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The myriad moods of Satyabhama were well captured in the dance.

Photo: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

Well synchronised Disciples of Raja Reddy during their performance.

If the starting Devi Stuti “Parapannaatihari prasiddha Devi” had diligently trained disciples of Raja and Radha providing the visual-rhythmic frame for Raja’s solo interpretation of the verses, the third day’s “Adenamma” in Paras – for long Raja’s solo highpoint in a recital – had Yamini Reddy in fine balance and control execute the demanding frozen stances representing Siva and his glory, the Navarasa sequel more an instantaneous mukhabhinaya expressional shift than given space for evoking a mood or rasa. Yamini was in fine touch. Similarly the Jatiswaram and Laya Vibhati with its different rhythmic gaits, presented by the Natya Tarangini group showed six highly trained dancers, matched in height and appearance dancing in absolute synchronicity.

Senior disciple Rashmi Vaidyalingam presented a perky Bhama Kalapam, the myriad moods of Satyabhama in her humorous Vachikabhinaya exchange with Madhavi, (with Bhama being the coy, orthodox wife avoiding mentioning her husband by name, giving round-about descriptions deliberately misconstrued) well captured in the dance.

Despite participants being good movers, one confesses to unavoidable reservations about the Leah R. Curtis and Yamini Reddy fusion starting with the rather simplistic visualisation of the Soul dressed in white, the Body in flamboyant colours and the five senses neatly arrayed one behind the other. Subtler treatment was called for. In Sai Bhavani the singer, mridangist Bhaskar Rao, and authoritative conductor Kaushalya, Raja has a fine team. Kathak Guru Rajendra Gangani’s solo teentala and 13 matra bandishes highlighted some delectable legacies of the Jaipur gharana Parampara of his father Kundanlal Gangani, and of gurus Narayan Prasad and Sunderprasad.

Both the invocation to Siva “Rangila Shambho”, a typical Rajasthani composition in Misrapiloo and the Maand were well sung by Vijaya Parihar. In drut laya, the tabla/footwork jugalbandi had all the rhythmic jugglery. If the strong geometry of movement in the Devi Stuti by Bharatanatyam veteran Priyadarshini Govind epitomised the Goddess in all her might and compassion, the slightly truncated version of the quintessential Tanjore Quartette Varnam in Bhairavi “Mohamana en meedu”, accompanied by a competent team of musicians, portrayed the smitten nayika pining for Tyagesa in captivating intensity along with the intricate weaving in of clever pacing in the trikala Jati.

Before rounding off with the Balamurali Tillana in Behag, was the Pattanam Subaramaiyer Javali “Appudi Manasu” portraying the Madhya nayika frankly accepting the futility of advice of controlling the mind when overwhelmed by strong attraction and love. A bouquet to Odissi dancer Sharmila Biswas whose group work carries the unique imagination of a choreographer who one feels is an excellent example of how Parampara should grow and expand, bringing in new ideas but without hurting the intrinsic identity of the art form. In Ramashtakam, Profulla Kar’s music along with Sharmila’s dance visualisation make for a treat, the main Ramayana episodes appearing in fleeting glimpses.

What is so admirable about the group composition is how the cluster formations and the frozen group moments become natural points in a flow of movement that never looks like deliberate posing.

Along with a select band of beautifully trained dancers (two of them males), there is a joy emanating from the felt enjoyment of the dancers. Evocation done to the lively Bols of Dhanurdhar Reddy’s Mridanga with mnemonics like Thinitha”, Khini Nam,Dhingdhai” Taaki Taaki Dhodhinna” preserves the light-hearted Akhada bonhomie while showing dancers in excellent stage spacing creating a rhythmic and Kavit-like expression that is infectious in its joy. Sharmila’s own solo “Brajako Choro” so strongly evocative of the Kelucharan Mohapatra memories, contained that vatsalya, she epitomises so well.

The music with the Khol interventions, the dramatic recitations, and the singing never diluted the typical Odissi flavour.

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