A New Beginning !

"Life is unpredictable...When your passion is so strong that nothing can break your will and trust to achieve your dreams, the universe conspires". I've heard this kind of statements from many wise people, but never believed in these words, but life teaches some lessons you know :)

I love dance more than my life. I don't know how this undying love for dance was formed in my heart but it's the life source for me. But I don't know where to start and how to start. Then destiny played it's part. Will you believe that I got the "Lifetime once opportunity"  Yes, Destiny knocked my door.

I'm immensely blessed to have this opportunity of learning the pure art of Bharathanatyam from the legendary Actress and Dancer Padma Shri Dr. Vyjayanthimala Bali :) 

Dance is not just an activity. It’s an art of life. It's a way to express our soul..There's divinity in Dance. I’ve learned this way of life from her. In my perspective, she is the best dancer I’ve ever seen and she is the inspiration for me when it comes to dancing.

On 27th Sep 2019, I had my debut performance in Bangalore at Chowdiah Hall with the legend herself. It was a great honor and blessing to watch her dance and to dance with her. She is a living example that “Age is just a number”. 

And there my dance journey - A new beginning started and is still continuing amazingly. I now believe that "I'm not just lucky, I'm immensely Blessed"

Stay fit without going to a gym!

Morning

Early morning on empty stomach I'll have a glass of hot water with honey. For breakfast I'll generally have a fruit. It can be a banana, apple, papaya. It varies according to the availability. If there's no fruit in my home il have 2 dosas or 2 idlis. One glass of milk is compulsory for me.

Secret

The trick is that you have to close your mouth while chewing the food and you have to chew minimum 24 times. Its not only about count, it's about focusing on food when you eat. Our parents often tell us to eat food slowly and not swallow it faster and also they'll tell not to watch tv or use phone while eating because our focus will not there on food. when you focus and chew you'll be able to eat only for the capacity of your stomach..

Lunch

I'll drink 1 litre of water from morning to lunch. For lunch I eat whatever I want but by focusing and chewing properly. I generally take rice in afternoon. I'll drink another one liter of water from lunch to evening.

I'll have something for every 4 hours.

• I'm having my breakfast at 8 AM.
• My lunch by 12 PM.
• I'll take a break at 4 PM.
• I'll finish my dinner by 8 PM

So for break if I'm taking any tea or coffee I'll have it without any sugar. Yup I never take sugar. You can say I'm following no sugar diet.

Dinner

There's is no particular food items I follow.. Whatever is there in my home I'll eat. It can be any tiffin variety. The trick again is focus and chew. And a glass of milk for sure.

Walk / Dance / Sport

I walk atleast 2 kms a day.. Brisk walk. You don't need to hit the gym. You can do brisk walks or dance to keep our muscles in tact. I've seen my friends playing badminton. Some work out is necessary to keep our body active. Just half an hour or 1 hour of any activity is needed.

This is my routine and this has reduced my weight by 11kgs and I'm more healthy and fit now.

To sum up.. No sugar, lots of water, focused chewing, walk, fruits and vegetables.

Proud Moment !

I received a call from my school on 5th Jan'18.

HM: Hi Sreeja! This is your biology teacher (current school head mistress) ..how are you?

Me: (surprised and stunned). Vanakkam mam..I'm doing great. What a surprise mam!

HM : We are looking for an inspirational speaker for the republic day..suddenly we all teachers got reminded of you. All the teachers suggested your name. You'll be the perfect person to address our students. Can you make yourself available on 26th Jan?

Me: I'm extremely honoured by this invitation mam..will surely come to school to deliver a speech mam.

HM: This is just an informal call my dear. I'm calling you personally. Will get back to you soon officially dear.

And more greetings and wishes were shared and the line was cut.

A week later, I received another call from my school. My teachers called and confirmed my availability in home and they came to my home with an invitation. I thought that they've come to my home for formality.

But to my surprise …this is how the invitation looked.

They have come all the way to my home to invite me as the Chief Guest, to hoist our national flag and to deliver a speech to the students on republic day.

It’s been a dream for many of us to achieve something great in life and go back to the institutions where we studied, as chief guests. And that dream came true in my case! How blessed am I!

Each and every teacher hugged me when I went back to My school after 8 years:) they remembered me very well. It was a great honour to be seated among the dignitaries on the stage.

I hoisted the national flag for the first time in my life. That was a very proud moment.

The parade started. Our students marched with pride and saluted me. I had the honour to be a part of that day:)

There, I stood on that stage after 8 years and delivered my speech! Addressed 3500 students and 200 teachers :)

That was the best day ever in my life! From a student to chief guest. What a transformation! Life has molded me well :)

Fulfilling a dream!

Yes, that made me feel proud of myself.

I'm a typical middle class Indian family girl. At this age (24) it is expected of me to get married and start a family. But I didn't. I stood up for my dream. I love dancing. I was learning bharathanatyam since my childhood (age of 3). Unfortunately I didn't have my family support to complete my arangetram (debut onstage performance after completion of formal training), as they have to spend money.

My family insisted on pursuing higher studies and get a govt. gob and not to waste money on dance programmes. My arangetram was supposed to held in 2005. But it didn't happen. I was demotivated by everyone not to pursue dance as career.

I couldn't speak a word as I was financially dependent on my family. My dance practice was stopped. I waited patiently for 12 years. After completing my schooling, under graduation and post graduation, I got a job. I'm now earning a handsome sum of money. There's no one who'll question me now..after 12 years I joined dance class again and successfully completed my arangetram last week and was awarded the title “NATYA MAYURI”

I believe it takes immense courage and persistence not to give up on our dreams though the situations don't favor us. The satisfaction we get after fulfilling our aim is unexplainable. I felt like I have lived the life to the fullest.

