Universal concepts

The story of the life of Christ was ably portrayed in a Bharatanatya recital

February 27, 2014 05:59 pm | Updated May 18, 2016 11:10 am IST

Dr. K.S. Pavitra

Dr. K.S. Pavitra

Christa Kavya - Exploring Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ through Kannada Literature and in the Language of Bharathanatya, a solo, conceived and presented by Dr. K.S. Pavitra, was staged in Bangalore recently, under the joint auspices of Srivijaya Kalanikethana, Shimoga, All India Radio and Ananya. The source material for the performance was from the book ‘Christakavya’, and included, among others, verses by Kuvempu, Bendre, Chennavira Kanavi, Gopalakrishna Kolthaya and Basava Bhakta. Competent orchestral support was provided by Dr.K.S. Shubrata (nattuvanga), Mahesh Swami (vocal), Janardan Rao (mridanga), K.S.J ayaram (flute),and Karthik (rhythm pads).The recital was anchored by Dr.K.S. Chaitra.

Commencing with the beginning of creation, the advent of light, of the sun, the moon and the stars, of animals, birds and fishes, the presentation reflected the exuberance and excitement of the first stirrings of life. The innocence of Adam and Eve, and their fall from grace after being tempted to eat the forbidden fruit, were convincingly portrayed. Noah and his ark, and the onset of the deluge also formed part of the narrative, as did the birth of Jesus, the massacre of infants by Herod, and the role of Mary as protector and nurturer. Instances of Jesus’ compassion and love culminated in an eloquent portrayal of the deliverance of Mary Magdalene from a vengeful and bloodthirsty crowd.

The Last Supper, the betrayal by Judas, the crucifixion, and a mother’s deep anguish were depicted in graphic and poignant detail. The performance, which also sought to underline the latent similarities in diverse streams of religious and philosophical thought, came to a close on a positive and cheerful note with the Resurrection and the joyful celebration of Christmas with all its festivities, lights, sights and sounds.

The lead artiste donned multiple roles with commendable ease and acumen. Adhering to the grammar of the idiom, the choreography was lively and variegated, exploiting the proscenium space and dramatic possibilities to the fullest extent. While energetic footwork complemented the narrative elements, grace and agility were manifest in the nritta passages, exemplified, for instance, in the representation of the Christmas song. Packed with incidents and episodes, oral narration from the wings was used a device to connect the sequence of events. Some editing and pruning of the initial parts, and more emphasis on, and elaboration of, certain others, would have yielded a more proportionate and cohesive whole.

The musical score incorporated a multitude of ragas and rhythms, and lighter folk tunes as well, supplemented by special effects such as the sound of gushing water and the chime of church bells where warranted. While the rendering was bhava laden, and instrumental support excellent, a reduction in the volume would have further augmented the impact. The result of much dedication and research, the recital, aided by effective lighting, was on the whole an absorbing one, testifying to the universality of human emotions, ideas and situations, and the ability of the classical arts such as Bharathanatya to adapt to different themes and concepts and to communicate them with no barriers whatsoever.

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