Moving depiction
Jayanthi Subramanyam
A GREAT deal of significance is associated with the lighting of lamps, deepa, in our country. It was therefore surprising to see that the Nungambakkam Cultural Academy had an unpolished kuthuvilakku on stage with a small flickering bulb placed on it, and the wire clearly visible. If it is inconvenient to ensure that the oil wick does not go out, they could do away with the kuthuvilaku entirely. Similiarly, the cloth beneath the Ganesha idol is unsuitable, as it has a modern print. Also the sabha should be strict in adhering to the time schedule.
Srinidhi Sundar danced with confidence. However her araimandi was visible only at the beginning and end of jathis. The costume did not quite suit her, further accentuating this lack of araimandi in the Swarajathi ``Maa Mohana" in the ragam Khamas, set to Rupaka talam. Her bhava adequately conveyed the image of a mischievous Krishna stealing butter, in the well-known piece ``Bhavayami Gopala Balam." Srinidhi has a tendency to lean forward from the waist while walking back after a jathi or while leaving the stage. As she matures in the art, she should pay attention to keeping the spine erect.
Guru K. J. Sarasa conducted the performance with composure.
The next performance was that of Jayanthi Subramanyam. Even before the curtain was raised, two unique voices could be heard and identified during the invocatory ``Maha Ganapathim." Guru Adyar K. Lakshman and Radha Badri took turns singing and complemented each other very well. At one point, the audience gave the guru a spontaneous round of applause. Even though there were only four musicians on stage, the richness of their music made it seem like there were many more. Baba Prasad playing the mridangam and Kalaiarasan on the violin worked together to enhance the evening's performance.
The dance recital began with Nandichol and verses in praise of Shiva. Jayanthi then performed the composition Nityakalyani that is set to a profusion of ragas, in praise of the Goddess in her many forms. She has the rare ability to move the audience and this was evident throughout her performance. In one of the sanchari-s, she gave a delicate portrayal of the Devi emerging from the waters of the ocean, her eyes meeting those of Lord Vishnu and the exchange of garlands that followed. In the sanchari depicting the meeting of Madurai Meenakshi and Sundareswarar, the interval of time when the Devi's tense arms carrying a bow and arrow become relaxed and are brought together in surrender could perhaps have been shorter. The kartari mudra showing the fish-like eyes should be held higher, closer to the dancer 's eyes.
The true quality of her dance however became evident later, in the padam ``Indendu Vachitivira" in Suruti, Rupaka Talam and in the Ragamalika lullaby, ``Omana Thingal," by the poet Irayimman Thampi.
The controlled sarcasm of the khandita nayika and the vatsalya bhava mingling with adbhuta in these two pieces was a delight to watch. There is within Jayanthi a great calm measured pace which underlies her abhinaya. At times, her eyes alone dance, speaking so eloquently that everything else seems redundant. However, in the Sankarabharanam tillana, Jayanthi's footwork was not as precise as it should have been.
Poised and graceful
Gopika Varma has an attractive stage-presence that is natural to her. The fine edging of red and green to the usual gold border of the Mohini Attam costume was very elegant.
When her students joined her on stage however, the colours and material of their costumes did not blend visually with the fine off-white cotton that she was wearing. She began her recital with a Sollukattu in Ragamalika, leaving an impression in the mind with some of the poses she assumed, especially that of the Devi.
Her movements were poised and graceful, qualities that have an even greater significance in this particular dance-form.
The main item was Poothana Moksham where Gopika effectively portrayed the Rakshasi as someone who is not immune to the sight of the charming baby Krishna, but who puts those feelings aside in order to complete her terrible mission.
The abhinaya for the part where Poothana wanders around looking for the baby, could be made even better by letting the eyes of a demoness peer out from within her disguise of a beautiful body.
The show ended with a Tillana in Useni. Sudev Warrier sang very well. Gifted Ramesh Babu was superb with the maddalam and the mridangam while Kalamandalam Suresh Kumar made a striking figure as the colourful threads on the edakka contrasted with his green kurta. Sangeeta Suresh Kumar did the nattuvangam and versatile Eshwar played the violin.
TULSI BADRINATH
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