Bharatanatyam Artist & Artistic Director
Bhakti is the soul of Bharatanatyam. From its beginnings in temple spaces and the traditions of the Devadasis to its growth as a modern stage art, devotion, emotion, and spirituality have remained its foundation. Every Margam is an offering—an act of surrender to the divine. The stories told through this dance come from ancient Indian mythology and literature, carrying wisdom that has lived for thousands of years. The origin of dance itself is rooted in divine intent. The origin of Natyashastra - where Indra speaks to Brahma "Kreeda Niyakam Icchamo" speaks of creation of dance ,the moment when movement was willed into existence as an expression of joy and cosmic order. Dance was born as a sacred act, allowing the human body to reflect the rhythm of the universe. Learning Bharatanatyam is not quick or effortless. It is a lifelong sadhana that demands years of discipline, repetition, and surrender. The body is trained slowly, the mind is sharpened, and the spirit is refined through constant practice. Each adavu, each gesture, and each expression carries the weight of tradition, shaped by the guidance of the guru and the dedication of the student. Over time, technique becomes instinct, and movement transforms into devotion.
Samridhi's approach towards Bharathanatyam is a healthy balance between the physicality of movements and the emotional understanding of spirituality. While we emphasise strongly on one's physical conditioning and stamina during intensive training routines, we also dedicate the same focus towards the deep understanding of lyrics, literature and it's connection with one's own physical, mental and emotional experiences with the content. This balance is what makes our approach unique and effective.
Bharatanatyam Artiste & Educator, Founder & Artistic Director of Samridhi Dance Foundation
Smt. Rakshita Raghunathan is a Bharatanatyam Dancer and Tutor from Bangalore, India. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of Samridhi Dance Foundation, a humble initiative to teach and promote the art of Bharatanatyam. Rakshita has been in the journey of dance for over two decades, rendering presentations in several prestigious festivals and programmes, as a soloist and as part of ensembles.
Smt. Rakshita Raghunathan is a Bharatanatyam Dancer and Tutor from Bangalore, India. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of Samridhi Dance Foundation, a humble initiative to teach and promote the art of Bharatanatyam. Under the mentorship of Guru Kalaimamani Smt. Ramya Ramnarayan (USA & Chennai), Rakshita has been in practice and performance for over 24 years, rendering presentations in several prestigious festivals and programmes, as a soloist and as part of ensembles. Rakshita's inception into training was in the Pandanallur Baani from Smt. Amudha Dhandapani (BIFA, Coimbatore) and she completed her Arangetram in the Vazhuvoor Bani under the guidance of Dr. Archana (Sastra Temple of Dance). She is also trained in Natya Shastra Karana Vivaranam and completed Adhyapika training for Natyacharya under the guidance of Dr. Sujatha Mohan, Chennai.
Lalithambika Sabha, Trivandrum
SOLOMEDAI THE STAGE, Bengaluru & Chennai
The Dance of LongingNarada Gana Sabha, Chennai & MEDAI, Bengaluru
Golden Jubilee - Kartik Fine ArtsRama Navami Special
DUETKukke Shri Subrahmanya Devasthana, Karnataka
DUETChennai, Coimbatore, Bengaluru, Mysuru
ENSEMBLETirumala Tirupati Devasthanam, Andhra Pradesh
Ayodhya - Ministry of Culture Project
Nrityalaya, Delhi
Hyderabad
Sree Padmanabaswamy Temple, Trivandrum
ICCR, Kolkata
Mumbai
Mysuru, Karnataka
Thrissur, Kerala
Tribute to Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam
Tanjore Big Temple (Brihadeeswara)
Manifestation of the Divine Series, Bengaluru
Banaswadi Temple, Bengaluru
Dakshina Ayodhya, Bengaluru
Vinayaka Venkateshwara Devasthana, Bengaluru
Bengaluru
Atharvotsav'24
Felicitated by Shri. Prince Pratap Singh Serfoji Raje Bhonsle (descendant of the great Serfoji Raj of Thanjavur Maratha Empire)
SheForward Foundation
Changemaker award recognising exceptional women changemakers for works, efforts and contribution across diverse domains
Varshmangal Utsav - Astika Centre of Performing Arts
ICCR, Ho Chi Minh, Kolkata
SHKK Trust
Hosur Natyanjali
Natanam Foundation, Bengaluru
Conferred on the auspicious occasion of Mahashivaratri Natyanjali
Femmetimes Media Jaipur
India's Under 50 Women Achievers
Bharati Yuvakendra, Madurai
Awarded in the earlier days
Rakshita was part of the Cohort-South Asia Festival Academy of Edinburgh Napier University in partnership with British Council, both from UK. She has completed her 200 hours Teacher Training Course in Yoga from Indian Yoga Foundation (Ministry of Ayush). Rakshita is a member of ABHAI (Association of Bharatanatyam Artistes of India).
She recently had the privilege of being invited by Izee Institutions (Business School) to facilitate a powertalk session on Art Entrepreneurship for fresh management graduates, sharing her journey as an M.Tech qualified engineer to being a full-time professional in arts and passing on the tradition to the next generation.
Rakshita's initiative "Samridhi Dance Foundation" was established to teach and train students across the globe through virtual learning management programs in dance, curated and developed by her. She has to her credit, students from over 30 countries enrolled in her online training programs and with her institution in Bengaluru teaching passionate students at studio as well.