From diverse traditions
IN HARMONY The Mela enlivened the stage
Vasundhara Performing Arts Centre presented six male-oriented concerts as part of three- day National level dance festival, Natarajotsava- 2007. Ujwal and Shwetha's Bharathanatya embodied all the elements of the art form where in, a flavour of gentleness complemented with good learning imparted an appealing fervour conforming to the elementary parameters.
Young artistes successfully materialised the visions of the choreographer, Guru Sanjay Shantharam. Fitness well chiselled to pass through symmetrical vinyasas went together with consistency evolving into graceful postures. Coordination between gross and subtle movements on the one hand and the rhythm on the other, culminated in attractively framed thirmanas.
Within such a broad framework catching feats like bhramaris, utplavanas fell into their respective places in the adavu sections. An amiable bearing provided suitable canvas on which rasa-bhavas impressively revealed themselves as in the varna Adu Daivam (Kalyani). Sanjay Shantharam (Natuvanga), Nandakumar (vocal), Thejaswi Raghunath (flute) and K. Gurumurthi (mridanga) constituted the music ensemble.
Mridula Rao and Somashekhar commenced Bharathanatya with a Pushpanjali, and with it flowed lively nuances of the art form, passing through a kauthuva (Kannada version by Shathavadhani R. Ganesh - raga saraswathi), a varna ("Swami Nan Undan" - Papanasham Shivan-Natakuranji) concluding in thillana. Confidence and expertise intelligibly elaborated all the subtle intricacies. Crisp actions and animating expressions characterised their appropriate responses to the sholkattus (guru Nirupama Rajendra) and lyrics (Manasi Prasad), supported by mridanga (Gurumurthi) and flute (Shri Mahesh).
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The scene now shifts to the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Vrishasena, the gallant son of Karna defeats Bhima to avenge the setback of Kauravas, and in retaliation was killed by the annoyed and humiliated Arjuna.
Saligrama Makkala Mela (Yakshagana) vivified the stage enlivening the above characters, backed with grit, involvement and control on the theatrical traditions, thus presupposing extensive training, dedication, commitment and intensive practice. Movements and expressions invariably harmonised with the bhagavathike (Shridhara Hande and Sujayendra Hande) and the rhythm (Maddale - Balakrishna and Chande - Madhava) - kunitha, incorporating charming knee spins (mandi hakuvudhu), would follow the thala passing through varied layas in strict consonance with the changing moods and emotions expressed to suit the narrative sequences.
Swaggering strides of Vrishasena (pundu vesha by Navin Kumar), stalking steps of self-conceited Bheema (bannada vesha - Kaushik Mayya), majestic bearing of valiant Arjuna (raja vesha - Manoj), air of indomitable confidence in the intriguing Krishna (Tejas) - endorsed emphasis laid on portraying characters in their realistic entirety. Consummating the experience the actors, as arthadharis, delivered the script (Karkada Shrinivasa Udupa) with diction and punch very characteristic of Yakshagana.
V. NAGARAJ
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