Eesha Bala

A Shabdam is the first item in a Bharatanatyam recital, which has words in it. Therefore, it is also the item of a margam where abhinaya or expressions are introduced. A Shabdam usually consists of the life and praise of a particular god or king.

Eesha Bala shabdam is in praise of Karthikeya, who is the son of Lord Shiva (Eesha). He is the brother of elephant headed Ganesha, who carries a trident and is beloved of his devotees. The Shabdam sets the pattern for most of the compositions that Arya will be performing - a stanza of song describing the situation or story which is acted out by the dancer followed by rhythmic steps.