Varshini the Rain Goddess (2010)

Legend has it that the melody (Amruthavarshini) was sung in order to invoke rain. The Rain Goddess is worshipped as the cause of ultimate bliss and extolled as Parvathi, consort of Lord Shiva.

Choreography – Malathi Iyengar
Dancers – Lakshmi Iyengar, Navia Natarajan, & Kirti Ramgopal
Composer – M. Dikshithar
Language – Sanskrit

Song: Anandamruthakarshini
Music Scale – Amruthavarshini
Time Cycle – Eight Beats (Aadi Tala)
Music Composer: Muthuswamy Dikshitar
Opening Hymn written by Gurumurthy G.
Prelude Violin Melody composed by Embar Kannan
Jati (Rhythmic Composition) by Srihari Rangaswamy
Vocal – Nandakumar Unnikrishnan
Recitation of Jati (rhythmic syllables) & Cymbals (Nattuvangam) – Malathi Iyengar
Violin – Embar Kannan
Mridangam – Gurumurthy G.
Morsing & Khanjira – Srihari Rangaswamy
Recording –  Omkar, Arvind Studios, Bangalore, India.

Varshini, the Rain Goddess is presented as a part of the performance – Shivaya: 25 Years of Creativity & Excellence by Rangoli Dance Company – August 28 & 29, 2010

Nate Holden Performing Arts Center, Los Angeles CA & Scherr Forum Theatre, Thousand Oaks, CA

Credits
Production – Rangoli Foundation for Art & Culture
Artistic Directors – Malathi Iyengar & Lakshmi Iyengar
Lighting Design & Stage Manager – Eileen Cooley
Costume Design – Lakshmi Iyengar
Costume Construction for Shivaya – Tushar Bhatt & Murali Mohan K
Set Design – Suresh Iyengar

The performance is produced by Rangoli Foundation for Art & Culture and supported in part by the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles, and Los Angeles County Arts Commission