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Of skills and beyond

Photos: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar and Shanker Chakravarty

Radhika Ganju in a Krishna pose.

Yamini Reddy’s winsome stage presence and sound Kuchipudi technique, if provided the alchemy of more internalisation, would create greater dance conviction. Even as the dancer is trying to lose herself in the dance, given the intimacy of the I ndia International Centre auditorium where the audience is within hand-shaking distance, the young dancer got intimidated into an intrusive awareness of the spectators, distracting from the stillness of concentration. Starting with Revati and flowering into ragas like Mohanam and Hamsadhwani, the Saraswati invocation, in Raja Reddy’s visualisation, interwove hymn, kavit and lyric (Sooryakanti Nirala’s Varade Veena Vadini), sans the customary florid Kuchipudi nritta embellishment, into an unusual and suitably prayerful curtain-raiser.

The contrasting nritta item jati kattu rendered to a refrain in raga Maand, while done with grace and footsure rhythm, lacked a structure, the virtuosity appearing purposeless. The excerpt from Usha Parinayam, where the princess’s romantic interaction with the handsome prince turns out to be just a dream, saw Yamini at her best, and with time Yamini’s abhinaya will acquire even more depth.

The delicate Annamacharya lyric “Alaralu kuriyaga aadenade Alakala kulukula Alamelumanga” describes Alamelumanga, Consort of Lord Venkateswara, dancing for the God behind a translucent curtain. In the sensuous ecstasy of her dance and its rhythm, Alamelumanga loses herself, surrendering totally to the Lord in the finale of the song. The curtain symbolises the last vestiges of separation before complete oneness with the Lord. Inclusive of both nritta and interpretative dance as the item is, if the efflorescence of rhythm in the dance designing could come as a climax after the interpretative part is allowed to build up on its own, the poetic/musical intensity would remain unbroken, with the last line of prayer alone coming as the culmination.

Yamini is the ideal disciple for Raja to try his creative ideas on. The dancer’s elaborate head ornamentation could be toned down.

Innovative programming

A diligent and serious Bharatanatyam disciple of Kanaka Srinivasan, Radhika Ganju would seem to have been hampered by inadequate preparation for her HCL Concert at the Habitat. Guru Kanaka Srinivasan’s unique Krishna-based programme was inspired by the Bhagavata Purana enunciation of nine-fold bhakti, namely sravanam (listening to His name), keertanam (singing His praises), smaranam (reciting His name), pada sevanam (se rving at His feet), archanam (worship), vandanam (salutation), daasyam (as God’s servant), sakhyam (friendship with Him), and atma nivedanam (total surre nder). The smaranam start to the recital, based on a hymn, visualised Krishna being perceived in various forms — as champion wrestler, endearing child, stealer of maidens’ hearts, the Supreme soul and as the death Nemesis — by the wrestlers, the general people, the young maidens, the yogis and Kamsa respectively. Tagged on was the Annamacharya lyric “Bhavayami Gopala Balam” describing child Krishna, the lilting switchover from Arabhi to Yamuna Kalyani in Sudha Raghuraman’s singing very evocative. But rhythmic lapses marred the impact despite Radhika’s felt expressions.

The singer’s efforts notwithstanding, faulty laya continued in the centrepiece “Sree Krishna Kamala Natha”, comprising Sanskrit verses set in the varnam format in Reeti Gowla raga. The narrative sequences from the Krishna myth, to gel into an integrated whole, requires more familiarisation with the new item by the dancer and better accompanist coordination, in the nattuvangam, percussion (which appeared clueless) and dance.

In search of perfection Yamini Reddy in a Nataraja posture.

A Krishna/Sudhama dialogue based on a Surdas bhajan epitomised the sakhya mode. The Andal pasuram finale as atma nivedanam, in the very wordy lyric, could have been tightened. A newly structured programme combined with both dancer and teacher fighting the aftermath of a bout of ill health resulted in an under-rehearsed recital.

Enthusiasm

More like a school programme, with all tiny tots learning Odissi participating, the Sankshipta Ramayana by Patitapawan Kala Niketan at the Habitat made up by way of enthusiasm and discipline what it lacked in uniform proficiency. The best effort came from Rajnikant Mohanty as Ravan. In a laudable gesture of encouragement, Prasanna Ku Patsani, Member of Parliament, appeared as Guru Vashisht. Priyanka as Maya Mriga and Rajeev Gupta as Jatayu (though the sequence was needlessly prolonged), impressed. The visuals screened to supplement action distracted and were redundant.

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