The ghazal ‘Jab raat ki tanhai’, from the album of Asha Bhonsle and Hariharan, is hardly a song one would expect to hear in a classical dance performance. But the ghazal found resonance in a traditional padam that spoke about the pain and pleasure of the ashtanayikas. “I chose to dance to this song and the response was overwhelming,’’ says senior Mohiniyattom dancer-guru Kshemavathy, the golden jubilee of her teaching career was celebrated in Chennai recently.
The courage and conviction to experiment came from her formative years in Kerala Kalamandalam, where Kshemavathy was in the midst of the revival of Mohiniyattom. “My creative thought process blossomed there. It was exciting to be at Kalamandalam. The constant discussions on traditional values and contemporary demands were interesting,” says Kshemavaty.
It was the great poet Vallathol, whose blessings she had, when she performed for the auditions at Kalamandalam, which turned out to be the turning point in her life. Guru Chinnammu Amma taught her the nuances of the art whileGuru Satyabhama helped her understand the aesthetics such as costume and hairstyle.
Kshemavathy has always looked at new compositions that can be adapted to this dance form. “I choose songs or poems that suit the style and emotions to be conveyed.” She likes the poems of Sugadhakumari, whose body of works she keeps revisiting.
At the special event, she performed this poetess’ ‘Paada Prathistai’ that looks at the paada of Sita — just as an idol is consecrated in a temple the poet wishes to consecrate the sacred feet of Sita in her heart but says the poetess, ‘it is not the baby feet of Sita that ran in Janaka’s palace, it is not the feet that ran with tenderness and love towards Rama, it is not the feet that crossed the Lakshmanrekha , it is not the feet that turned away even when Ravana put riches at her feet, but I would like to place those feet that stepped onto the bosom of mother Earth understanding that nothing really mattered, the feet that had the heat to burn up all negativity, the sacred feet which purifies all.’ Kshemavathy paid tribute to womanpower through these verses.
The spirit to explore, enjoy and rise above the mundane continue to guide Kshemavathy’s journey.
