“If one has not read Kalidasa’s ‘Sakuntalam,’ there is no use learning Sanskrit”, said one of the chief guests, Dr. S. Padmanabhan, veteran Sanskrit scholar and Head of Sanskrit Dept. University of Madras, on the occasion of the staging of the drama, considered the best written in any language.
Ever since its inception 57 years ago, Samskrita Ranga has been staging a drama every year keeping alive the dream of its founder Dr. V. Raghavan. Last year it was ‘Mattavilasaprahasanam’ of Mahendra Vikrama Pallava.
Most of the actors got into the skin of the characters in ‘Sakuntalam.’ The child Bhargavi as Bharata stole everyone’s heart by her charming expressions; besides Sushama Ranganathan as Sakuntala, Prakash as Sarangrava and Manasa as Anusuya caught one’s attention.
The silent suffering of the heroine when rejected by king Dushyanta was excellently portrayed by Sushama.
The play also had abhinaya and music. The introduction of Natyadharmi (abhinaya) and its intelligent use by director Nandini Ramani, particularly by the female characters heightened the effect of the dialogue and also helped one understand the proceedings even if one did not know the language ; as the main focus, of course, was on the fluent Sanskrit dialogue. Though abridged to five scenes, they communicated the main parts of the story; most people are familiar with the story so that even a hint is enough to fill the gaps in the narrative.
Considering the limited space, the stage décor of a wooded ashram was effective and the costumes apt. Vocals by V. Sumitra, flute by Sruthisagar and pads by Venkatasubramaniam enhanced the mood. The ragas chosen for the background and played on the flute throughout added to pervasive emotions.
Minor glitches were there, but they did not hamper the overall impact of the drama. “It was like a worship of the art of drama, of the language of Sanskrit, of Samskrita Ranga and its founder”, said Priyadrasini Govind, dancer and director, Kalakshetra Foundation, who presided over the event.
