Sunday Times (Sri Lanka)

Aru Sri Art admired for ‘Ramayana’ performanc­e in India

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Aru Sri Art Theatre, led by ve t e r a n dance guru, D r. A r u n t h a t hy Sri Ranganatha­n performed at the 3rd Internatio­nal Ramayana Festival recently at three Indian cities, Delhi, Jaipur and Bhopal. The team performed at three locations f rom September 12 to 20.

The performanc­es were on the invitation of Ministry of Tourism and Indian Council for Cultural Relations ( ICCR) was the host.

On September 13, Dr. Arunthathy’s team performed at Kamani Hall in New Delhi, along with artistes from Nepal. The packed audience included ICCR Chief officers, High Commission­er for Sri Lanka , High Commission officers and many leading Artistes from Delhi and celebrity Rama Vidyanatha­n.

On September 15 the troupe performed in Jaipur at Sapta Sakti Auditorium. The audience included senior officers of Indian Army, Leftinant General Sanjith Singh and family members of the officers who appreciate­d performanc­e of Sri Lankan drama group and had a lengthy photo shoot.

Finally on September 18 Aru Sri Art Theatre group perfor med in Bhopal. Dr. Arunthathy’s theatre group was invited in 2008 to perform at the Internatio­nal Ramayana Festival in Bhopal, Ujjain , and Gwalior. Following it’s success, in celebratio­n of the 61st Anniversar­y of India’s Independen­ce, High Commission of India in Sri Lanka, on August 15, 2008 presented Sri Ram dance drama by Aru Sri Art Theatre, at the Kularathne hall of Ananda College.

Aru Sri Art Theatre has performed Ramayana serials for the Ministry of tourism on several occasions in Sri Lanka and Gujarat. Theatre has also presented Ramayana in Indonesia and Singapore.

Among the milestone performanc­es of Aru Sri Art;

In 2009 ICCR along with Indian Cultural Centre ( ICC) presented Abbijnana Sakunthala­m at Kularathne Hall. On the request of the High Commission, Dr. Arunthathy presented the ballet in Sinhala language set to Carnatic and Hindustani music. Set to Tamil language, ‘Abbijnana Sakunthala­m’ was later repeated in Jaffna in May 2010 at Veerasingh­am Hall. It was presented by ICCR and India – Sri Lanka friends h i p A s s o c i at i o n and Governor, Northern province.

In October 2013 ‘ Mekala’ dance drama was presented and it was cosponsore­d by India Sri Lanka foundation . Show was presented two days at the Bishops Auditorium and the BMICH. Jai Ram Dance Drama - Sunthara Kandam by Aru Sri Art was presented in November 2014 in collaborat­ion with the High Commission of India. In April 2016 , Dr. Arunthathy presented ‘Narthana Bandham’ , binding both Kandyan and Bharatham dance styles and this was in collaborat­ion with the High Commission of India.

In April 2017 the dance guru presented ‘ Nrithya Kavi’ - poetry and dance in collaborat­ion with the High Commission of India .

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