Poetry in motion

‘Porous Earth’ is a meaningful Bharatanatyam interpretation of Tejdeep Kaur Menon’s poetic work

April 16, 2015 05:14 pm | Updated 05:14 pm IST

Priya and Kiranmayee

Priya and Kiranmayee

Here is the story of an ‘Unchristened river flying miles across the craggy slopes, another stream of melting ice to sink into porous earth or vaporize into the hot sun’. Thus opens this poetic piece of Tejdeep Kaur Menon. “an IPS officer by profession and poet by passion”. Rivers finally merge with the sea. The personification of this river by dancers Kiranmayee and Priya Premanand, disciples of veteran guru Hemamlini Arni was brought out well in the ballet titled ‘Porous Earth ’, presented at Ravindra Bharati last week.

It is akin to ‘Ganga avatranam’ story wherein Ganga came down from the heavans to snow-clad mountains in response to Bhageeratha’s penance. She first emerged as a powerful force that was very fierce and so was contained and calmed within Siva’s hair. From there she travelled down calmly to provide solace and a source of sustenance to humans, birds and other living beings. The ballet went on to display contemporary reality with perils the river faces.

Reading through the verses of Tejdeep Kaur Menon, we get to know how passionately perfect she is in penning such lyrical verses. This theme ‘Porous Earth’ is part of her ‘Minnamini’ collection.

Priya Premanand portrayed the voice of the river while Kiranmayee played its alter ego. The journey it makes across various plains and terrains becomes a underlying metaphor for the struggles faced from start to finish. Guru Hemamalini Arni choreographed various scenic interpretations of experiences along the river’s journey, all converted into dance expression by the dancers.

The first para of the verse ‘Unchristined, I fly miles across the craggy slopes… ’ was gracefully interpreted by Kiranmayee, aided by a ramp set backstage. This symbolised the river fighting the possibilities of sinking into oblivion. Every interpretation was with expressionist touch, partly abstract.

The second stanza spoke of gorges, waterfalls finding dance interpretation through jatis and miming the breaking of boulders, shaping of mountains and forming waterfalls. ‘Man needed bridges to girdle me ...’ brought out early tribal men hunting in the forests. The dance also created the image of an unsteady bridge and people nervously crossing it , supported by ‘sollukattu’, verbal rhythm by Karra Sinivas.

The river solidifies into ice and skaters glide on ice with several falls. There was dance of storks balancing on single leg preying little fish. The enactment of the verse ‘Away from the familiar lap’,.. ‘Gurgled, whispered , Chuckled to lonely sages’ came for interpretation next with Kiranmayee playing the role of the river also shared by Priya, miming how sages meditated while the rivers spray water on them. This was presented with complex footwork patterns.

The joy of farmers due to good yield brought in dance with folk idiom. The thunders, supported by Surabhi’s technical excellence, helped these thrilling effects. The ‘thunder’ brought in dance of joy, welcoming first rains. Naughty tales continue reflecting the verse line ‘the grass grew tall.’ Building of dams with machines, masons toiling hard resulting in river overflowing to the extant of breaking the dam, swallowing everything in its way matched the verse with opening line ‘Not farthing the riches’.

Kiranmayye through perfect abhinaya for the next verse ‘He let loose the sewer on to my bosom’ was a very moving line. ‘No deer comes to wet its lips, no nests sway from the over hanging bush’ was interpreted impressively by the principal dancer Kiranmayee.

The last part described the pathos of the river and her pain after being contaminated by human waste. This brought in Sankaracharya’s A yigiri Nandini danced by Kiranmayee as an expression of wrath of Goddess Durga. Finally the river meets her destiny — the sea, symbolic of attaining Moksha. ‘My waters brings serenity, dignity of tall mountains peaks that stretch to kiss the gods in the sky, telling of those who make love, build homes, raise children on my banks’ was a fine finish.

The choreography, set to original music score by Ravi Kiran, depicts the river narrating her story through the medium of an alter ego. The scenic designs with astounding lighting effects made for a visual treat .

All in all the ballet was an beautiful amalgamation of poignant poetry translated to ethereal dance.

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