It is the magic of margam all the way
CHITRA SWAMINATHAN
|
Innovation within tradition — this is what dancers emphasise this season.
|
PHOTO: S.R. RAGHUNATHAN
BEST FOOT FORWARD: practice session. Padma Subrahmanyam.
It's that time of the year again when classical dancers wear the finest costumes and expressions, explore their creative energies, showcase their choreographic skills and put their best foot forward. They may perform at prestigious platforms across the globe and win rave reviews, but to perform in sabhas and get "sabash" from rasikas here is what they cherish most.
Though terms such as innovative and contemporary are hurled at them often, most choose to revel in the aesthetic appeal of the margam.
A peek into what the artistes have planned for the season.
Padma Subrahmanyam
"Viralimalai Kuruvanji" that I will be performing at Krishna Gana Sabha is special in more ways than one. I performed it first in 1962 after my dear sister-in-law Shyamala Balakrishnan collected these folk songs as part of her research into the folk music of Tamil Nadu. The music of the production dates back to the pre-Tyagaraja period. I may have presented many of the other productions such as "Krishna Tulabharam," "Pannum Bharatamum" (on Thevaram and Tirupugazh) and "Meenakshi Kalyanam" several times over but there is a palpable excitement every time I perform them. My line-up for the season also includes "Bharatiku Anjali" (on Bharatiar's compositions) and "Annamaiyya Pratibha (on Annamacharya kritis).
Priyadarsini Govind
A structure that enables a methodical and disciplined approach to the art, the margam or the traditional repertoire offers enough freedom to be your own. And I find the creative scope that it offers too exciting to resist. This year, I have worked on a new varnam on Sita that has been penned by my mridangist G. Vijayaraghavan and set to music by Rajkumar Bharati.
Then I will also be doing a virutam, a moving portrayal of a mother's agony and pride when she comes to know that her son has been killed from the front on the battlefield and how she sings a lullaby to put him to sleep forever. The piece has been chosen from ancient Tamil literature by well-known scholar Dr.S.Raghuraman. Besides, I will begin my recitals with verses on Devi or a Mallari on Ganapati and round off with a Balamuralikrishna tillana.
Revathi Ramachandran and her disciples.
Chitra Visweswaran
"Dwarakanatham Baje" will focus on the parallel thoughts of Andal and Meera. The music is a combination of Carnatic and Hindustani and has been composed by my husband S. Visweswaran. "Purandara Krishnamritam" as the title suggests is based on rare Purandaradasa compositions. It will depict three moods — vatsalya, sringara and bhakti. I am revisiting both these productions, which I had staged in the 1990s. Revisiting is significant because you tend to look at the same work differently over the years. For instance, "Purandara Krishnamritam" was earlier more in a narrative format but now the mood is created with situations and lyrics. At The Music Academy's performance and talk slot for seniors, I propose to do margam-oriented pieces. Besides, eight of my students are working on Skanda Margam in which every piece - from pushpanjali to tillana - revolves round Lord Muruga.
Sailaja
"Pibare Ramarasam" will include various compositions on Lord Rama. Though I have staged it earlier, I like to perform it because of the relevance of values and ideals described in the Ramayana even today. Some of the verses such as Tyagaraja's are a dancer's delight. There's so much scope to emote and improvise. So you never tire of performing such pieces. And I am sure it's the same with the audience.
Alarmel Valli
I am a great one for margam because it's all encompassing. It's got drama, movement, footwork, poetry... everything to make a recital complete. At The Music Academy early next month (I have taken up just one performance this Margazhi), I will be presenting the Sangam composition, which I premiered last year. It evokes the pathos of loss of a young chieftain of a clan in a battle. An old woman of the clan seeing the chieftain's bloodied body thinks about the plight of his mother, who keeps singing his praise. She also remembers his sprightly childhood days and how girls would fall for this handsome man.
Meenakshi Chittaranjan
Bharat Kalachar will open its festival with "Krishna Nee Begane Baro" (a personal favourite of Mrs.Y.G.Parthasarathy), thematic feature that will have four dancers as Radha, Meera, Satyabhama and Andal calling out to Krishna. The four of us will first perform together to "Krishna nee... " and then individually focus on our chosen character (I play Radha).
Another presentation I am excited about is "Ambapali" (or Amrapali), the beautiful courtesan who gets into a heated debate with Buddha when she comes to know that her lover has become his follower.
Anita Ratnam
I have always been fascinated about drawing parallels between temple rituals and our classical arts. In fact, I have done an in-depth study of the Arayar Sevai ritual through a special government of India scholarship. "Neelam" could be seen as a significant fallout of this research. This thematic presentation portrays four different dimensions of Vishnu as seen and worshipped in different temples. My favourite metaphor Andal will also appear in the production. It will have recorded music that has been put together by Anil Srinivasan and Aniruddha while Sikkil Gurucharan has sung the compositions.
Sounds of instruments used in temple rituals such as the conch, Bramhatalam, cymbals and drums, as also the traditional chants make up major part of the music. I have even incorporated the movements and actions of the priests during the Arayar Sevai into my work. The 75-minute solo performance will have a 6ft. garland for a prop.
The Dhananjayans
Just back from a long tour of the U.S. and Canada, this festival we are restricting ourselves to performing only at the special slot for veteran artistes being introduced by the Music Academy. It will include both performance and a talk by each artiste featured in this section. We will be doing the margam and plan to include one of our earliest works "nrityopaharam." When we staged it for the first time in 1967, it was very well received and was seen as a new approach to choreographing the varnam.
C.V.Chandrasekhar
I am going to test my stamina and energy level by doing the Rudra Tandav based on a Hindi verse in the Veterans' Special at the Music Academy (my only show during the season). I will also take the opportunity to talk about the technique of this beautiful art form being compromised in the name of glamour and experimentation. My daughter Manjari will be presenting Andal and Ahalya: a bride and a woman.
Revathi Ramachandran
One of my works this year is based entirely on Papanasam Sivan's songs that were part of the 1939 film "Tiruneelakanta." I have woven the songs through a story. I will also be performing margam pieces that stress on laya (they have various tala patterns) more than abhinaya.
I am also quite thrilled about the newly choreographed pieces that are part of "Mallari to Mangalam" that will conclude with a shuddhanrittam by 12 dancers performing to music created by different percussion instruments.
Printer friendly
page
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Music Season
