Ram Vaidyanathan explores the myriad aspects of Shringaar Rasa

When love becomes the focal point of the dance performance, the experience is sublime. Rama Vaidyanathan’s performance on the opening day of the Sangeet Academy Dance Festival evoked the same feeling in the audience.

Senior Bharatanatyam dancer Rama Vaidyanathan during her performance on the opening day of the Sangeet Academy’s dance festival. | Photo courtesy: K. pichumani

Three works were chosen to explore the idea of ​​love in its various aspects. The first was the love of anticipation and disappointment, the second was that of submission and surrender, and the third was that of passion and desire. Shabdam, a composition that is a blend of simple corvais and abhinaya, has become a rarity in the Bharatanatyam repertoire these days. Ram chose to perform Ragamalika Shabdam by Thanjavur Arunachal Pillai as the opening number. A heroine confesses her deep love for Chidambaram’s lord to her confidant, and she doubts whether he will reciprocate her feelings. Ram incorporated imaginative expansion of ideas and transformed a simple conversation into something poetic.

The varnam, a composition by M. Balamuralikrishna in raga Thodi, explores a different aspect of love towards the universal mother goddess, who is the compassionate benefactor who allays the fears and sorrows of her devotee.

Rama Vaidyanathan creatively depicts imagined moments through impeccable communication. | Photo courtesy: K. pichumani

What enhanced this performance was how attuned the dancer was to the music. As Raghavendra Prasad played the flute, she came up with innumerable postures to create a visual imagination of the same. The vibrant jathis composed by Sumodh Sridharan and beautifully performed by Sridhar Vasudevan, the beautiful vocal pieces sung by Vishvesh Swaminathan with rich musical notes created a seamless tapestry of music and movement.

At the end of Pallavi, Anupallavi and Charanam, creatively imagined moments were portrayed through impeccable Sanchari, bringing out the bond between a devotee and the Goddess in a captivating manner.

The subtle accompaniment of the orchestra added to the overall appeal of Rama Vaidyanathan’s performance. | Photo courtesy: K. pichumani

Taking verses from Kalidasa’s ‘Ritusamharam’, Rama depicted the suffering of separated lovers. The piece revolves around a mango tree, with every emotion of the hero and heroine beautifully interwoven with various images of nature including birds, clouds, flowers and the sun. Surya Rao’s lighting was the attraction here.

Ram’s performance was a testament to how repertoire can be reinterpreted to accommodate new expressions and ideas.