Rare ability in full flow
MANJARI SINHA
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Performers with disabilities presented a memorable evening of music and dance at the Rashtrapati Bhavan this past week.
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A real show Astad Debu’s “Contrapositions”, a contemporary dance work.
“Courage to Win”, the ‘Mahamantra” of the President . A.P.J. Abdul Kalam was translated into a musical treat when some gifted performers with disabilities, performed for him at the Rashtrapati Bhavan this past
week. The melodious Carnatic vocal recital by Gayatri Shankaran, a visually impaired musician, and the contemporary dance choreography by Astad Debu with performers from the Clarke School for the Deaf, Chennai, enraptured the music lovers who were fortunate enough to attend this unusual musical evening.
Gayatri Shankaran gave a befitting start to the programme with her soulful rendition of the Pranav- Mantra and an invocation to Lord Ganesha, the destroyer of all obstacles.
A visually challenged by birth, Gayatri had to confront hurdles all through, but her relentless sadhana has earned her recognition like the Padmashri, Surmani and the National Award for Role Model. Initiated into music by her mother at an early age, Gayatri was taken by Rukmini Devi Arundale of Kalakshetra fame, under her wings for further grooming. She did her Postgraduate diploma at Kalakshetra with excellence and stood first in the university completing Masters Degree in music. Currently pursuing her Ph.D from Madras University, Gayatri regularly performs for AIR and Doordarshan. Her workshops at Mumbai, London and Canada, have received wide acclaim.
She is not only a competent vocalist but also an accomplished violinist groomed by none other than Padmabhushan Lalgudi Sri G. Jayraman. The quintessence of Lalgudi’s style, characterised by pristine purity, lucidity, clarity and deep emphasis on sahitya was apparent in whatever she sang that evening, be it “Jaykodand Ramavtara…..’, the keertanam in raga Malika, the Annamacharya kriti in Yamunakalyaani, or the Purandar Dasa popular composition ‘Jagadiddhaarana…’ in Kapi. Gayatri concluded her recital with Bapu’s favourite bhajan ‘Raghupati Raghava Raja Rama..’. She had commendable accompaniment on mridangam by R.Shrinivasa and on violin by R. Shravanam.
Dance work
Astad Debu presented a short version of ‘Contraposition’, his contemporary dance work that was featured during the opening ceremony and the cultural festival of the ‘20th Deaf Olympics’ at Melbourne, Australia, in January, 2005.
Acclaimed for his unique dance style, Astad was initially trained in Kathak and Kathakali at home and the Murray Louis Dance Company in the U.S. before he exposed himself to a variety of traditions, techniques and styles from all over the world. He has created a dance style of his own, absorbing all the eclectic impressions and diverse influences, which has become the signature of his dynamic performing art.
The choreography that he presented that evening was based on the ‘Nava-Rasa’, featuring Astad with a group of talented students from the Clarke School for Deaf. The music was composed by Amit Hary and the entire choreography was created on various counting patterns, presented with immaculate co-ordination by performers who could not hear the music at all.
Astad also gave them the opportunity to change costumes when he presented a solo number accompanied by Hary on guitar, before the entire group joined him for the concluding piece. The flawless professional quality of the dance work was amazing. The mesmerised audience was requested to wave their hands instead of clapping as the artists could not hear but see the applause.
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