity—African American, Mexican, and American.Their presence affirms the truth of Brahmamokkate: that community is richer when we honor divine equality in everyone.🙏🏔️This song also carries special resonance because Lord Venkateswara, the presiding deity of Tirumala, is the presiding deity of my mother’s parents—my ammamma and tata. Dancing Brahmamokkate is therefore not only an expression of philosophy, but also a tribute to them, honoring their devotion. It would mean so much to me if Shemoni didi could choreograph this item, making it a cherished part of my journey under her guidance.
🎵🔺I would like to include Jatiswaram next, giving space for pure nritta, where rhythm and geometry take the spotlight.
🌟Second Segment
📚⚔️ The second segment shifts my margam into deeper abhinaya, where story telling and emotion take center stage. With the Mahabharat Shabdam, I step into the vast world of epic narrative, embodying character, conflicts, and moral dilemmas from the great text of Mahabharata.This piece allows me to bring myth to life through gesture, rhythm, and expression, inviting the audience to experience the timeless lessons of dharma.
💖🩰 Following this, the Varnam—the longest and most demanding piece, an artistic test of endurance, abhinaya, and nritta combined—becomes the emotional heart of my margam. Through the Varnam, I aim not only to display stamina and precision but also to open my heart to the rasa of devotion and storytelling, weaving together the spiritual and the technical into one complete experience.
🌟Third Segment
🔥🕉️ The third segment brings my margam to its most personal expression. I would like to present a self-choreographed piece dedicated to Lord Shiva, the presiding deity of my nani and tata—my dad’s parents—whose devotion has been a guiding presence in my life. Our family’s main temple is the ancient Vemulawada Shiva temple near Hyderabad, often called the “Kasi of the South.” I learned the Shiva Tandav Stotram to perform at a private ceremony, and now, dancing to this piece at my arangetram will be my most heartfelt tribute. It is a celebration of their resilience and faith. My nani, who has endured years of arthritis and surgeries, may not be able to travel easily, but we hope she will come one last time to watch me perform.
🌸💫 The Tillana then bursts forth with joy and rhythm, showcasing both speed and precision, while the Mangalam brings the performance to a graceful close, offering gratitude to my guru, the divine, and the audience.🌼🙏
🌟Special item in Second Segment
🌺🕉️ Finally, in my ideal margam—I also hope to present Aigiri Nandini as a Durga Keertanam. This hymn to Goddess Durga is special to me because it is tied so deeply to my mother’s childhood near the Kanaka Durga temple in Vijayawada. 🏞️🏯 She grew up watching the Brahmotsavam and Dasara celebrations, where this hymn resounded in devotion and triumph. During Dasara, my mother continues our tradition of arranging the Golu—a festive display of dolls and figurines during Navaratri at home, where we chant this very stotram every year. 👩👧❤️ Sharing the stage with my mom to perform this piece will be one of the most personal and unforgettable moments of my arangetram. It will be my way of carrying forward her memories – the few years of dance journey we shared,the way she patiently helped me practice when I was young, and the times she held my hand and guided me both on and off stage. Dancing to this hymn feels like both a continuation of her journey and a celebration of the courage and energy she has always embodied in her
🌟 Looking Forward
With the blessings of my gurus and the support of my family, I hope this arangetram will not only mark my beginning as a solo dancer, but also allow me to continue carrying forward this poetry of the body, song of the soul, and expression of the spirit. Above all, I humbly hope my gurus will accept this chosen margam and bless me with their guidance so that I may present it with sincerity, humility, and devotion.🌸✨
