A bouquet of Bharatanatyam choreographies by Guru Thankamani Kutty was presented by the students and teachers of Kalamandalam Kolkata, at the Rabindranath Tagore Centre, ICCR, Kolkata, as part of the golden jubilee celebration of the institution. The late Guru Govindan Kutty and his wife Thankamani Kutty, both alumnus of Kerala Kalamandalam, made the city their home and founded the institution in 1968.
Today the school has a Performing Arts and Research Centre equipped with an auditorium, library sound/video studio, art gallery, hostel, rehearsal/workshop/meeting rooms and facilities for arangetram and programmes for outstation students. With seven centres and 1,800 students across the city, the school also provides free training to underprivileged students. Its performing wing organises special presentations for those at the Cancer Research Centre, Thakurpukur, and living in old age homes. There is also a provision for dance therapy for the mentally challenged.
The evening started with the invocatory keertanam ‘Ananda Nartana Ganapati Bhavaye’ in raga Nattai. A group of dancers saluted Gajanana with ‘Namami Vigneswara Padapankaja.’ Kubera Kavitwam, the next piece in Hindolam and Ragesree, was a neat blend of nritta and nritya passages describing Dhanapal Kubera’s wealth and his affinity for it.
The choreography and the music composition of ‘Akashalingam’, revealing the mysticism of Chidambara Rahasiyam, was impressive. However, ‘Hamara Pyara Bharatvarsha’ based on the poetry of Jaishankar Prasad did not make an impact . But the scintillating tillana in Kuntalavarali, sung by Sukumar Kutty, was delightful. ‘Ganita Vilas’, based on geometric formations, was imaginative and striking.
Disciple Malabika Sen mesmerised with her solos. Juxtaposing two keertanams in praise of ‘Dakshinamurty’ and ‘Nadabrahmani Mata Durga’, Malabika brought out the artistic, poetic and religious significance. Kalamandalam’s experimental production ‘Shuncho Bhanusingho’ (Bhanusingho are you listening?) at Rabindra Sadan, was based on Tagore’s Bhanusingher Padabali. It is a collection of songs and poetry embracing the Vaishnavite tradition composed in Brajaboli and expresses Krishna’s love for Radha. It has been performed many times in Manipuri and, often in Kathak, and this time in Bharatanatyam.
