Enthralling interpretation of classical texts
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Ananda Shankar Jayanth made an artistic statement of the aesthetic moods for her twin production - `Thyagaraja Ramayana' and `Navarasa'.
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Saint Thyagaraja's kritis are an enchanting music opus and when strung together to form the Ramayana, they are engrossing. They can narrate the story of Rama and Sita, beset with a range of sentiments (moods or rasa in classical dance parlance), which are at once life-like and worthy of adaptation to stage.
By choosing to present a twin production — Thyagaraja Ramayanam and Navarasa - Expressions of Life, Ananda Shankar Jayanth was able to make an artistic statement of the nine aesthetic moods that form the crux of abhinaya (life) in the dance idiom. If the song and story (Thyagaraja Ramayana) which encapsulate a gamut of sensibilities gave the dancer enough scope to showcase the nine moods so evident on the surface, the sequel Navarasa was presented sans substantial subject through pure nritta (technical footwork) and music (swara). The earthy and the esoteric analysis made for a creative experience.
Ananda's solo rendition Ekaharya of Thyagaraja Ramayana interspersed with Valmiki's slokas was a delight to watch. She sailed smoothly through the one-and-half hour presentation recreating the varied mood swings with ease and ιlan.
The sweetest of Thyagaraja kritis in ragas Kanada Gowla, Neelambari, Ramapriya, Hari Khambhoji, Jayantisri, Panthuvarali, Mukhari and Kapi Narayani, formed the garland of Ananda's story-telling suffused with deep connotations that demanded convincing and complex abhinaya on the part of the artiste. Ananda rose to the occasion with total involvement now emulating a devotee's surrender to the beatific vision of Rama (Thyagaraja's in Sogasu chooda tarama), acting out the maternal affectionate mother to the little child Rama (Uyyala looga vayya-Shringara-love), the aged devotee Shabari (Bhagyamentani ne varnintunu), the shocked, wounded Vali (Marugela raa O Raghava-Karunya), the prankish monkey army and Hanuman (Appa Rama bhakti). Veera rasa oozed with footwork to match in the Rama-Ravana fight (Sarasa samadana bhedha dhanda chatura).
She enthralled the audience with her emotive finesse in the Vaali episode where a repentant and realised Vaali mourns for Rama (Marugela raa O Raghava) with regret, devotion and yearning . Ananda has undoubtedly established her forte in abhinaya if the Thyagaraja Ramayana is anything to go by.
Like an abstract art
The Navarasa was like a stark, abstract art devoid of embellishments, (in costume) translated into mime and movement within the Bharatanatyam format. Syllabic music minus song formed the basis for each of the nine moods starting with Roudra (fury).
This group choreography has Ananda, Mamta Madireddy, Poornima, Manjula Dorairaj and Aarti Bhallepu forming a five-some and not a nine-member team perhaps to facilitate free movement on stage.
Costumes for nine colours to symbolize nine moods was redundant as the sharp contrast in some colours was not all that evident.
Further placing them on a hanger in a corner of the stage conveyed little import. The group of dancers converge from the wings of the stage falling into rhythmic, angular (for most part) designs with a mudra for each rasa-like shikara for roudra rasa, ala padmam for adhbhuta (wonder), clapping for haasya rasa and so on. Marked gestures and eye movements with body kinetics conveyed the various aspects of a rasa.
The best piece was the last mood: peace and tranquillity (shanta). The dance in Anjali mudra set to tanam was a joy to behold. Calculated foot movements with accurate stances conveyed the message that peace lies in tranquillity of the mind and inner recesses of the heart-a fitting finale to this journey in aesthetics.
The Navarasa cannot be classified as rigid Bharatanatyam. It does take liberties but within the medium with a sort of artistic justice.
Music by Prema Ramamurthy, vocal by Venu Madhav enriched the presentation. Renuka Prasad on the nattuvangam, Sreedhararcharya and T.P. Balasubramaniam on the percussion, Saikumar on the violin and Uma Venkatesh on the flute gave the right touch and impetus to the performance, which was staged at Ravindra Bharati under the aegis of the Rotary Club.
R.K
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