Dancer Divya Devaguptapu and musician Ranjani Ramakrishnan have set out on a distinctive path, bringing their work together under a shared banner — Niyantri. A glimpse of the vision underpinning this initiativewas revealed at its thoughtfully curated launch, held recently at the M.S. Subbulakshmi Auditorium at the Asian College of Journalism. 

The evening opened with a brief, evocative piece that foregrounded the dialogue between sound and movement — the resonant strains of the violin intertwining with the rhythmic chime of the dancer’s bells, enhanced by thoughtful lighting that underscored this audiovisual interplay. The central presentation, Tyagaraja’s ‘Chakkani raja margamu’, was interpreted with creativity: Divya delineated the “royal path” through a trail of rose petals, using it as both a visual and conceptual anchor. Her engagement extended beyond choreography into the musical fabric , with a responsive, interpretive presence maintained through Ranjani’s manodharma sections on the vocal and the tani avartanam by mridangist Vijay Natesan. The concluding piece brought the violinist, dancer, mridangist, and lighting designers (Charles and Dinesh) into a shared space, resulting in a fluid, spontaneous work. This finale effectively captured the underlying ethos of the presentation: a move towards immediacy and creative freedom, where dance unfolds in the moment rather than being overly premeditated.

Divya and Ranjani , known for a series of collaborations, have consistently examined how their art, rooted in Carnatic music and Bharatanatyam, can extend beyond traditional confines to engage a wider audience.

One of their key areas of engagement has been film. Their work, Soham , screened at international dance film festivals, draws upon contrasting interpretations of the swan: in the West, it denotes a final act (swan song), while in the East, the Hamsa signifies consciousness and freedom, reflected in the rhythm of breath — ham and sa, indicating self-realisation. Directed by Usha Rajeswari, the film explores themes of awareness, life and release, taking the iconic ballet Dying Swan as its conceptual point of departure.

In addition to workshops and lecture demonstrations, aimed at teaching music and dance, Divya and Ranjani have developed art retreats as part of their outreach. Their recent retreat, Anunada, held in San Felipe, B.C. Mexico, focused on the interconnectedness of nāda, nātya, and yoga. The sessions combined sound, movement and breath. Ranjani explored sound as vibration through tones, chants, and natural rhythms; Divya guided movement as an inward-originating, outward-extending practice; while Carolyn Belko, a senior teacher from Iyengar Yoga , led breathwork and asana sessions. This and other initiatives by the duo allows more people to experience its power.

Their latest offering is a studio in Chennai, designed to support both sound and movement. It features a sprung dance floor, acoustic treatment and panelling, and a sound system that enables live sound and multitrack recording. The studio also functions as an intimate performance space for presenting, streaming, and recording Niyantri’s works, including those in progress.

In a landscape where many classical dancers engage with interdisciplinary practices and extend their work beyond traditional performance, the ability to present one’s artistic practice as a cohesive, tangible package becomes essential. Such articulation not only helps communicate the scope and relevance of their work to wider audiences, including those unfamiliar with the arts. This requires a careful balance: presenting work in a structured and accessible manner and conveying the depth of the artiste’s skill and vision.

What stands out in Niyantri’s approach is how Ranjani and Divya bring together their diverse initiatives with clarity and intent.