The Poorna Margam initiative is another unique programme with amazing response from both dancers and rasikas.
The project has been launched with a threefold purpose.
1.To revive the traditional format drawn by the Thanjavur Quartet for a recital of BharataNatyam. It is a logical progression of individual items with equal emphasis on nritta (pure dance) and abhinaya (expressive dance). In the last few decades some of the items have come to be omitted and may become obsolete. Several factors have contributed to this development. POORNA MARGAM attempts to bring back into current practice, all the items on the Margam repertoire.
2.To create an awareness and interest among the audience about the poetic, lyrical and emotive beauties of abhinaya, that forms the latter half. At present major part of the audience for Bharatanatyam leave after the varnam in the recital. This creates a lopsided appreciation of the art and rejects what is considered the soul of the performance, namely RASA, the aesthetic aspect of the art.
3.To bring into current repertoire old and rarely handled items of the Bharatanatyam. Teachers and dancers tend to have a preference to new and contemporary items and have little interest in going back to vintage items.
Natyarangam will present two recitals of Poorna Margam in a year in its monthly programmes on the third week of the month, one for each half year. This will be of a minimum duration of 2 hours and will feature a solo dancer with a high level of proficiency in nritta and maturity in abhinaya. Each recital would feature the following items of the Margam.
1.Melaprapthi
2.Thodaya Mangalam
3.Alarippu
4.Jathisvaram
5.Sabdam
6.Varnam / Svarajati
7.Padam
8.Javali
9.Thillana
10.Slokam
11.Mangalam