Kalakshetra revisits its classic productions

In the midst of the hustle and bustle of life, finding an oasis of serenity brings great joy. This is the feeling one experienced while watching the dance drama ‘Krishnamari Kuravanji’ at Kalakshetra as a part of its annual dance festival.

This production, originally premiered in 1972, and revived under the guidance of Prof. A. Janardhanan, re-emphasised the timelessness of these productions.

Madanavalli, a young maiden, who is watching the procession of lord Vedapurinatha, falls in love and desires to unite with the Lord. She meets a gypsy palm reader who asks her to pray to the deity of Thiruverkadu temple. The Devi appears and grants her wishes.

Kalakshetra’s ‘Krishnamari Kuravanji’ performed at the 69th Annual Art festival, Thiruvanmiyur, in 2022.
| Photo Credit:
JOTHI RAMALINGAM B

The dance drama began with two kattiyakarans (Kailasanathan and Jyotish) describing the temple procession in detail, while four sakhis ( Janet, Anagha, Krishna and Atheena) danced in unison, describing in great detail the beauty of the Lord. This was choreographed with finesse, and the perfect symmetry of various formations and dancers were pleasant to watch, despite the length of the scene.

Kalakshetra’s ‘Krishnamari Kuravanji’ performed at the 69th Annual Art festival, Thiruvanmiyur, in 2022.
| Photo Credit:
JOTHI RAMALINGAM B

Pavithra Lingeshwara’s portrayal of Madanavalli was on point — especially, her admiration for the Lord on the one hand and the torment she experiences due to her lovelorn state on the other. The entry of the kurathi behind an aesthetically designed thiraiseelai (curtain) alongwith two sakhis (Sakshi and Manasi) brought in an element of folk flavour. The landscape of the Tirumala hills was visualised through lyrics, music and dance.

The dignity, repose and serenity with which the kurathi had been visualised gave immense stature to the character. And, senior dancer Jyotsana Menon did complete justice with her expressions and movements.

Kalakshetra’s ‘Krishnamari Kuravanji’ performed at the 69th Annual Art festival, Thiruvanmiyur, in 2022.
| Photo Credit:
JOTHI RAMALINGAM B

Devoid of any technical gimmicks or a blackout, the entry and exit of Devi Karumari (Meenu) from the anthill was seamless. The fitting finale, the Naga Natanam, was full of gentle, graceful movements and devotional fervour, highlighting the benign nature of the Goddess.

Despite the length of the production, the refined dance, music, and costume strictly adhering to the grammar of Bharatanatyam, made this show an enriching, aesthetic experience.

The musical score is by the late Papanasam Sivan (assisted by Thuraiyur Rajagopala Sharma and Seetharama Sharma), and he has woven ragas including Kalyani, Nadanamakriya, and Thodi to suit the many moods of the dance drama, which has lyrics by Karumari Dasan.

Hariprasad’s rendition of the compositions, capturing their myriad moods with sensitivity, enhanced the visual impact of the dance sequences. Anil Kumar on the mridangam and K.P. Rakesh’s nattuvangam were powerful. Anantha Narayanan on the veena and Sasidhar on the flute embellished the songs with melodic phrases.

Story of Jayadeva

‘Bhakta Jayadev’ – a dance drama that was presented at Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai, in 2022.
| Photo Credit:
RAGHUNATHAN SR

The same set of musicians gave musical support to the revival of yet another dance drama from the Kalakshetra repertoire — ‘Bhaktha Jayadeva’. The production, choreographed by Krishnaveni Lakshman and with music by S. Rajaram, highlighted the story of Jayadeva and certain episodes from his life.

‘Bhakta Jayadev’ – a dance drama that was presented at Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai, in 2022.
| Photo Credit:
RAGHUNATHAN SR

The early part of the story was about Padmavati’s parents seeking the hand of Jayadeva in matrimony, their wedding, Padmavati’s devotion towards her household duties and Jayadeva’s writing pursuits. The latter portion highlighted the story of the king of Utkala, who, distressed by the popularity of Jayadeva’s compositions over his own, seeks divine intervention to judge the two works. This goes in Jayadeva’s favour.

The final segment of the story was about the queen testing Padmavati’s love and devotion and Padmavati giving up her life, only to be restored by Jayadeva’s devotion to the Lord.

‘Bhakta Jayadev’ – a dance drama that was presented at Kalakshetra Foundation in Chennai, in 2022.
| Photo Credit:
RAGHUNATHAN SR

The choice of this story didn’t lend itself very well to a production. Each scene felt stretched to its limit and the routine pattern of dance sequences and choreographic formations, failed to sustain interest. The introduction of Odissi style of hair ornamentation and costume for only Padmavati and the court dancer, amidst Bharatanatyam drapes for others seemed out of place too.

The moment when Jayadeva sings the Ashtapadi to bring his wife back to life was an emotionally charged movement — both visually and musically. More meaningful sequences like this could have helped in keeping the interest alive.

When productions such as these are revived, they need to be edited and adapted drastically to appeal to the younger generation and contemporary time frame.