Dance in demonstration
GUDIPOODI SRIHARI
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Padma Subramanyam's lecture and demonstration on Bharatanatyam was enriching to say the least.
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Bharata's Natya Sastra is a comprehensive work and there is no need to look at foreign culture to know about music, dance, paintings and sculpture
Photo: Shaju John
EYE OPENER Padma Subramanyam during a dance demonstration.
The Andhra Music Academy's 7th annual festival, held at Harihara Kala Bhavan, Secunderabad, last week, was marked by an informative lecture demonstration on Karanas in Bharatanatyam, by its exponent Dr. Padma Subramanyam.
"Bharata's Natya Sastra is a comprehensive work and there is no need to look at foreign culture to know about music, dance, paintings and sculpture," said Padma Subramanyam while opening her lecture demonstration on Karanas, her area of research. Her lec-dem was an absorbing experience to listen to. It reminded us that it was the greatest work she undertook in her fifty year dancing career. She was happy to be celebrating her Golden Jubilee in the presence of Sadguru Sivanandamurthy and many learned people in the auditorium. She said that the 108 Karanas, described in Bharatanatya Sastra and the way Siva and Parvati displayed them in their dances as reflected in the temple architecture are the most authoritative.
Padma Subramanyam wants to build a temple in Chennai and sculpt the karanas on black stone and preserve them forever. She said she would also carve relevant slokas under the sculptures explaining each of the Karanas, that reflect the great mind of Bharata Muni. For this she needed the support of all the dancers in the country who had great love for Indian traditions and culture, she added.
"It is said by some researchers that Natya Sastra was written by Bharatamuni in 500 B.C . But according to my own research, I deduce that the work is much older than that," Padma explained. The Vedas were Apourisheyas (not authored by any person, but revealed to rishis), which were given by Brahma to sage Bharata as his message to the mankind. Music, dance, prosody, drama and theatre architecture were all described in this book. The 108 karanas were already sculpted on Tanjore, Kumbakonam and Chidambaram temples, with Siva and Parvati seen presenting them, in tandava and lasya formats respectvely.
The research she did was based on these pictures. Explaining what kind of impact they make on the beholder, Padma recalled her experiences abroad. Stating the karanas have universal appeal, she said that when she presented a solo -ballet Jatayu Moksham to a Russian Symphony orchestra, it was well accepted.
Similarly, when she staged Gajendra Moksham in tune with a Japanese instrument, named 'Koto' that resembled our 'Gottu' Vadyam, she received much applause, thus showing its appeal all over the world.
She also demonstrated a Thodi piece with karanas-- a thrilling exhibition that was. On the request of Padma, Dr. Nookla Chinna Satyanarayana rendered the popular sloka Suklambaradharam Vishnum in Kalyani, which she interpreted in her abhinaya with the karanas to suit the sahitya and its bhava.
In between, she also displayed some photo films that explained the art. The entire demonstration was supported by vocalist Gayatri and mridangist Rajagopalachari.
Responding to her appeal for support for the temple construction, Sri Sivananda Murthy, on behalf of his Sanatana Dharma Charitable Trust, presented her with a cheque of Rs. one lakh. He also gave Rs. 30,000 for the sculptures of karanas on black stone.
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