Mahathi Kannan and Ramya Venkataraman explore the concept of power through well-researched pieces

Mahathi Kannan and Ramya Venkataraman. , Photo Credit: Ragu R

Uninterrupted execution of profound truths Mahathi Kannan and Ramya Venkataraman’s exploration of the divine Mother Shakti was full of excitement

‘An exploration of power beyond nature’, conceptualized and envisioned by Bharatnrityam dancer Mahati Kannan and Nrityodaya’s Ramya Venkataraman, was an exploration of the divine mother from the physical and spiritual levels described in the Vedas.

The dancers were well-rehearsed, their communication straightforward throughout the 95-minute uninterrupted show Bharat KalacharAnd their confidence came from understanding the subject matter.

Many stalwarts supported him, notably songs by Christian poet Ramanan in addition to excerpts from traditional texts, tribal tunes from Shyamala Balakrishnan’s research along with music by veteran dancer and scholar Padma Subramaniam. This was in addition to the live orchestra consisting of Gayathri Kannan (singer, nattuvangam and anchor), Nagai P. Sriram (mridangam), Parur MS Ananthasree (singer) and Srilakshmi Bhat (violin).

Gayathri Kannan and Parur MS Ananthashree (singer), Srilakshmi Bhatt (violin) with Mahathi Kannan and Ramya Venkataraman. , Photo Credit: Ragu R

In the floral tribute, the dancers quoted Shri Devi Atharvashirsha and said, ‘Earth and sky are the eyes of the formless… Do not look for the Goddess outside, look for her within.’ ‘The Goddess is everywhere in the form of nature – in the form of the earth goddess, in the form of dense forests, fruits and flowers, in the form of the sacred cow and in the form of the sacred Saraswati river which gave birth to the civilization called India and in the form of Swaha , which provides power to fire. burn…’

Scenes from the text were deftly translated into symbolic tropes, with clear acting, almost literal, but warm enthusiasm. The nritta, presented only as punctuation marks in the narrative, were clear, highlighted by good finishes and no blurred lines. The melody dominated the sound track while the percussion played a quiet, supporting role. The experience was delicious and classy. When speaking about such deep truths, softer tones convey it better.

The work involving child goddess Balatripurasundari and Kalidas was the most loved. When the poet was assigned the task of writing a poem with the first four letters of the alphabet, he met a young girl, Kanchanamala, who was writing the same. He is inspired after meeting her and starts considering her as a goddess in disguise. Kalidasa’s realization of two classical works, ‘Bhajare Re Chita Balambika’ (Kalyani, Muthuswami Dikshitar) and ‘Bale Balendu Bhushanee’ (Ritigaula, Tyagaraja), added a sudden depth of emotion that was almost magical. These were presented passionately by Anantashree, whose conscious effort to maintain the ‘Nrityodaya’ style of singing was remarkable.

The single challenged the dancers to maintain their hold. Mahati was the story of three mothers – Madalasa who sang for her child about the truth of Brahma and the illusion of relationships, Jabala from the Chandogya Upanishad who tells her son Satyakama that his identity is only with her and that he takes his name from her. Add that together, and Sumitra happily advises Lakshmana to go to the forest and serve Rama and Sita like his parents without sleeping for 14 years. Sumitra speaks firmly, her bravery fails when he leaves. Ramya performs well with big movements, spectacular one-legged poses and rigorous dancing. He used this to his advantage to present the clan deities of three empires – Nishumba Sudini of the Cholas, Chamundeshwari of the Wodeyars and Tulja Bhavani of the Marathas. It also includes the story of Bhavani Mata’s sword given to Shivaji for his successful victory. As the Tuljapur Bhavani Aarti was sung, the energy of song and dance increased the enthusiasm, resulting in a dramatic finale.

Mahati and Ramya’s concluding Thillana in Mohanam ‘Ellame Shakthi-Sivam’ and Aadi and Mishra Chapu’s Janasmodini captured the essence of ‘Prakriti se Para’.