Sinam Singh Basu and Monica performing at Smriti Mahotsav at Kalakshetra, Chennai. Photo courtesy: M. Srinath
Moving away from the world of Bharatanatyam and watching a Manipuri dance performance was like a breath of fresh air. Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar winner Sinam Singh Basu and his wife Monika recently performed short works at the Kathak Darpan Smriti Mahotsav at Kalakshetra in Chennai.
The audience was moved by what Sinam Singh said at the beginning of the presentation. “It has been more than 25 months of ethnic conflict. Houses have been burnt, leaving many homeless. People have lost their livelihoods. So I urge all of you to pray for the return of peace to the beautiful state of Manipur.”
Sinam’s graceful moves | Photo Credit: M. Srinath M
Sinam Singh started the evening with ‘Kamadeva Natya’, which depicted how the God of Love welcomes the spring season. The inherent beauty and fluidity of the dance form made this performance worth watching. Kamadeva’s sugarcane bow and arrows with five different flowers and the depiction of the colours of spring were executed seamlessly together.
Radha Rani is angry with Krishna because he did not fulfill his promise to meet her. Monica’s portrayal of this piece – ranging from despair and anger to disillusionment, was notable for its sensitive and subtle display of emotions. The couple then performed the popular Ashtapadi ‘Kuru Yadu Nandan’, which was full of romantic images.
The couple displayed remarkable understanding and chemistry on stage. | Photo Credit: M. Srinath
Moving forward from the Vaishnava tradition, which is the core of Manipuri, Sinam Singh chose the Shiva composition ‘Nagendra Haraya’ and the Panchakshara Stuti, and incorporated the rhythm of Thang Tham (Manipuri martial art), the rhythm of Pung Cholam (Manipuri drums) and the postures of Lai Haraoba (ritual dance and musical theatre). The posture of Nataraja was different from the way it is depicted in Bharatanatyam. However, the depiction of Shiva needed to be made more dynamic, so as to distinguish it from the depiction of Krishna.
Tejaswini’s winning Kathak moves
The coordination and choreography was superb | Photo Credit: Srinath M
Earlier in the festival, Tejaswini Sathe and her group presented selected compositions from their Kathak repertoire. In the first performance, Chakkar, Paran and Tihai were presented in an interesting way. This was followed by the bandish ‘Sajan Sathi Sahile’, in which the heroine is shown yearning for her lover. The maturity of the artist came to the fore in her subtle expressions and gestures.
Tarana in Teen Taal was the highlight of the performance. | Photo courtesy: M. Srinath
The Tarana in Teen Taal composed in Raga Bhairav by Tejaswani was the finale of the performance. Variety of speeds and structures, powerful footwork and excellent coordination added to the visual appeal.
