Sangeeta Isvaran’s take on Sivasankari’s poignant ‘Anilgal’ was creative and soul-stirring. It capturing the hearts of the rasikas from the first moment when she began with agarbathis fixed to her fingers sanctifying the space with their fumes, around the sets aesthetically portraying the roots of the banyan around a termite mound.
The highlight of the evening was a composition in Hamsadhwani describing the various squirrels that the heroine adores – dainty Sita, naughty Krishna, fat Bheema – with nagaswaram strains to evoke the sounds of the squirrels. The squirrels came alive before our eyes to such effect that when the nayika finds them poisoned by the order of the landlady, we felt her anguish and anger – communicated beautifully in a tillana in Lavangi – became ours. In some places though the use of nritta seemed a little out of place.
Valmiki’s transformation from dacoit to sage in the scene where he chants ‘Mara Mara’ slowly transforming to ‘Rama Rama’ as he achieves enlightenment was touching, while the mating dance of the Krauncha birds was well choreographed.
Sangeeta’s choice to confront Valmiki with the hunter touched the very essence of self-realisation where the enlightened know that every speck in this universe is the manifestation of the Divine.
The music by M.S. Sukhi revealed his understanding of the subject. There was a perfect co-ordination among the members of the orchestra.
