Rajashree Warrier’s Bharatanatyam recital, presented by Indian Council for Cultural Relations, proved to be a memorable experience with each item being curated and conforming to the pattern of the margam.
The performance opened with a Ganesha sloka, immediately followed by a Sankeerna alarippu. She moved on to the next item that stood out for its freshness of idea and presentation. Penned by the dancer herself in simple Tamil and set in the manner of a Kauthuvam, the protagonist of the piece was Mahabharata’s Shikandi, or Sikhandini, as was her original name. Born with the body of a female and the mind of a male, she flees to the forest to escape ridicule and chances upon a yaksha who has the opposite traits. The two exchange their bodies and Shikandi goes to the Kurukshetra battlefield, to ultimately slay Bheeshma.
The clashes in the battlefield end, but what of the conflict and turmoil in Shikandini’s mind? The dancer concluded the piece with an open ending. The well-chosen theme, with contemporary relevance concerning the third gender, offered ample scope to showcase all aspects of dance. The line ‘Pennin meyy udal, aanin manaporul’ (the body of a woman and mind of a man) and its elaboration appeared as a leitmotif. The playfulness of the little girl, the inner struggles of the adolescent, the pain of ridicule, the effeminacy of the yaksha, the valour at the arena of war — all these together showcased nrityam at its best. Imaginatively composed jathis had lasya and thandava elements to complement the theme. Although presented as a wholesome kauthuvam, it was just an appetiser, according to Rajashree. She said that she plans to develop it into something more elaborate.
Range of stories
The well-established Pada varnam ‘Sakhiye intha jalam enadi’ in Sankarabharanam, was the centre piece of the recital. Needless to say, the composition of a maestro such as Dhandayuthapani Pillai would explore all facets of dance, with sequences included to emote and narrate a range of stories. The nayika, in the pangs of separation, implores her sakhi to fetch her Lord Venkateshwara, while she describes his attributes. She recounts his gracious nature as the one who saved the elephant Gajendra, protected Panchali when she was disrobed, slayed Ravana and sought Andal’s hand in marriage – all of which form part of the charanam of the composition. Choreographed by Rajashree, her execution of the piece was aesthetically balanced. Her abhinaya was controlled and subtle, but never failed to be effective. Of special mention was her composition and execution of jathis that made a conscious effort to stay away from loud acrobatics, and instead, concentrated on bringing out the full beauty of the lines and form.
Sadashiva Brahmendra’s ‘Manasa Sancharare’ was charmingly simple. The sanchari was for the line ‘Sevaka jana manamandira mandaare’, projecting the Lord as the one who grants the wishes of devotees and portraying Kuchela’s popular rag to riches story. The thillana was set to the English note attributed to Muthiah Bhagavathar and popularised by Madura Mani Iyer. It was a brisk affair, made attractive with the medley of natas used in the rhythm and which synchronised well with the tune. Synchronisation was the watchword of the pakkamelam, too.
A complete art form like Bharatanatyam offers a wide canvas on which to present fresh ideas and contemporary themes and to convey social messages, without straying from traditional parameters. One has to point out that it is only when such efforts are taken, that the classic dance form lives its full purpose and ceases to be stagnant. Rajashree’s performance is a case in point.