80 YEARS OF PROMOTING MUSIC AND DANCE
Sri Saraswathy Gana Nilayam Trust (SGN) was founded in 1939 by Late Smt. K. Lalitha to impart training in Bharatanatyam, Veena, and Vocal music to the children in the Triplicane neighborhood of Chennai. Today, the institution focuses on Bharatanatyam and continues to spread the art all over the world. The institution has trained numerous students in Bharatanatyam and so far, 540+ students have performed their arangetram (debut performance). Many SGN students now run their own Bharatanatyam schools throughout India, Middle East and United States.
Smt. Ranganayaki Jayaraman took over the leadership of the school after the demise of Smt. Lalitha. Smt. Ranganayaki is one of the leading exponents in the field of Bharatanatyam today. She is specially known for her group choreography and is hailed as a master in the art of Nattuvangam. She is a versatile artist who is also well-versed in Carnatic vocal, veena, flute, harmonium and mridangam. She choreographs and produces unique thematic dance dramas and is considered a highly creative and imaginative dance teacher. She has received outstanding reviews for her work in India, US, and Middle-East and her popular group productions include: Lalitha Prabhavam, Deiveega Vahanangal, Shakthi Prabhavam, Navarasa Nayaki, and Bhakthiyin Shakthi.
She has released eight full length Bharatanatyam dance audio cassettes and CDs – Lalitha Vandanam, Nrithya Geetham, Bharatha Geetham, Guru Samarpanam, Nardhana Priya, Krishnam Smarami, Pranamamyaham and Lalithaamrutham. Smt. Ranganayaki received the prestigious Sangeet Natak Akademi award from the President of India in 2018 and Kalaimamani award from the Government of Tamilnadu in 1995, for her contribution to the art. Her many awards and titles include: Nritya Rathna by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan in 2011, Bheeshma Award by Lata Rajnikant and Ashram School in 2010, Nrithya Kala Nipuni by Mylapore Fine Arts in 2009, and Nrithya Ratnakara by Cleveland Aradhana in 2013.
Smt. Ranganayaki is a graded Veena artist in the All India Radio and has composed some popular Veena ensembles, such as ‘Pancha Tala Priya Malika’ and ‘Pancha Raga Oudava Malika’ for Doordarshan TV, India. In July 2008, she led the 70th anniversary celebrations of Sri Saraswathy Gana Nilayam Trust in Chennai. Smt. Ranganayaki continues the legacy left behind by Smt. K. Lalitha - a tradition of sincerity, perseverance, and selfless dedication to arts.
History
The Nilayam is a divine place where great Vidwans like Madurai Mani Iyer, Ariyakudi Ramanujam, Musiri Subramaniyam, Maharajapuram Vishwanatha Iyer, G.N. Balasubramaniyam, Dandapani Desigar, Alathur brothers, M.L. Vasanthakumari, Veena Balachandar, Chitti Babu, Parur Sundaram Iyer family, V.V. Sadagopan, S.V. Parthasarathy, Chowdiah, Sethuramaiah, R.K. Venkatrama Sastry, M.K. Thiagaraja Bhagavadhar, S.V.S. Narayanan, Madurai Venkateesan have performed.
SGN also provided venue to promote drama and theater. Notable drama and cine artists who wrote and inaugurated their plays at the SGN Lalitha Kala Mandhiram hall include director K. Balachandar, actor Poornam Vishwanath, director Nagaraja Iyer and actor A.R. Srinivasan. In the 70s, Smt. Lalitha also composed music for the slokams of Lalitha Sahasranamam and conducted slokas classes, to provide opportunity for housewives to learn slokas and music at the same time.
Initially the arangetrams of the students took place at the Nilayam's Lalitha Kala Mandhiram hall as it has a stage and can accommodate a good crowd. After a couple of years, the students started rendering their arangetram at halls, but till today, the Salangai Poojai of students, orchestra rehearsals of programs/arangetrams take place in this hall.
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