Blending mudras with mythology

Shilparamam presented two Bharatanatyam programmes by Divya Prasad from Bangalore and Sarah Sangeetha from Switzerland over the weekend at Shilparamam. In the first performance, the distinctive tradition of the Mysore style was displayed in the opening ‘Poorvarangavidhi’ in ‘Hamsadhwani’ containing salutations to the Maharaja as originally done in the palace which took the place of the usual Alarippu.

Divya’s guru Bhanumati has learned this item from Padmabhushan Dr. Venkatalakshamma. It was interesting to watch the recreation of an old practice done with meticulous fidelity. ‘Shabdam’ which usually precedes ‘Varnam’ being a mainly introductory piece on abhinaya, ‘Thillai Ambalam’ in raga Malika was elegantly done, showing a Virahotkanthita Nayika who is wondering whether her lover the great cosmic dancer will reciprocate.

‘Yen Palli Kondeerayya’ by Arunachala Kavi has an enquiring tone where the poet asks Lord Vishnu if he is tired hence lying down on Adisesha. Reasons for this are rhetorically elaborated by recalling the wonders performed during Rama and Krishnavatarams like the encounter with Parasurama and lifting of Mount Govardhana respectively. Shiva Stuthi ‘Mahadeva Shiva Shambho’ in Revathi describes the greatness of Lord Shiva and culminates with an excerpt from the Vedas; the rudra prashnaha of the Taittriya Upanishad.

Sarah Sangeetha started with a vibrant Alarippu in Kalyani with a shloka on Lord Murugan whose vehicle is the peacock. Ganapati kauthuvam in nattai was in praise of the elephant-headed God. ‘Ananda Natana Prakasham’ is in Kedaram composed by Muthuswami Dikshithar on the Akasha Linga at the Nataraja temple in Chidambaram. Sangeetha’s sculpturesque poses were well executed.

Antapurageete is a Kannada poem by Gundappa in Khamas where he is emotionally talking to a statue in Tribhangi pose. The statue is asked whether it is of Lord Krishna playing mesmerising music on the flute with a form like an illusion. Shivoham from the Skanda Purana in Charukesi expresses that Shiva and I are one and cannot be differentiated. A beautiful concluding Thillana in Nalinikanthi was on Lord Shiva dancing in the golden Sabha at Chidambaram whose chanted divine name gives residence in Kailasa.

By Anna Rao Gangavalli