Befitting potrayal of the heavenly dance

The third and final day of the SICA dance festival was a fantastic climax to the whole annual event. Deepika Reddy and her disciples presented a scintillating Kuchipudi dance drama depicting the story of the celestial couple, Shiva and Parvathi.

This ballet brings to the fore ‘Tandava’ and ‘Lasya’ aspects of classical dance, where one gets to appreciate nuances of male and female energies of the Lord of dance and his consort.

Shiva and Dakshayani are blissfully dancing at their abode Kailasa when the divine sage Narada arrives to inform them that Daksha is performing a great Yagna to which all the deities have been invited.

Only his daughter and son-in-law have not been invited. Despite Shiva’s wish that Dakshayani not attend the sacrifice, she goes and unable to endure her father slighting her and denigrating her husband, she immolates herself.

Deepika excelled as her speaking Abhinaya depicted the anguish of Dakshayani at her family’s disavowal. Consumed by grief and anger, Shiva wonderfully done by senior student Mihira Paturi dances the Tandava during which he creates the terribly fierce Veerabhadra from a lock of his hair to avenge Dakshayani.

Several students as the attendant Ganas also participated in the dance. Veerabhadra sets off to destroy the Yagna and quash the pride of Daksha after performing a war dance.

He severs the head of Daksha who is restored to life after the Devas plead with Shiva; with a goat’s head in lieu of his human one which Veerabhadra severed. An aggrieved Shiva goes to the Himalayas to do penance. Dakshayani, reincarnated as Himavantha’s daughter, Parvathi is in awe of Shiva, worshipping him in relentless ardour.

Deepika was enchantingly elegant and graceful in this role. The light pastel colours of her costume were well selected. Manmatha, the God of love attempts to unify them. His arrows awake Shiva who destroys him with fire from his third eye. On the plea of Rathi, Manmatha’s wife, he is resurrected.

The students in chorus created a beautiful visualization of dancing in unison to usher in the nuptials of the celestial couple. The conclusion showed the wedding of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi to resounding applause from the audience.

Mention must be made of the rich costumes setting off the dancers roles to perfection. The brilliant golden hued crowns adorning the divine couple were especially striking.

The direction and choreography was meticulously done by Deepika Reddy, an interesting script by Vedantam Ramalinga Sastry and lyrical music by D S V Sastry.

By Anna Rao