Classy cocktail
B. M. SUNDARAM
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Malavika treated the audience to great dance but was it Bharatanatyam?
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WONDERFUL PORTRAYAL: Malavika Sarukkai. Photo: R. Ragu.
The verse, "Kunitta Puruvamum," was the starting number in Malavika Sarukkai's dance programme at the Music Academy. Intricate movements, which she executed with perfection, were a visual treat.
Next came a story on the dusk. Malavika portrayed a young couple climbing the steps to reach its destination, an old woman lamenting over the death of her son and an aarati in a nearby temple along the Ganges in Kasi. These scenes have been woven into a song by S.V. Seshadri and tuned by his musician-wife, Meera Seshadri.
The lyrics in Tamil begin with the words: "Kadiravan Marainda Velai." But its Sanskrit equivalent "Astam gats Ravi" was rendered before commencing the lyric each time, with a short sollukkattu preceding it. Why a single Sanskrit line was incorporated in a Tamil song is best known to the choreographer. The lyrics "Kadiravan ... " were rendered in Kapi while the Sanskrit line was sung in Chandrakams. Malavika portrayed the aarati in an aggressive manner . This single number consumed much of the time. Malavika, in tune with the announcement made at the start of the programme, drew circles within circles. Someone in the audience wondered aloud what form of dance it was — Kathak, Kuchipudi or Odissi. And someone replied: "This is called Misra nrutya."
The next item again was a story. On seeing two lovers in the marketplace, the nayika is reminded of her lover. Overcome by passion, she dreams of him at night. She beckons her sakhi and laments the next morning. "Kettisai Vaazhi Tozhi," a verse from the Sangam classic Kuruntogai, was used for the number.
Though Malavika's portrayal of various characters was wonderful, she danced only to the melody that emerged from the flute than to songs throughout the concert. A.S. Murali, a talented mridangam and ghatam artiste, did the nattuvangam and sang (recited) on two occasions. He and Malavika were very precise in the kalapramana. Murali should have recited the adlukkattus and teermanams louder. The vocal rendition of Murali Parthasarathi, particularly his elaboration of raga Varali, deserves special mention.
In Malavika's `Samarpanam' — the first meeting between Rama and Hanuman — a few verses from Tulsidas' `Ram Charit Manas' were used. It is not at all understandable why sancharis take the first place, even before the lyric is begun! In all, the audience enjoyed a beautiful dance programme, not Bharatanatyam.
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