Reviews
Adi Ashtakam

NEW
PRODUCTION
Adi
Ashtakam
By Padmini
Ganesh
On the morning of 6 August 2023, a
confluence of Bharatanatyam and verses from the eight-stanza compositions of
the venerated Adi Sankaracharya was presented at ADA Rangamandira in Bengaluru
as a part of the silver jubilee celebrations of Vaishnavi Natyashala. This
series of events was visualised, conceived, and presented by Usha R.K., a
well-known art consultant and impresario.
Talented dancers – Arundhati Patwardhan,
Anand Satchidanandan, Keerthana Ravi, Prachi Save Saathi, Mithun Shyam, and
Vaidehi Rele Lal – showcased various episodes of deities, as explained by Adi
Sankaracharya in his verses of 32 lines each, known as ashtakams.
Vaidehi’s gentle expression of Sarada
Ashtakam, Anand’s pious representation of Dakshinamoorti Ashtakam,
Arundhati’s immersive presentation of Panduranga Ashtakam, Prachi’s
captivating Ganga Ashtakam, Mithun Shyam’s energetic and strong
representation of Kalabhairavar Ashtakam, and Keerthana’s serene depiction of Guru
Ashtakam showcased the visual aspect of the verses in all its splendour.
In Usha’s words, something as beautiful
and elaborate as these Sanskrit verses needed time and understanding to bring
out their beauty within the framework of classical arts.
The apt music for each ashtakam was
composed by singer Vidya Harikrishna, who mentioned that she used different
texts to understand the meaning of the ashtakams before composing the music.
She said it was a challenge to give them their unique identity, sometimes using
syllables like Jal-Jal for Ganga Ashtakam, Tatah-kim for Guru
Ashtakam, Vithala for Panduranga Ashtakam and even ragas with
five swaras to bring out the musicality and retain the purity of the verses,
while making the ashtakams visually appealing following the dancers’
choreography. Vidya had an exceptional ensemble of musicians - Kalishwaran
Pillai on the nattuvangam, Dakshinamurthy on the mridangam, Mangala
Vaidyanathan on the violin, Saraswati on the veena, and Pandiselvi on the
saxophone.
Organised with able guidance and extensive
explanations by Usha, the performance was a success that left the rasikas
steeped in bhakti rasa.
(A dance teacher and connoisseur of music)