Friday Review
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Delight in double digits
LEELA VENKATARAMAN
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The Ramayana and the Mahabharata came to life as Sangeet Natak Akademi Awardees took the stage.
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Photos: Deepak Mudgal and Sangeet Natak Akademi
Epic Heroes Sadanam Krishnan Kutty as Hanuman and Evoor Rajendran Pillai as Bhima in Kathakali.
Ravana the anti-hero and Hanuman the wondrous monkey are both highly specialised roles rendered only by veteran Kudiyattam and Kathakali performers of Kerala. To experience both portrayals the same evening was a rare opportunity for the modest gathering at Meghdoot theatre during the second half of the SNA Awardees’ Festival. The mikes playing truant distracted the normally competent compere Sadhana Shrivastava, wrestling with unfamiliar Malayalam names, which she needs to familiarise herself with.
The excerpt from Kudiyattam’s Thoranayudham by playwright Bhasa featured Ravana, enacted by Kalamandalam Sivan Nambootiri, recapturing past events leading to the destruction of his beautiful garden Ashoka Vatika by a monkey, of which he has just heard. Known as nirvahana, this dramatic device of a throwback is special to Kudiyattam. Ravana recollects killing the messenger sent by King Vaishravana with the request to desist from war against the Gods. Defeating Vaishravana next, he lifts Shiva’s abode Mount Kailash aloft for blocking his way back to Lanka. Simultaneously he watches the rare scene on the mountain creeks, where Shiva and Parvati have their own little altercation about Ganga perched on Shiva’s locks.
Sivan Nambootiri’s amazing performance saw his Ravana taking on role after role in this reminiscence up to the point when Nandikeswara cursed him that a monkey would bring about his ruin. The tiny space in front of the stage becomes Kailash, Lanka, Alakapuri, as dictated by action and as visualised by the performer as Ravana, who in quicksilver changes is now valorous, now arrogant, now amazed. Just a hand gesture moving captures the entire feel of an elephant, a snake and a lion, and the actor’s complete change from Shiva to Parvati is amazing. The mizhavu (copper drum) playing by Kalamandalam Ravikumar and Kalamandalam Vineesh provided all the dramatic intensity, with Rajeev Warrier and Unnikrishnan providing edakka support.
Humour with dignity
Sadanam Krishnan Kutty as Hanuman in the encounter with Bhima in Kalyana Sowgandhikam gave an enthralling performance. Looking for all the world in his Zamorin hat like a splendidly shaggy and hirsute Pasha, his enactment brought out delectably the simian characteristics of the role, while preserving the magnificence and dignity of Hanuman. And above everything, this Hanuman had a mischievous sense of humour. Strong in both kalasa rhythm and interpretative passages, his versatile interpretation caught Hanuman in quick changing moods — ecstatic, fun loving and compassionate. Through ragas Kambodhi, Natakuranji, Hindolam and Shankarabharanam, Sadanam Radhakrishnan and Kottakkal Jayant gave fine support, with Kalamandalam Unnikrishnan on the chenda and Sadanam Muruga Jyoti on the maddalam.
Spellbinding
Yakshagana from the coastal belt of Karnataka is a form of total theatre that even today holds audiences in thrall. Kolyur Ramachandra Rao of Yaksha Manjusha, Mangalore, gave a stirring enactment of Dakshayini’s self immolation in the yogaagni of the great yagna conducted by her father Daksha. Despite not being invited and husband Shiva’s passionate pleas not to force herself where she is not welcome, Dakshayini goes to the father’s place. Ignored by the gathering and the host, Dakshayini, overcome by a feeling of having lost her self-respect in both homes of birth and marriage, jumps into the sacrificial fire.
Sivan Nambootiri performing Kudiyattam.
M.L. Samaga as Shiva and Ramachandra Rao as Dakshayini gave moving performances. Added was the wonderfully emotive music in real Nataka Sangeet style of the only female Bhagavatar singer in Yakshagana, Leelavati Baipaditaya, whose voice production has the high pitched vocal power and bhava demanded. Arabhi, Madhyamavati, Atana, Durga … the ragas flowed in quick succession. But what was noteworthy was the theatrical impact of the singing. Shiva pleading with wife and finally deciding on total silence (maunena kalaham nasti) and Dakshayini in two minds, the yagna with the Ashta Dikpalaka puja, and Dakshayini’s anger that “Mrityunjaya Shiva” is referred to so disrespectfully by her father, were some of the high points of the fine performance. And what nimble-footed dancing and tasteful costumes!
Disciples of Gunakanta Dutta Borbayan from Notun Kamalabari Satra in Majuli (Assam) gave a wonderful Gayan/Bayan display, the mudras, the varied footwork, the serpentine movement in S formation very impressive. There was also a short Naduvaing Nitya and Ojhapali with Dasavatar presented as an exchange between the main narrator and chorus with interesting hastas for each incarnation of Vishnu.
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Story time
The flashback technique known as nirvahana is a special characteristic of solo Kudiyattam portrayals. Sometimes it is used to introduce the character. Incidents that occurred earlier in the character’s life or references to past lives may be included in the nirvahana. The choice of stories and references to include in the nirvahana is the actor’s. SNA Awardee Kalamandalam Sivan Nambootiri, in his performance, took up an episode from Bhasa’s play “Thoranayudham”. In the episode, Ravana, having just heard that his garden has been laid waste by Hanuman, recalls a string of incidents leading up to his present distress. The brilliance of the depiction lay in his alternately portraying contrasting roles such as Ravana, Parvati, Shiva, Hanuman, and others.
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Friday Review
Bangalore
Chennai and Tamil Nadu
Delhi
Hyderabad
Thiruvananthapuram
|