My arangetram was a grand success. We received extraordinary comments and wishes from the audience. That's the moment I felt so proud of myself when I fulfilled my dream with pride.

என் சலங்கை !

நாட்டியம்  காணும் போது

நாட்டம் கொள்ளுதே என் மனது

நானும் ஆட விழைகின்றேன்

நாளும் பொழுதும் தவிக்கின்றேன்

கொஞ்சும் சலங்கையின் தீண்டலில்

நெஞ்சம் களித்திடும் ஆடலில்

என்னுயிராய் இருந்தாய் சலங்கையே

எங்கோ மறைந்தாய் நொடியிலே

மணிச்சலங்கையின் சிணுங்கல் கேட்டு 

மண்மகளின் மனம் ஆடுது கூத்து

பசியை மறந்து ரசித்தேன் உன்னை - நீ

அசையும் இசையில் மறந்தேன் என்னை

பதம் ஆடும் போது

பக்கம் இருந்தாய் நீயே !

பலம் அளித்து எனக்கு

புகழ் சேர்த்தாய் நீயே !

கனவோடும் கனிவோடும் - உன்னைப்

பதங்களில் அணிந்தேன்

தினந்தோறும் தவறாமல் - உன்னைப்

பணிந்தே தொழுதேன்

சிரம் தாழ்த்தி கரம் கூப்பி

உன்னை ஏந்தியதென் கரங்கள்

பதம் விட்டுப்  பிரிந்தாயே

உன்னைத் தேடுது  என் கண்கள்

உற்ற தோழியாய் இருந்தாய்

சற்று விலகியே சென்றாய் 

என் நடைக்குச் சத்தம் அளித்தாய்

என் மனதில் நித்தம் நிறைந்தாய் 

சதங்கையின் ஓசை கேட்டு

சந்தக்குயில் பாடுதே பாட்டு

என் இதய ராகம் கேட்டு

என் ஏக்கத்தை நீ ஓட்டு

`

பொற்சலங்கையின் சந்தமே

பொற்செல்வியின் இன்பமே

பொன்மலரோடு  காத்திருப்பேன் - இந்தப்

பெண்பதம் வந்து சேரவே !

- அரங்க ஸ்ரீஜா

Viyugam'15

Theme (Ancient Indian )

Life throws many opportunities. Grabbing them or losing them is in our actions. I thought of giving a try in a new area called "Designing" and here are the results :)

Main Posters

Event Posters

அழகான வாழ்க்கை...

அன்பிற்கு எல்லையாய் அன்னை !

அரவணைத்து வளர்க்கின்றாள் என்னை !

அறிவிற்குச் சிகரமாய்த் தந்தை !

அறிவுரையால் சீரானது என் சிந்தை !

கல்வியைக் கண்ணாய்க் கற்பிக்கும் ஆசிரியர்கள் !

கல்வெட்டில் பொறிக்கப்பட வேண்டியவர்கள் !

கலைகளைச் சிறப்பாய்க் கற்பிக்கும் குருமார்கள் !

கலைமகளின் உருவாய்த் தோன்றியவர்கள் !

ஓம் காரப் பிரணவமாய் விளங்கிடும் இறைவன் !

ஒவ்வொரு மணித்துளியும் என்னுடன் இருக்கும் பரமன்   !

ஓதும் வேதமாய் எங்கும்  நிறைந்திருக்கும் பரந்தாமன் !

ஒவ்வொரு செயலிலும் என் துணையாய் நிற்கும் நண்பன் !

அனுபவங்களைப் பகிரும் தாத்தா பாட்டி !

அணுகினேன் அவர்களை இருகரம் நீட்டி !

அன்றாடம் என்னை வாழ்த்தும் தாத்தா !

அடைந்தேன் மகிழ்வை அவரது பாட்டால் !

குழலோடு எழிலாகக் காட்சியளிக்கும் கண்ணன் !

குழந்தைக்கு என்றும் துணையாய் நிற்கும் மன்னன் !

மயிற்பீலி சூடும் பிருந்தாவன பாலன் !

மங்கையின் மனத்தைக் கவர்ந்த சீலன் !

எப்போதும் சூழ்ந்து இருக்கும் சுற்றம் !

எப்பிறப்பிலும் கிடைக்காத பாச பந்தம் !

எங்கும் நிறைந்திருக்கும் நண்பர் கூட்டம் !

எங்கு தேடினாலும் கிடைக்காத பூந்தோட்டம் !

பசுமை வீசும் சிங்கார கிராமங்கள் !

பசியைப் போக்கும் நிலதெய்வங்கள் !

பார்ப்பவர் மனம் கவரும் தோட்டம் !

பரவசத்தைப் பரப்பும் பூக்கள் கூட்டம் !

அன்பான தாய் தந்தை !

அழகான குடும்பம் !

அறிவார்ந்த குருமார்கள் !

அனைத்துமாய் ஆண்டவன் !

அரவணைக்கும் உறவினர்கள் !

அக்கறையுள்ள நண்பர்கள் !

எத்துனை அழகான வாழ்க்கை !

எத்தனை பிறப்பிலும் கிடைக்காத பேறு !

அத்தனை பேருக்கும் நன்றிகள் நூறு !

- அரங்க ஸ்ரீஜா