Once 2016 dawned upon, everybody started looking forward to the 17^th Annual Day celebrations of Mata BhagwantiChadhaNiketan (MBCN). Besides, since we started discussing the Navarasas in all our social circles, more and more people got curious about what was in store.

Ask a person who follows the performing arts ardently, and he or she will tell you that Navarasas are the nine moods depicting the ancient Natyashastra of India. Anyone who has ever attended a theatre performance or a dance session would know that one simply cannot perform without depicting any or all nine moods in their facial expressions.

Needless to say, Navarasas were the central theme of our biggest event, one we observe every year with much gaiety and fervour. Held on February 16, the event witnessed nearly 200 of our students reliving the same emotions through different dance forms.

The Nine Moods or Navarasas

This time around, our special dancers imbibed the aforementioned theme into their performances to present us with a spectacular evening. They began with the portrayal of ‘Adbhuta Rasa’, through which they praised the creator of this world for all his wondrous deeds. Thereon, they chose to show Lord Shiva’s destructive anger through ‘Raudra Rasa’.

It seemed like the angels had descended upon Earth when our students told us about ‘Shanta Rasa’ with unforeseen calm and tranquillity. When elucidating ‘Hasya Rasa’, everything was said and done in pure humour. Likewise, the performers also tried to conquer the fear of death that invariably shadows our mind.

The team of differently-abled kids then tried to absorb ‘Bhakti Rasa’ with a depiction of their love, admiration and devotion towards the almighty. They showcased their courage by interpreting ‘Veer Rasa’ through the way they gain control over their body and mind. Their portrayal of ‘Shringar Rasa’ too was endearing enough to fill the atmosphere with love and beauty.

Portrayal of Rasa Abhinaya

After developing an understanding of all the nine rasas, they found themselves emotionally empowered because they were able to convey their state of mind through their antics on stage. When combined with Indian classical dance, their act turned the evening into one with abundant Rasa-Abhinaya. Their emotions were there for all to see, even as their limbs created patterns catching up with the musical beats.

A spectacular show of entertainment, the 17^th MBCN Annual Day celebrations also felicitated several students, teachers, parents, performers and achievers to acknowledge their contribution towards the success of MBCN. To cite a few, Praveen Nailwal, ShreyKadian and RajanJha were declared the sports champions of #MBCNAnnualDay.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Vandana Sharma, Director, MBCN, said, “We started this school with mere 20 kids in 1999, and today we have 1,000 children with different disabilities. An annual day celebration is a very important event for all of us – for parents, for teachers, for management trustees, and children. And, when they perform on the stage, that moment means a lot to them and us. And they’re so happy enjoying their own performances, music and dance. This is a big event for us, and I am glad it went really well.”