Paramparaa’s ‘Nimagna’ Enchants Audiences

Beneath the moonlit expanse of the historic Golconda Fort, where echoes of dynasties past still whisper through its ancient stone, Rama Vaidyanathan wove a magic of movement, devotion, and transcendence. The Paramparaa Foundation’s annual cultural festival, known for celebrating the rich heritage of Indian dance, music, and art, reached an awe-inspiring crescendo this year with a performance that seamlessly blended tradition with timelessness lit the ambience at the Golconda Fort recently.

For the first time ever, Golconda’s formidable ramparts bore witness to a Bharatanatyam spectacle that was not just a dance recital, but an odyssey into the very essence of Indian philosophy. “Nimagna”, meaning immersion, is an evocative concept—one that Vaidyanathan not only explored but embodied, leading her audience into the depths of devotion, divinity, and artistic abandon.

A Journey of the Soul:The 90-minute masterpiece unfolded in five sections—each a portal into a distinct realm of bhakti (devotion) and rasa (emotion)

Guru Stotram –A homage to the spiritual luminaries, honouring the sacred teacher-student lineage that breathes life into Bharatanatyam.

Kamakshi –A poignant portrayal of Devi’s boundless compassion, where Rama’s movements evoked the divine grace and maternal embrace of the goddess.

Kashi –A striking visualization of creation and destruction, mirroring the eternal cycle that governs existence—much like the timeless city of Varanasi itself.

Raghuveera –An ode to Lord Rama’s unwavering steadfastness, captured through precise footwork and expressions that conveyed both valor and vulnerability.

Rasaleela –The grand finale, where the stage transformed into Vrindavan, alive with the divine ecstasy of Krishna’s dance, dissolving the boundaries between self and the supreme.

What made Nimagna truly unique was its collective storytelling approach. Rather than focusing on a single protagonist, the production unfolded as a shared experience, where each dancer played an integral role in shaping the narrative. Vaidyanathan, both choreographer and performer, described the creative process as both challenging and exhilarating, requiring a deep commitment to visualizing the performance holistically.

Every dancer on stage contributed equally, ensuring that no movement, no expression, and no presence was secondary. This sense of oneness in movement, where individual artistry merged into a larger tapestry of expression, mirrored the very essence of immersion— Nimagna in its truest sense.

What made Nimagna truly unforgettable was its ability to transcend mere performance and become an experience—one that resonated deeply with the 1000-strong audience that gathered under the night sky. Every subtle abhinaya (expression), every nritta (pure dance movement), and every rhythmic syllable reverberated across the historic fort, amplifying the sacredness of the moment.

If dance is a dialogue between the finite and the infinite, then Nimagna was the answer to an unspoken cosmic call. Rama Vaidyanathan did not merely perform—she invoked, channeled, and surrendered. The audience, in turn, did not just watch—they experienced, absorbed, and transformed.

Dignitaries and cultural connoisseurs alike, including BVR Mohan Reddy, Pallam Raju, Dr. Ramesh Byrapaneni, Shilpa Reddy, Jayesh Ranjan, Anuradha Reddy, and Guneswar Rap, graced the evening—testifying to the growing recognition of Bharatanatyam as not just a classical art form but a living, breathing philosophy.

Presented by the Paramparaa Foundation, founded by Dr. Sri Nagi and Shashi Reddy, this festival highlights the undying spirit of Indian arts. By bringing performances to temples and historic sites across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, the foundation ensures that these cultural treasures remain accessible to all—with no tickets, no barriers, just pure artistic devotion.

Golconda Fort has seen many rulers, many wars, and many triumphs—but on this night, it witnessed something far more eternal: the unbroken flow of Indian artistic tradition. A standing ovation by a record 1000 people gathering was inevitable.