Enriching movements
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Vasundhara Doreswamy’s performance was imaginative and aesthetic
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METICULOUS An analytical approach to choreography was evident
Vasundhara Performing Arts Centre presented Gurubhyo Namaha, as part of Pallavotsava-2009, a five-day National Festival of Classical Dance and Music.
Gurubhyo Namaha was in tribute to Dr. Vasundhara Doreswamy’s masters, who have kindled her innate artistry and who were instrumental in enriching her repertoire in various related fields - Natya, Yoga and the Martial Arts. The feature imaginatively blended all these faculties, meticulously wrapped within the aesthetic folds of classical dance.
An analytical approach to the choreography was well evident. The first two scenes dedicated to Guru in general, including the Lord, reminded Pathanjali’s tatra niratishayam sarvajna beejam (in Him is the source of immense awareness); Guru is the Taaraka Brahma who transcends the seeker (mumukshu) beyond the mundane into the realms of unbounded Kaivalya.
Choreographer of high acumen and dancer of vast experience has selected and concatenated verses from Skandapurana instilling into them thoroughly honed expressions. The third section predominantly comprised sentimental aspects, Abhinaya, wherein all the artistes convincingly realised the navarasas, culminating in shantharasa. A meditative ambience took its inception in the performance of Suryanamaskara, evolving through Padmasana, Pashchimottasana, Rajakapotasana and the like. Absorbing music, convincingly conveying the essence of the lyrics, instantly ushered the mind into a deep, contemplative mood.
The artistic instinct of the choreographer has substituted jathis for vinyasas which are indispensable systematic connecting links (between various asanas) in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yogasana Style of Pattabhi Jois.
Breathtaking fighting scenes had kalaripayattu and sword fighting, which Vasundhara had learnt from Chalakkad Shankara Narayanan. Music ensemble which rightly complemented the visual depiction comprised P. Rama (vocal- emotive singing with clarity and diction), Sandesh Bhargav (nattuvanga - delivering reverberating sholkattus), Narayana (violin-faithfully enhancing the overall mood), Balakrishna (mridanga - climactic beats), Manjunath (rhythm pad - with special effects) and Raghunandan (flute - meaningful interludes).
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Vaishnavi Narasimhan sang at Ganabharathi, accompanied by M.D. Arjun (violin), Shrinivasa Prasad (mridanga) and V.S. Suresh (ghata).
The young singer’s style is lively and inspiring. Surprisingly, in spite of frequent discrepancies in the shruthi (strangely, this would happen during long sustenance on the tarashadja, all the other swaras, even the higher octaves, perfectly falling into their respective places) her music was pleasing and impressive.
Her silvery voice was able to infuse emotions into compositions, and simple narrative style aptly complemented the sentiments ingrained in them. She imparted definite devotional expressions to “Kanakamaya Bhushini” (Kanakangi - Ashok Madhavan). Elaboration of Lathangi (“Aparadhamulanniyu - Patnam) gave impressive turn to her concert. Admirable fluency with subtle sancharas commanded all appreciations; neraval as Kripachesi consummated the experience.
Alapana in Todi (“Gatinivani” - Thyagaraja) too maintained the same melodic tempo. She could have opted for a neraval, preferably around charana for unreserved commendations. Young violinist’s melody-support excelled in “Gatinivani”, and the percussionists’ resonating intricacies made a lasting impact in the tani avarthana.
Other pleasing numbers were – “Kshirasagara” (Devagandhari - Thyagaraja), “Nilamegha” (Valaji - Venkatadriswami) and so on.
V. NAGARAJ
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