The history of India’s poetry, in dance

The marriage of varying artforms is skilfully executed in a riveting Bharatnatyam ballet

BY USHA RAMANUJAM ARVIND

Embodying myriad spiritual and cultural traditions, poetic expression is fundamental to the Indian way of life. Often set to music, mainly transmitted orally and only much later written down, the sheer volume and diversity of work is mind-boggling and ranges from early Vedic era to contemporary times. Sadly, many of our poet seers lived in penury. Even to this day, their work however continues to inspire, enrich and illuminate our lives.

The students of Hamsa Venkat and her Samksriti School of Dance paid homage to this rich literary tradition through a Bharatanatyam ballet at UNSW Science Theatre last weekend. The event was in aid of charity group AIM for SEVA that serves disadvantaged children in remote rural India by providing them with basic infrastructure and healthcare facilities but more importantly free education.

Aptly titled Kavyam: Poetry in Motion, the three-hour performance carefully selected and sensitively portrayed nuggets from various aspects of this noble genre. Intellectual, political, moral, emotional, social, religious and biographical expressions were the focal points of ballet. A thought provoking multimedia presentation produced by lead dancer Govind Pillai and Adrian Van Raay introduced each segment, highlighting its nuances.

Main dancers Divya Sriram, Govind Pillai, Priyanka Rajan, Sneha Rao, Vishni Ravindran, Priya Murali and Champa Ravikumar all impressed like we have come to expect of them.

Celebrating the linguistic diversity of India, the unique ballet was set to music in various languages, including Sanskrit, Kannada, Tamil, Hindi and Bengali by Sydney’s own musical duo Sangeetha and Mohan Ayyar. The musical score (which was locally produced and recorded) provided the perfect platform for the talented dancers to unleash their creative talent.

Lead singers Sangeetha Ayyar and Krishna Ramarathinam were ably supported by Mohan Ayyar on synthesiser and Kranti Kiran Mudigonda on violin, while Bala Shankar and Siva Sethupathi demonstrated their prowess yet again on the entire percussion ensemble. Sumi Krishnan and

Kishan Jeyendran provided musical support for the Tagore segment.

Using the fundamental principles of Natya Shastra and traditional framework of Bharatanatyam, the very capable Hamsa Venkat deftly introduced key elements of drama and music to narrate the history of poetry over the ages. Frame after frame flowed effectively as artists, musicians and back stage support worked in tandem for seamless transition. The lighting and the stage props were outstanding, adding depth and texture to the narrative. The outcome was a holistic experience enjoyed by audiences both young and old, amateur and connoisseur.

Set to varying speeds and levels of expertise, opening the production was the traditional jattiswaram as dancers young and experienced paid their obeisance not only to the poet seers but also to mother earth and Ganesha, the god of good beginnings. This segment celebrated “the intellectual expression” in poetic genre through the works of renowned Kannada composer Purandara Daasa.

What followed was a scintillating lesson in patriotism, as Hamsa explored the works of visionary Tamil leader Subramanya Bharathi. In the early twentieth century, his idyllic dream of “Bhaaratha Samudhaayam” awakened the spirit of nationalism. His powerful poetry and political treatises truly integrated a nation. Though he did not live to enjoy the freedom, his poems envisioned the unity in all its diversity. Not without reason was he called Mahaakavi.

Like Bharathiar, Nobel Laureate Rabindra Nath Tagore was a poet and visionary who fought hard for social change. A forward thinker, Tagore was pained by rotting core of social evils that plagued Hindu society. Through Chandaalika, Tagore’s dance drama Hamsa delved into the mind of a young untouchable girl who questioned social norms of the day, voicing the plight of the marginalised community. Incorporating elements from Rabindra Nritya and folklore, the Tagore segment provided the group an opportunity to diverge from traditional Bharatanatyam framework and explore unconventional territory. Through the monk Ananda, Chandalika finally finds meaning in life.

Hamsa chose to dedicate the centrepiece of the ballet, the Varnam, to the works of Vishnu Sharma, one of the most widely sense and worldly wisdom. What a joy it was to relive the tale of Subuddhi, whose wit and common sense prevailed over bookish knowledge. As well, the story of capable Bharatanatyam dancer. With its sheer range of emotions, the roller coaster Radha-Krishna relationship makes for perfect drama. Hamsa explored the poetic genius of Jaya Deva and his magnum opus Geeta Govinda in this segment.

Looking beyond the mundane, the bulk of Indian poetry of course is religious, celebrating the mystical element in life. In this segment, Kavyam focussed on two poet seers, Tulsidas and Adi Shankara as well as two central Hindu deities Raama (Sriramachandra kripalu) and Shakti (Ayigiri nandini). Both delineations were a feast to savour, with elaborate footwork, sculpturesque postures and sensitive emoting.

Concluding the ballet was a fitting tribute to the matriarch of modern Bharatanatyam movement in India and in fact a patron of all art forms, Rukmini