Through the eyes of Sita
NISHA M
|
Neena Prasad's performance of `Sitaayanam' was marked by aesthetic grace and lyrical beauty.
|
Without much elaboration, Neena trimly presented the episodes of the Ramayana
Photo: S. Mahinsha
ARTISTIC JOURNEY: Neena Prasad's `Sitaayanam' unfolds different incidents of the Ramayana, through the eyes of Sita.
One gets to see beauty and talent merge when Neena Prasad dances. A danseuse of high calibre, she staged a group choreography `Sitaayanam' that was marked by aesthetic grace and lyrical beauty.
Establishing her creative energy and commitment to Mohiniyattom, the presentation combined the creative efforts of experts from diverse fields.
Conceptualised by Neena and Changanassery Madhavan Namboothiri, the much-told story got a new dimension through Neena's unparalleled choreography.
The credits for the lyrics go to Madhusoodhanan Nair (Malayalam), Maheswaran Nair (Sanskrit) and Sreepadam Eswaran Namboothiri (Manipravalam).
She opened with a cholkettu in Gambiranatta. Next came `Sitaayanam,' the journey through Sita's life in which Neena and her disciples excelled in every nuance of the art form.
The presentation unfolds different incidents of Ramayana, through the eyes of Sita, the key protagonist.
Grace and artistry
Her meeting with Rama, whom she feels will be the ideal husband, was dealt with grace and artistry. Following him to the forest to fulfil his father's vow, Sita appeared to the audience as a serene woman.
Later, Sita comes across many hardships, which forces her to undergo the test of fire to prove her fidelity.
Without much elaboration, Neena briefly but aesthetically presented the episodes of the Ramayana. Neena's refreshing approach towards mudras and mukhabhinya reflected her involvement during her performance.
One of her disciples, Rithu Prakash, as Rama, showcased her skill in abhinaya and was the right choice for the role.
Portrayal of Sita and her children at the ashram of sage Valmiki was brilliantly handled. Her feelings were shaped without melodrama. The switching over from Rama's wife to a mother of two underlined Neena's precision as a performer.
The well-trained group members, Divya R. Nair, Vidyamol, Gowri Raj and Abha Mohan did a good job.
`Sampoorna Adhyatma Ramayana' in Sanskrit, the `Kamba Ramayana' in Tamil and the famous poem `Chinthavishtayaya Sita' penned by Kumaranasan were used as sources for sahitya. Changanassery Madhavan Namboothiri set the lyrics to gripping tune.
Folk music
The music was given the tempo of folk music and it was juxtaposed with classical ragas.
His smooth rendering was in excellent harmonisation with the performance. Kottayam Unnikrishnan (nattuvangam), Vypin Sathish (mridangam), Ganaraj (violin), and Thichur Murali (veena) excelled as accompanists.
Organised by Dhamani and Bharathanjali, the event was also an occasion to honour Kathakali maestro Kottakkal Sivaraman and Mohanlal.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
