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An evening with the Gods

Photos: K.Ananthan

Divine inspiration Madhavi Mudgal at Natyanjali

Something profoundly spiritual exists within the ancient walls of Perur temple. Built during the reign of the Chola kings, it has witnessed the growth of civilization for hundreds of years. It is an architectural wonder, with devotees having thronged its precincts for centuries. And Lord Nataraja, who resides within the temple, has been worshipped by a long trail of disciples of the ancient dance forms.

All dancers consider it an honour to perform here. It is no wonder then that Padmashri awardee, Madhavi Mudgal, jumped at the idea of performing within this holy space. “The power of devotion can be felt here,” is how Ms. Mudgal describes it.

A lucky few observe her Nritya Sevai under the early afternoon sun. The steady chant of the Vedas by the priests is a call to Lord Nataraja, asking for the Cosmic Dancer’s presence at this event. The echo of the Vedas through the sculptured walls of the Kanaka Saba is enough to raise goose pimples. “There is no age for dance,” observes a bystander, as we stand waiting for the acclaimed Odissi dancer to perform. I couldn’t agree more, especially when Ms. Mudgal, wearing an austere sari and a serene expression, begins with her offering to the Lord of Dance.

As Ms Mudgal makes perfect use of her limited space in the Saba, you can tell that she is lost in another, more divine world. It is her own private communication with her Lord. Curious devotees trickle in to see what the music is all about. The free and democratic space of the temple makes it possible for just about anyone to come and witness this rare dance recital.

The audience is in for a longer treat that very evening. Ms. Mudgal’s hour and a half long performance comes as the second act on the second day of Natyanjali, the annual dance festival organised by the Rotary Club of Metropolis.

We make our way to the temple at 5.30 p.m., in order to win better seats at this popular festival. It is open and free for all, making the event truly one for the masses. “Dance has always moved with the times, with the inputs of dancers making the art eternally relevant,” Ms Mudgal says. As you watch her perform Odissi, a relatively unknown dance form in this part of the country, Ms. Mudgal’s words ring a bell.

While the national award winner began learning Bharathanatyam at the age of three, she turned to Odissi as her medium of expression at age 14. “My love for Odissi stems from its inherent grace, lyricism and underplayed subtlety,” she explains. Once again, her words ring a bell, as she begins her performance in the evening with an invocation to Lord Nataraja. Grace and fluidity go synonymously with the danseuse’s moves.

A well-preserved body dances with poised athleticism through the length and breadth of the stage, revealing the years of riyaaz put into her craft.

With her lyrical voice, Ms. Mudgal gives the audience a brief introduction of what she is about to do at the beginning of each of her six masterful pieces. Her pure, abstract movements to the Pallavi, performed in rhythmic variations, are the perfect overture to what lies ahead.

Ms. Mudgal’s Abhinaya pieces speak of mythical tales of Radha and Krishna. Danced to Saint Jaidev’s Gita Govinda (the core compositions celebrated in Odissi), she expresses Radha’s angst towards Krishna’s late arrival one night.

The following Ashtapadi narrates the moving account of how Krishna seeks Radha’s forgiveness. As Ms. Mudgal informs, in his bid to win Radha’s heart, Krishna urges her to ‘place her lotus feet over his head’. Legend has it that Saint Jaidev found it immensely difficult to write this final part of this tale, and Krishna himself entered the Saint to complete the poem!

Ms. Mudgal performs these powerful tales effortlessly. As is the case with her third Abhinaya piece, a more playful tale shared once again between Radha and Krishna.

Her conclusion to a performance filled with power and subtlety, leaves one breathless. One can’t help but admire her steps, which are timed to perfection, and matched in equal measure with the refined movements of her hands.

It is a perfect way to spend an evening in the midst of the Gods.

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