The Kasturis of Bangalore recently organised a three-day festival featuring the top artists from Bangalore. Some of the main highlights of the festival was Lalitha Srinivasan's choreography Lasyotsava, based on the architecture of Belur Temple.
Ajay Vishwanath as Vishnu with his most presentable looks charms the audience. One must genuflect the brilliance of the choreographer Lalitha Srinivasan with usage of awesome vaittaris with taut nattuvangam. Usage of various dancers as sculptures with each one of them coming alive in turns and hence drawing visual sketches through dance. Manasa Rao's dance catches an aficionado's eye for her neatly drawn movements and adavus which she has mastered with diligence from her guru. Usage of movements concomitant to Kuravanji in “Rangura Poivala” speaks of the choreographer's concept in using the genre resplendently. Pulakeshi and Prasanna Kasturi's choreography based on “Sree Chakra” though rationally drawn with well-knit jathis and awesome prototypes governing the stage, yet one expected a rhythmical touch with proper voice modulation and intonation for the shlokas uttered. Even the costume usage could have been made better through the use of traditional attire instead of what was used.
However, the main highlight of the festival was Nrityagram's mellifluous and high quality Odissi. Commencing with a “Sa ni dha ma gama ga” pallavi set to raga Vasant as an ode to spring, Surupa, Bijoyini and Pavithra danced in splendid synchronisation. Methodical usage of the stage geometry with perfect and neatly drawn techniques enveloped the entire production. The crux of their performance came with rendition of Jayadeva's three ashtapadis commencing with “Dhire Samirae” with Bijoyini proving her mettle through exquisite Abhinaya revealed through her eyes. “Ratisukhasare” to show that the heavy hips of Radha not enabling her to walk fast was beautifully brought out by Surupa. The magnitude of her abhinaya came in with “Yahi Madhava Yahi Keshava” where details of another woman's sexual conjugation with Lord Krishna with her nails making mark on Krishna's body was superbly portrayed by Surupa. The denouement of the programme came with “Kishalaya Sahayamatalae” with awesome chowks and the breathtaking romantic scenes of Radha and Krishna being brought out aesthetically by Surupa and Bijyoini. Their performance deserved a standing ovation.
