Reviews

Vibrancy Marks the Fifth Edition of Kalavaahini Festival

Day one 

The fifth edition of the Dance for Dance (festival), curated by Malavika Sarukkai’s Kalavaahini in association with Kartik Fine Arts, at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan commenced with grandeur. Managed by Shreya Nagarajan Singh and her team, the three-day event commenced with Malavika’s warm welcome note, setting a vibrant tone for the festival.

The opening performance by Shijith Nambiar was a delight coupled with intelligent choreography and precise execution. Shijith began with a Muthuswami Dikshitar’s Panchabhoota sthala Linga kriti Ananda natana prakasam in Kedaram raga. A seamless interlude of the Aadu pambe song in Punnagavarali raga elegantly depicted kundalini shakti leading to Ananda natana prakasam. His innovative use of rupaka and upama showcased his artistic depth.

The centrepiece was a varnam in Charukesi raga, Innum en manam, woven with fresh narratives. A dramatic spotlight that personified Sree Krishna, as a primordial light, was a clever device used throughout. Shijith’s hallmark: mathematical precision in jatis, intertwined with creative adavus, was on full display; though the recurring search for Krishna felt monotonous, at times. Intriguing metaphors such as the delineation of Vishnum vishwam vyapnoti, the nine dwarams of Sri Chakra corresponded with Krishna’s flute, fireflies releasing to seek the Supreme, and the broken pieces of mirror that mirrored Krishna everywhere added depth. Despite minor misses in arudhi, the complexity of his choreography was enjoyable.

The subsequent item, on Muruga performed through mukhabhinaya mostly while seated, seemed to echo the earlier search for the divine, yet under a different guise. The interlude of Shashti Kavacham offered a refreshing break from the heavy ragas. His concluding item, Prana—a nrittangahara that featured mukthayi adavu as mei adavuwas fresh. The performance concluded with a poetic transition of lights by Nambu Kumar, symbolically tying back to the primordial light.

The ensemble of Uday Shankar Lal (nattuvangam), Binu Kumar (vocal), P.K. Shivakumar (mridangam), Sivaramakrishnan (violin), Hari Prasad (flute), Rakesh (khanjira), his daughter Bhadra (tambura) provided stellar support.

The evening’s second segment, themed on Krishna, featured Meenakshi Srinivasan, exuding grace in a red attire with oxidised gold jewellery. Her concert began with, Krishna—born as a saviour, a sloka from Bhagavatham on Krishna’s birth, followed by Swathi Thirunal’s Khalu yatkatha trijagatam. Though a jati depicting a flower ball game felt out of place, Meenakshi redeemed herself with her varnam in Shanmukhapriya raga: a Balamuralikrishna composition titled Krishna—an embodiment of Supreme Consciousness, the piece creatively explored the panchabhoothas through Omkara. Her fluid execution of intricate jatis contrasted moments of stillness that occasionally felt void. Mahesh Swamy’s (flute) accompaniment amplified the mystical tones, particularly during the trikala jati up until anupallavi with a resonating Omkara. Some gestures detracted slightly, like an apathetically thrown alapadma hasta; she had an asset of great utplavanas, which she rarely used. The niraval by (vocalist) Hari Prasad at the word bahuryasya was exemplary, although it lacked clarity in pronunciation. Meenakshi’s rare padam by Kshetrayya, Nen yemi seyudhu in Charukesi raga, was a visual delight. The sanchari, a dialogue with Krishna’s painted visage, that brimmed with poignant questions, was exquisite. The evening concluded with a Ragamalika tillana and a viruttam in Vasanthi raga that left the audience inspired by her creative interpretations.

With its rich tapestry of performances, the evening proved fulfilling, and offered both innovation and tradition. The festival continues to be a beacon for artistic excellence.

Day two 

The second day of the festival, 21 December 2024, began with a performance by young artist Shobhit Ramesh, a recipient of Kalavaahini scholarship. Shobhit’s, a disciple of Mavin Khoo and the Upadhye School of Dance, production was based on Sri Narayana Guru’s compositions under the guidance of Malavika Sarukkai. His performance opened with compositions by Sri Narayana Guru, a spiritual seeker and social reformer from 19th-century, Kerala. Shobhit's precise lines and expressive abhinaya reflected his training. After a jatiswaram, he transitioned to a thematic presentation based on Kaali Natakam by Sri Narayana Guru. While repetition of samastha prapinchun highlighted the metrical beauty of the text, Shobhit depicted it with varied sanchari bhavas. However, the simple sollukattu in the Kaali Matha’s procession hindered the complexity of the movements, and the depiction of the lion’s attack was anticlimactic. However, Shobhit's ability to sustain sattvik bhava in stillness was commendable. Greater control over lip movements and minimising void moments could have further elevated his performance.

The evening's second segment featured Koodiyattam by Margi Madhu Chakyar, presentation of Kailasodharanam and Parvati Viraham, excerpts from the renowned Toranayudham. The serene entry was marked by vibrant accompaniments on chande, maddhalam, and cymbals. The performance began with the artist seated on a stool, and was showcasing intricate bhedas with his cheeks, chin, eyes, and head. As a rustic recitation of a sloka echoed through the hall, the artist’s abhinaya depicted Ravana’s triumph over the asuras and devas; and his subsequent uprooting of Mount Kailasa, which instilled fear in Parvati. The humorous enactment of a conversation between Parvati and Siva added charm. However, the rigidity in innovation and the traditional format's intransigence made conveying the narrative more challenging, leading the artist to use a display board to explain key actions.

