Sri Ramanuja Vaibhavam ’, the dance ballet conducted by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan with nearly 300 students of Sri Venkateswara Vidyalaya traced the important facets in the life of Srivaishnavite savant Ramanuja.
‘Sravana Sangeetha Lahari’, the annual devotional event conducted by Bhavan’s during the Sravana month was dedicated to Ramanuja this year. The ballet introduces Ramanuja as the incarnation of the thousand-hooded serpent Adisesha in Kaliyuga, whose inseparable bonding with his Master makes him appear in various earlier eons as Lakshmana (in Tretayuga) and Balarama (Dwaparayuga), ardently following Lord Vishnu.
The ballet begins with the birth of Ramanuja to Kesava Somayaji and Kantimathi. The boy is named as Ramanuja by his maternal uncle ‘Tirumala Nambi’, who later becomes his guru and mentor. The play depicts Ramanuja’s childhood in Sriperumbudur and Kanchipuram, besides his services rendered in Srirangam, Tirukoshtiyur, Tirupati and Melkote after attaining sainthood. Ramanuja vows to complete the unfulfilled wishes of his Guru Yamunacharya upon his death and takes up the task of writing commentary for Vyasa’s ‘ Brahmasutra’ and spreading Srivaishnava philosophy.
On testing Ramanuja’s perseverance, Tirukoshtiyur Nambi initiates him into sainthood, imparts the holy mantra and cautions him to maintain it a closely-guarded secret. But Ramanuja scales a Gopuram and shouts it loudly for the benefit of masses, which portrays his egalitarian nature.
When he visits Tirupati to learn the Ramayana , he finds the Tirumala hills sacred and treks it on his knees, refusing to set foot on the hills. In fact, there is historical evidence of Ramanuja having visited Tirumala hills thrice during his lifetime, all on his knees. The skit also shows Ramanuja renovating the dilapidated Tirunarayana temple and how he brings Muslim princess ‘Bibi Nanchari’, a devotee of Narayana, to Melkote. As she unites with the Lord, Ramanuja installs her statue and gives her a coveted position of Goddess. The play ends with his merger with the Lord at Srirangam.
N. Muktheswara Rao, TTD Special Officer (All Projects) and SV Vedic University Vice-Chancellor K.E. Devanathan lauded the awe-inspiring concept and the painstaking efforts by the students, while Bhavan’s honorary Director N. Satyanarayana Raju explained the steps to inculcate values in children.
