Fifteen young dancers from the Lalithakalalaya School of Bharathanatyam have completed a key milestone in their artistic journey, performing their Salangai Pooja in front of an audience of 400 in Brisbane. The event was the school’s fourth such ceremony and marked months of discipline, rhythm training, and storytelling technique guided by their teacher, Smt. Padmalakshmi Sriram.
A Salangai Pooja is a traditional rite of passage for students of Bharathanatyam, signalling that they are ready to progress to deeper training. While not an arangetram – the formal debut – it is a spiritual moment. The dancers perform with the approval of their guru and in homage to their art. It is a promise to take the form seriously, and for the families involved, it is an evening that lingers long after the stage lights fade.
This particular performance was eight months in the making. The students – some barely in their teens – brought structure and stillness to an art form that demands both grace and stamina. Nine group items were presented on stage, each one requiring an understanding of rhythm and footwork, expression and geometry, energy and silence. The movement was precise, but not mechanical. These were not children mimicking a form – they were students interpreting it with conviction.
Live music carried each piece forward, lifting the atmosphere and connecting every step to its root. The nattuvangam, led by Smt. Padmalakshmi and Kum. Shivani Sriram, drove the tempo with clarity. Smt. Priyadharshini Swaninathan’s vocals wove through each composition with the ease of experience. The percussion of Shri Harish Ravindran on mridangam held the beats steady, while Shri Aswin Narayanan’s violin added tone and texture. On veena, Kum. Vindhyavasini Sureshchandra brought a melodic base that complemented the structure without overpowering it.
The presence of the Consul General of India in Brisbane, Mrs. Neetu Bhagotia, added weight to the occasion. Speaking after the event, she acknowledged the effort of the students, praised the discipline required, and recognised the work of the guru and accompanying artists. “It was a privilege to witness such commitment to preserving Indian classical traditions,” she said.
The evening did more than showcase young talent. It reflected the effort of families, the depth of teaching, and the relevance of classical art in a fast-moving world. There was no glitter beyond the silk and bells – no digital screens or props. Just movement, melody, rhythm, and expression. It was enough.
Smt. Padmalakshmi Sriram, who established Lalithakalalaya in Queensland, has been teaching Bharathanatyam to students from diverse backgrounds for over a decade. Her work bridges the classical with the contemporary. Many of her students were born in Australia. Some speak Tamil at home, others don’t. What unites them is the commitment she demands and the confidence she builds. Preparing 15 students for such a technically demanding event is no small feat.
For many of the parents watching that night, it was not just about culture or identity. It was about seeing their children carry something forward. A way of standing, moving, bowing, and being still. A moment of rigour and beauty combined.
These students may go on to perform solo arangetrams in the years ahead. Some may step away from classical dance entirely. But the Salangai Pooja will remain with them as a moment of purpose. It asked them to train, to focus, to care. And to understand that tradition doesn’t survive on sentiment – it lives through practice.
The evening was quiet proof that cultural continuity can exist outside of geography. Bharathanatyam, once confined to the temples and courts of southern India, was alive and well in a Brisbane auditorium on a winter evening.
The dancers, still children, stood tall with bells on their ankles and fire in their eyes. For that moment, it was their stage. Their story. Their step forward. And they took it.
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