The final segment, Anuradha, was a premiere by Singapore's Apsaras Dance Company. It explored Radha's journey from a devotee to a divine figure, rediscovering her essence as a Goddess. The music, composed by Bombay Jayashree Ramnath and mastered by Sai Shravanam, began with a sloka from the Bhagavatha Purana, followed by a medley of compositions by Oottukkadu Venkata Kavi, Swathi Thirunal, and other poets across India. Despite the rich musical backdrop, the costume—a simple red skirt with a crossed dupatta—and makeup failed to capture Radha's grandeur. The production comprised four acts portraying Radha’s longing and eventual transcendence to divinity, narrated by a sutradhari through Kathak, alongside a sakhi. However, the large-scale collaboration lacked impact, and left the audience underwhelmed, and yearned for refinement.

 

Day three 

The concluding day, of Kalavaahini, unfolded with Meenakshi Grama's debut performance. A Kalavaahini scholarship recipient, she presented an evocative production, Ashma (Sanskrit word for stone). Mentored by Renjith Vijina and guided by the renowned Malavika Sarukkai for this production, Meenakshi explored the story of Ahalya, that raised poignant questions about societal norms and personal agency. Through her choreography, Meenakshi examined the struggles of Ahalya—her marriage to an ascetic, and the emotional turmoil it entailed. While her portrayal of Ahalya’s confusion for the real Gautama and the bird walk came through well, the constrained movements and a lack of confidence was compelling. The finer details such as her pathaka hasta and dhrishti bhedas could have been more refined. The performance ended with a powerful question: “Kitni naari ashm bane, kitni naari tok sune, tab kya Ram ayenge?”—"How many women must endure trauma before justice arrives?” A thought-provoking conclusion that lingered in the minds of the audience.

The second segment featured Praveen Kumar, a Kalavaahini senior fellowship awardee, who premiered his vibrant production Shavaasa–Vishwaasa: The Life Breath. He began with a varnam composed by Shatavadhani Dr Ganesh, that explored the camaraderie between Krishna and Arjuna. The charanam and swaras were intricately crafted, deplorably, and left the vishwaroopa darshana to the audience's imagination. His second piece, a padam, depicted a neerikshaka nayaka—an anticipating hero awaiting his beloved, only to face disappointment—was crisp with padaabhinaya. Praveen concluded with a mesmerising exploration of trust, friendship, and nature—wherein the wind served as the sutradhara between elements such as the sun and lotus; and the rainbow and water. Lighting by Surya Rao added depth to the performance, with rainbow hues blending seamlessly into the narrative. Praveen’s ability to visually showcase abstract concepts of poetry was commendable; though moments of dissonance between the musicians and dancer hinted at the need for more cohesive rehearsals. His ensemble of musicians included Raghuram (vocalist), Vinay Nagaraj (mridangam), Mahesh Swamy (flute), and Anoor Vinodh (nattuvangam and tabla) added richness to the presentation.

The evening culminated with Rama Vaidyanathan's Storm Before The Calm: a conceptual masterpiece exploring the inner turbulence of an artist before reaching a tranquil state. Beginning with a tattu adavu classroom session, Rama gradually transitioned from technical rigour to profound self-awareness. Each ‘kita thaka thari kita thom’ was differently deployed —one showcased grace, another strength, and another passion, and culminated in anandam: the joy every artist seeks.

Rama’s interpretation of Muthuswami Dikshitar’s kriti, Tyagaraja yoga vaibhavam, set to Anandabhairavi raga, was a highlight. Each of the rhythmic syllables—'vam, bhavam, vaibhavam’—were seamlessly integrated by usage of the shrotovahana yati. The usage of thattukali sound was deeply soothing and befitting; the skilful use of mei adavus as rupaka (metaphor) for fear to unity; the varied species that reflected the Supreme; the yoga that is ‘sthiram’ and ‘sukham’ provided a fresh narrative. Rama’s solo depiction of a directionless kite tethered by a thread, the nature contained in a canvas—metaphors for the boundless, yet grounded, was exquisite. The performance ended with verses from Thirumoolar’s Thirumandhiram, and exuded a serene stillness that received a well-deserved standing ovation.

Across the three-day’s performances, a theme of silence and stillness emerged, where sattvik bhava—the inner emotional expression—played a pivotal role. While some performers captured the essence of this bhava, others struggled to translate the depth of this bhava in movement.

The three-day festival concluded with a note of gratitude from the dignitaries of Kalavaahini, Kartik Fine Arts, and Shreya Nagarajan Singh. Although the event was well-organised, finer coordination by the SNS Arts Development Consultancy could have enhanced the experience. A symbolic gesture of planting trees in honour of the artists, and distribution of eco-friendly certificates added an environmentally conscious touch to the festival’s conclusion.

Meghna Venkat

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