It was an enthralling evening, sponsored by the ‘Mahua Art Foundation’ (www.mahuagallery.com) at the National Gallery of Modern Art with Prof. B.N. Goswamy presenting ‘Vishnusahasranam- the thousand names of Vishnu’-an illustrated presentation of ancient paintings and Malavika Sarukkai presenting her latest dance choreography of Bhagavadgita, recently.
The divine, creative, intellectual synch between the two presentations was vivid and unmistakable.
‘ Vishnusahasranam- the thousand names of Vishnu’
Prof. B.N. Goswamy, India’s most distinguished art historian, recepient of the Padma Sri and Padma Bhushan and was also conferred with the Punjab Gaurav Sanmaan by the Punjab Arts Council for his contribution in the field of art. Many scholars and researchers are influenced by his work and research in Indian Art.
He is a major cultural figure and a living master of Indian Art history. His very name had drawn many people to come with reverential readiness to grasp and enjoy his compellingly wonderful presentation.
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Prof. Goswamy said that Vishnu is ‘Mysterium Magnum’, the manifest and the unmanifest, a primordial matter from which sprang the whole Vishvam, and all the elements – Vishvam Vishnu’. He explained the background of Vishnu Sahasranama, how Bhishma lying on the bed of arrows, waiting for the auspicious time of ‘uttarayana’, chanted the one thousand names of Vishnu one after the other, each name a hallowed gem. Prof. Goswamy said that he finds ‘Vishnusahasranam moving, with its eloquence and sanctity.’
With the painting of Shaligram- the iconic symbol of Vishnu which receives reverential worship in many a household, he went on to display the charan ( feet) of Vishnu with the propitious marks of conch, lotus etc. He gave the significance of Shankh, Chakra, gada, padma, which Vishnu wields in his four arms and how they are related to the sky, air, fire and water. He went on to show more paintings of Vishnu in his cosmic form, paintings that celebrated Vishnu- image after image, Vishnu in the form of Krishna as a baby lying on the banyan leaf, Vishnu as bhakthavatsala, appearing to bless the devout and Vishnu in his Visvaroopam - the Supreme Being as depicted by artists in various mystical forms. His elegant style of presenting cut the edge – he succeeded, as he is known to, in making it not just a visual treat but as a deep soul indulgence.
Prof. Goswamy took the audience’s faculty of wonder to soar high and pulled them into his world of research and discovery of historical value. He did not make it look as though he was merely making information available, but he illumined the path like a beacon light while imparting his erudite knowledge to help audience discover the beauty of the concepts. His explanation had flown like a current in a river meandering along with grace and harmony.
His deep narrative voice and sublime expression made the presentation engaging and rewarding, with occasional poetic quotes that fit aptly.
Prof. Goswamy directly stimulated sense and sensibility of one and all in a profound and impacting way. He received a much deserving standing ovation.
Bhagavadgita
Malavika Sarukkai, as a Bharatnatyam dancer who is known to be ‘innovative- within-tradition’ is considered one of the topnotch classical dancers India has produced. She has been honored with numerous Indian awards including the Padma Shree, the Kalaimamani from the State Government, the Mrinalini Sarabhai Award for Excellence in Classical Dance, the Nrityachoodamani from Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Sanskriti award, the Haridas Sammelan award, and the SNA Award by Central Sangeeta Natak Akademi, Delhi, to name a few.
Mahabharata, being a glorious epic, has had scores of adaptations in many forms of dance, art and literature. Taking the crucial episode of the genesis of Bhagavadgita from the epic, with the backdrop of the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Malavika Sarukkai enacted both the characters of Krishna and Arjuna in her dance narrative.
With her mesmerizing dance and captivating choreography, she elevated it to a supernal level of excellence, by delineating the nuances beautifully. The whole range of emotions were sensitively portrayed by her.
Creating a landscape of emotions on the stage, she brought out the underlying distinctions, impulses, moods of the two characters of Krishna and Arjuna so well, it was totally tangible, palpable, perceptible. When an artist of such calibre gives her all to the performance, it becomes a personification of sacredness, filled with moments of epiphanies.
How the dance recital began, how it has evolved, and how it has ended after reaching a zone of confluence where the divine- the spiritual- the classical nuances converged with great ease and grace, left the receptive audience in a sort of trance.
Malavika Sarukkai’s skills both as a dancer with captivating expressions and as a seasoned choreographer got particularly highlighted when the sloka played in the background –
Nashto mohah Smritirlabdha
Tvatprasadanmayachyutha I
Sthitosmi gata sandehah
Karishye vachanam tava II (Gita 18-73 )
Her intense involvement in the characters was akin to union with the divine. . Her practice, sadhana or more rightly put, her ‘tapasya’ gave out a luminosity that enveloped the packed auditorium. The accompanying musicians matched her excellence in their rendition and were duly applauded. In a small tete- a- tete with THE HINDU, Malavika explaining the process of her high quality productions, said “ the creative process for me is a long one, deliberate and spontaneous. I spend many months with dance choreography, internalizing it as I work on sculpting the movement vocabulary with a technique of awareness. The endeavour is to own the dance, every moment of it. For only then does it become authentic”
On how she translates the chosen text into visual images to bring them to life in dance recitals, she said, “the biggest challenge of translating a text / poetry into dance at the physical level is to find the appropriate dance language. This requires an intellectual approach where technique, pratibha (creative imagination), experience and passion fire the mind. The deeper level, is the spiritual one. Spirituality is a state of mind, a state of inner being. The tapasya in dance is to delve deep within oneself to discover another level of consciousness. Texts like the Bhagavad Gita point the direction and it is then up to us to follow the path.”
Bangaloreans will remember this wonderful collaboration of the art historian and dance exponent for a very long time.
