Nartana Ganesha
Celebrating the Divine Dancer
“Every great journey begins with a prayer to Ganesha. Every Bharatanatyam performance does too.”
He is the remover of obstacles, the lord of new beginnings, the scribe who broke his own tusk to write the Mahabharata. Lord Ganesha holds a place unmatched in the Indian heart — and in Bharatanatyam tradition, every performance begins with his invocation. NARTANA GANESHA is Apeksha Niranjan’s joyous, self-choreographed tribute to the deity in his divine dancing form.
Known as the Queen of Expressions, Apeksha brings her exceptional abhinaya to portray Ganesha’s wonderfully multifaceted personality — the mischievous son, the wise remover of obstacles, the devoted brother who declared his parents his entire world, and the accessible, modaka-loving deity who blesses every new beginning with warmth and grace.
- Choreography : Apeksha Niranjan
- Performance Type :Solo Bharatnatyam
- Music : Live or Recorded
- Number of Musicians :4 to 6
- Duration : 1 hour 30 minutes
- Premiere (Location) :Navi Mumbai - India
- Year : 2022
stories & bonds
- With Mother Parvati — The tender story of his creation, the famous tale of how he received his elephant head, and his eternal role as his mother’s devoted guardian.
- With Father Shiva — A dynamic relationship of conflict and reconciliation, teaching timeless lessons about respect and family harmony.
- With Brother Kartikeya — The beloved race around the world: while Kartikeya circled the globe, Ganesha simply circumambulated his parents — declaring them his entire universe. Wisdom triumphs, with a smile.
- With Devotees — Stories of Ganesha’s love for modakas (sweet offerings), his unbreakable bond with those who call on him, and how he willingly broke his tusk so that the Mahabharata would be written and preserved for all time.
The Artistic Vision
This self-choreographed work reflects Apeksha’s artistic maturity and her deep personal connection with the deity. Drawing on her training in Thanjavur bani and incorporating the Nritya-Ganga style, the production explores a rich spectrum of rasas: vatsalya (parental love), hasya (humour), veera (heroism), and shanta (peace). It is a performance that makes even those encountering classical Indian dance for the first time feel immediately at home.
