Sathy’s ‘Sitayana’
G.S. PAUL
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Margi Sathi’s choreography ‘Sitayanam’ focusses on Sita’a trials and tribulations.
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I wanted to express the thoughts and emotions of Sita who had to undergo traumatic experiences throughout her life.
Photo K.K Najeeb
Defining Sita: Margi Sathi’s ‘Sitayanam’ focusses on Sita.
There is no gainsaying the fact that the last two decades were a period of resurgence for the age-old Sanskrit theatre of Koodiyattam. Innumerable productions apart, the hallmark of this unprecedented phenomenon was the highlighting of female roles.
Productions such as ‘Abhijnana Sakuntalam,’ ‘Karthyayani Purappad,’ and ‘Vikramorvaseeyam’ and so on are examples. Also, there have been attempts to give new interpretations to legendary characters against the backdrop of contemporary events. Margi Sathi’s choreography ‘Sitayanam’ is perhaps the latest in this series.
Sathi believes that the present month, observed as ‘Ramayana month’ in many Hindu households and temples, is an ideal time to meditate on Sita, the heroine of the epic. Sitayanam will be staged during the current month itself, she said.
Depicting Sita
“The entire Ramayana is Rama-centric. I wanted to express the thoughts and emotions of Sita who had to undergo many traumatic experiences throughout her life,” pointed out Sathi amidst marathon rehearsals at Cheruthuruthy. Sathi waxed eloquent as she explained the fate of a woman who had to accompany her husband to the forest soon after her marriage and was forced to put up with a lot of misery until Mother Earth claimed her.
According to Sathi, Sita’s plight had haunted since she started her career as a Koodiyattam artiste. In the past, the Chakyar used to enact this character by ‘pakarnattam’ in the different Acts of Acharyachoodamani such as ‘Jatayuvadham,’ ‘Soorpanakhangam’ and so on. It was only from the period of Paimkulam Rama Chakyar that Sita had received a separate entity in these plays, she pointed out.
As for her choreography, Sathi has skilfully divided ‘Sitayanam’ into three parts of 90-minute duration each. They will be presented on three days consecutively.
Episodes
The play opens with Sita’s experiences in Panchavadi. “What all thoughts might have passed through her mind when Soorpanakha approached her husband, who, in turn, had sent her to his brother Lakshmana, who was also a married man? How could a woman like Sita, known for her unflinching chastity, put up with such bitter experiences? These and other anecdotes, including her abduction by Ravana, will be covered on the first day,” Sathi explained.
The second episode embraces her experiences in Asokavanika. Choreographic ingenuity is at its best as Sathi has introduced delineation of nava rasas based on Sita’s feelings during her stay in Ravana’s gorgeous garden.
Sita’s stay at Valmiki’s hermitage is slated for the third day. Interestingly, the first part itself opens as a flashback from Valmiki’s hermitage. Sita is shown in an introspective mood and she dwells upon her past. This part is full of anecdotes, such as her confinement by Ravana, the children stopping the horse, their battle with Hanuman and so on. She wonders how Rama, who had given Moksha to Ahalya, could punish her for no fault of hers.
Sathi explained that the three episodes would be anchored on three slokas and their presentation would be strictly within the Koodiyattom format: recitation of the sloka followed by its elaborate delineation. Noted Kathakali exponent and scholar Nelliyode Vasudevan Namboodiri has composed the slokas for the play. The multiplicity of anecdotes and characters provide for immense scope for ‘ekahaarya’ (solo). Interestingly, Nature has a significant role in this path-breaking production as it is a permanent companion of Sita at the three locations.
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