Feel for abhinaya
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Malavika Sarukkai and Kumkum Lal presented high-quality shows
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Malavika Sarukkai
Heralding the performance part of "The IIC Experience 2006", Malavika Sarukkai's Bharatanatyam recital evoked the spirit of wonder or `Adbhutam' - a dominant state of being in all experience of the `divine other'. Never one to mince words about dance as a spiritual journey transcending physicality, Malavika's theme, visualised through a suite of compositions extolling the mood of wonderment, was in keeping with her philosophy.
The spectator was left wondering whether the dancer's career is entering a new phase, the refined nritta virtuosity, such a forceful part of her Bharatanatyam, now yielding place to a heightened dramatised depiction. Mallari with the mesmerised devotee feasting her eyes on the vision of Vishnu in palanquin in a temple procession, with Nadaswaram and Tavil heralding the glory of the Lord, is a familiar scene in Malavika's varnams. The abhinaya depiction with the Tavil rhythm was overplayed.
Built round verse selections from the 14th Century text of Krishnakarnamrtam by Lilasukha nee Vilvamangala, Mohana Krishna was the item of the evening, Malavika's choreographic inspiration drawing from sculpture and painting evident in the frozen postures and vivid imagery describing pastoral Krishna with Nature responding to His beauty. Thirsty cows see the Yamuna waters in Krishna's blue-hued body and the Gopis see Tamala leaves in the radiant halo round him. In another sequence, Krishna walking down the streets of Mathura entrances women. Gopis decorating the streets in anticipation of his arrival dance in enchantment. The evocative ragamalika score whether in a soulful Simhendra-madhyamam, a Tilang or a Desh, or in a sudden rain of Taanam syllables like a cloudburst of joy, was sung with feeling by Murali Parthasarathy and Venkateswaran's flute provided some melodious interventions.
The Yamunakalyani "Krishna Nee Begane Baro", the epitome of joy and wonder, was overly dramatised. The frills with orchestral support before launching on the operative musical line, expressing Yashoda's wonder at the universe revealed in her little son Krishna's open mouth (Tayige Bayalli Jagavanne Toride)interfered with the continuity of the song.
Set to ragas Ratipatipriya and Suddha Sarang, `Samarpanam' based on verses from Ramacharitmanas, described Hanuman's first glimpse of Ram, the wonder and joy laced with a strong feeling of recognition and of having known him intimately. The simian gestures, jumps and gait, while relevant to the dance interpretation could have been more contained.
Nostalgic journey
Kumkum Lal's Odissi has a special feel for abhinaya. Performing at the Habitat Basement Theatre on the second evening of the two-day Abhinaya festival mounted by Sonal Mansingh's Centre for Indian Classical Dances, Kumkum's Odissi became a nostalgic journey down memory lane, touching upon landmark moments from the days when Odissi was reconstructed. The recorded music, while patchy, added its own sense of history with sounds of music never to be heard live again in Guru Kelucharan's pakhawaj, Bhubaneswar Misra's (single greatest music contributor to Odissi) violin, and Parvati Bramachari's vocal support. Attending only one hour of the programme, one still got a feel of the past starting with the "Padavande Gananath" as the Stuti of Mangalacharan, the composition by late Kalicharan Patnaik, one of the earliest fighters for Odissi with a regional flavour. Next came the epoch making hit when Annapoorna Theatre's pre-play curtain-raiser had then famed actress Laxmipriya (later to become Kelucharan's wife) present Shyamasundar's Oriya lyric "Nahi Ke Kari Dela" portraying the vipralabdha Nayika, bemoaning the absence of Krishna despite her message inscribed on a palm leaf with the Ketaki thorn, wondering who had poisoned his mind. The lean orchestra sans flourishes with a clear voice singing a simple Oriya song had poignancy with nothing between song and dancer. Kumkum danced with involvement, another vipralabdha depiction followed, this time from the Gita Govinda, and with sanchari elaborations, composed in 1979 by Kelucharan Mohapatra with research inputs by late Jivan Pani. Desolate Radha finds moon beams stinging, sandal paste irritating and even flowers lacerating her heart in her loneliness. Of what use youth and beauty she wonders! Kumkum's introductions, a trifle long, about Madana's `pancha baana', the hastas and the meaning of the lyric helped the audience greatly.
LEELA VENKATARAMAN
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