The scene outside The Music Academy recently bore an uncanny resemblance to a site of pilgrimage, as ardent devotees were seen standing in rows, nudging and pushing each other, yearning to get a glimpse of the presiding deity as soon as the doors open. The difference, of course, was the fact that this was an audience waiting to witness 'Vaikundam- Vaishnava Yatra', a dance ballet that proposed to transport its audience to the 108 Divya Desams.
Passes were sold out an hour and a half before the show and an angry crowd was seen bargaining for more passes. The climax of the wait took place when the doors finally opened and those with designated tickets made a chaotic entry into the auditorium.
The production which was conceptualised by Dr. Asha Krishnakumar, had an interesting format. Hundred and eight Divya Desams were divided into eight clusters based on the Sthalapuranam of each temple. A multimedia component, comprising a video began each cluster and showcased a slideshow of photographs of all the sites in the cluster. This slideshow was accompanied by chanting of selected verses from the Nalayira Divya Prabandham composed by the Alwars followed by a commentary explaining their meaning and significance. The video was succeeded by a dance recital that often took up a particular theme relevant to the section.
Choreographed by Sailaja, the dance segment attempted to integrate various dance styles ranging from Bharatanatyam to Mohiniyattom and even folk styles. However, Bharatanatyam was the only style that dominated across clusters. While Sailaja's team comprised well trained dancers, the dance segment itself was a bit disappointing. Sailaja’s nritta was particularly weak while her abhinaya was more nuanced. The dance fragments were mostly unable to venture out of regular motifs of Krishnaleela and Sita Apaharanam with some rare exceptions like the dynamics between Siva and Krishna, for instance. The firm lines and neat footwork of Lavanya Shanker added vibrancy to the dance segments she was a part of. The segment that showcased the importance of nature to every life form stood out in terms of choreography with well thought out sequences matching the LED display in the background.
The team deserves to be commended for its investment in stage design and costumes which were exquisite and matched the ambition with which the production was conceptualised. Certain members in the audience were even seen with their hands folded in devotion as each segment began. Music for the entire production was thoughtfully composed by Dr. Rajkumar Bharathi.
While all segments referred to the existing Divya Desams, the final segment was about the two that cannot be visited physically but can only be journeyed in soul. In terms of the production, one was curious to see how a Divya Desam of this kind can be visualised- both through the multimedia projection and through dance. While the multimedia presentation did not capture the essence of this cluster, dance, through the thillana, tailor-made for the segment, definitely encapsulated it.
