A melange of dance and music
HARISH BAL
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The annual `Dharani Kalotsav' was a memorable experience for the audience in Kochi.
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CULTURAL FIESTA: The `Dharani Kalotsav' saw performances by artistes like C.V. Chandrasekhar, Bombay Jayashree , Shyamala Surendran, S. Shashank and Saswati Sen.
The six-day-long `Dharani Kalotsav' in Kochi proved to be a grand success, presenting some of the big names in music and dance from various parts of the country.
A veteran of the Kalakshetra style in Bharatnatyam Guru C.V. Chandrasekhar and his troupe performed on the first day. The maestro, who has touched 70, surprised the audience with his amazing vigour and virtuosity. In a padavarnam `Manavini,' he symbolised a perfect form of rhythmic and aesthetic excellence. Chandrasekhar, famous for his pure choreographies, does not believe in adulterating the Bharatanatyam idiom with even a single gesture or movement. `Kreeda,' a stylised presentation, takes a peek into the games and leisure activities of yore. With ragas like Behag, followed by Kundaravali and Kalyani, Chandrasekhar's disciples brought alive the nostalgic charm of gulli danda, kite flying, tops and so on. The piece culminated in a tillana in Kapi.
With her short yet successful stints in playback singing, Bombay Jayashree is nothing less than a star. Even though she is known for her contemplative style of singing, some of her songs on the second day of the festival, like `Meru samana' in Mayamalavagowla and `Bhajare manasa' in Abheri were sung rapidly. The raga alaapana for Ranjani, which started on the `dha' note took an interesting turn with a neraval for `Kanjadalalochani.' Shyamashastri's Bhairavi swarajathi was the main piece.
Graceful performance
The Dharani troupe that toured the United States successfully with their production `Sthree Shakthi' performed on the third day. As the khandita nayika, Shyamala Surendran, proved she could be a graceful performer too, even though teaching remains her forte. As the nayika has evolved, her reasons for sorrow also under go a change. It is not the separation from her love that is the cause for her agony, but increasing atrocities on women. As Shyamala and her disciples narrated the story in the graceful style of Mohiniyattom, the boys in her troupe adopted the masculine movements of Kathakali to enact the story.
The furious fight between Durga and Mahisha was magnificently portrayed by K.V. Rajesh.
S. Shashank's flute recital on the fourth day was a melodious essay on Hindolam. The racy swaraprasthara and gathis were an invigorating experience. A ragam tanam pallavi in Kalyani, set to Khanda triputa, was noteworthy for its vakra and jhanda passages, and the flautist demonstrated how magical the effects could be when two or more octaves could be played simultaneously.
Brilliant recital
Another highlight of the festival was a performance of Saswati Sen, disciple of Birju Maharaj, and a practitioner of the Lucknow school. If her tihais in teental showcased rhythmic brilliance, her Layakari, was an exposition of splendid body language. The clarity and simplicity of expression were evident in her piece on `Ganga.'
With lucid mudras, she showed the various forms of Siva, of the earthly multitude formulated by sorrows and sins, and the ecstatic and blissful flow of the sacred river.
In a thumri, `Shyam those haari, chodo sari,' which she had performed for Satyajit Ray's `Shatranj ke Khiladi,' depicted the mixed feelings of the gopis towards Krishna's pranks.
Although they are annoyed at his pranks, they long to be with him. The latter half of the piece saw the danseuse improvise and perform spontaneously. She danced to the popular song `Krishna nee begane.' The audience could not have asked for more. Saswati pointed out that she had performed the same piece in front of the late Balasaraswati. The festival concluded with a Satriya dance by Indira Bora. This traditional dance from Assam is performed by monks in Satras. The Chali dance by Indira was marked by simple music on the cymbals and flute.
As the curtain fell on the third annual `Dharani Kalotsav,' it was clear that many in the audience were looking forward to the next one.
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