For the Hariharans, M.S. Hariharan and Pramila Hariharan, dancing together on stage is an extension of the rapport that they share off stage as well. This came across clearly at a Bharathanatyam recital that the husband and wife performed in Thiruvananthapuram, recently.
Their short recital began with a Deepanjali dedicated to Ganapathi. The varnam, the main piece, was choreographed by Hariharan and was based on a composition by Chittoor Thyagarajan. The piece eulogised the glory of Hanuman. It was a diversion from the usual numbers portraying the nayika and her Lord. This lively choice was marked by firm footwork and neat execution of jathis. The sancharis explored the whole gamut of stories related to Hanuman – from his birth and childhood antics, to his role as the selfless ‘dasa' at the coronation of Sri Rama. Particularly realistic was the portrayal of the ‘Lanka dahanam,' where Hanuman wreaks havoc in Ravana's kingdom after his tail is set on fire.
Full expression
A male dancer finds full expression for his prowess in a depiction of Lord Nataraja. And this is what happened when Hariharan danced ‘Sabhapathikku vere daivam samaanam akuma?' in raga Abhogi.
Pramila joined him for the thillana in Kunthalavarali; a number choreographed by the Dhananjayans. A scintillating piece, it had shades of a jugalbandhi.
The duo's individual dancing careers began in the mid-eighties at Kalakshetra, Chennai. Pramila later moved to London where she was associated with productions such ‘The Taming of the Shrew,' ‘Shanti' and so on, which combined Bharathanatyam and the contemporary. Hariharan was initiated into Bharathanatyam by Kalamandalam Chandrika, and later worked and trained with the Dhananjayans. He continues to take part in their productions, including their major international production ‘The Jungle Book.'
As part of the dance theatre production ‘The Living Tree,' he has also been involved with the Cleveland Cultural Alliance, which is a non-profit organisation established to promote Indian traditional dance among American audiences. One project that gave him creative satisfaction, he says, was ‘Mirage' for Tavaziva Dance Company and working with its director Bawren Tavaziva, the Zimbabwean-born and United Kingdom-based choreographer-dancer who mingles the contemporary with the rich and diverse dance forms of Africa.
The Hariharans, who are based in Chennai, run a Bharathanatyam school called Abhinaya Nritta Patasala, which was set up in 1993.
“Teaching is a learning experience for us too,” says Hariharan. “Students, these days are sharp and to answer their questions, we study harder, look deeper.” Adds Pramila: “It keeps us on our toes!”
The duo's performance in the city was part of the annual celebrations of the Regatta Cultural Society. Promising youngster Madhavi Chandran and Mumbai-based Pavitra Bhat also came up with good performances.
