Viraja, Shyamjith make a splash

ST LOUIS, MO — The Labor Day weekend in St Louis was filled with various activities such as the 1000th birth celebration of Sri Ramanuja.

On September 2, a Bharatha Natyam Dance recital was held at Chesterfiled community center by Viraja and Shyamjith Kiran.

The dancing duo was trained in the prestigious Kalakshestra tradition, and expanded their skills with further training with the Dhananjayans and Yoga Gurukula, and established themselves as one of the top-ranking artistes in their field.

The evening saw samples of their skills in all aspects of Bharatha Natyam. The divine music compositions were enhanced by the graceful and precise movements of the dancing couple.

Ganesh Vandana was surrendered to a divine power in Tejohnidhi Lohgo: it was the union between the sun and the lotus. The eternal bond between Mirabai and Lord Krishna was depicted in "Baso more nain main", and the between the human and Lord Shiva in Rekha.

Jayadeva’s Ashtapadi where Radha and Krishna yearn for each other was elegantly portrayed by Viraj, and the Surdas bhajan performed by Shyamjith was mesmerizing. The evening concluded with a Tillana.

The event was sponsored by Abhinaya, a non-profit organization established in 1993 in St Louis for the promotion of classical dances of India.