The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Moksha for Poothana; Arjuna gets blessings

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Moksha for Poothana; Arjuna gets blessings

Staff Reporter

The East Cultural Association is presenting the episodes in a Kathakali performance tomorrow

The show begins at 7 p.m. at the ECA Auditorium
Artistes from the Chaliya Kathakali Vidyalayam, Kerala, are giving the performance

Bangalore: The East Cultural Association will present the episodes, “Poothanamoksham” and “Kiratham,” in a Kathakali performance here on Saturday. Senior artistes from the Chaliya Kathakali Vidyalayam from Kerala will be performing the two epic stories.

In “Poothanamoksham”, the beautiful Poothana is a rakshasi who is on a mission, decreed by Kamsa to destroy all boys below a year old at Ambadi. Kamsa had been told by Narada that his nemesis — Lord Krishna — is prospering in the idyllic village of Ambadi. Kamsa’s chosen assassin, Poothana, finds the little Krishna at play in his house and chokes at the thought of what she is about to do. But she has to, she knows, for if she does not fulfil her mission, Kamsa would destroy her. But it would instead be Lord Krishna who would suck the lifeblood out of Poothana, liberating her with “moksha”.

In “Kiratham”, Arjuna is on a difficult penance in a forest to subdue his ego and to please Lord Shiva, even as Parvathi pleads with her husband to spare Arjuna of the self-inflicted suffering. But Lord Shiva has to test Arjuna before he can bless him.

Lord Shiva and Parvathi, in disguise as hunter (Kattalan) and his wife, come to Arjuna — when a wild boar sent by Duryodhanan, appears to shake Arjuna from his penance. Arjuna and Kattalan shoot the boar — but a quarrel ensues: who killed the boar?

The quarrel turns into a test of archery. Parvathi, unable to placate the men, “curses” Arjuna so that his arrows turn to flowers. With this curse, Arjuna’s attempt to subdue his ego is realised, and he is blessed by the divine couple.

The performance begins at 7 p.m. at the ECA Auditorium.

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