To create a dance ballet that sketches the life and times of a great spiritual leader from a singular lens is no cakewalk. To emerge unscathed and triumphant at the end of the day is even more challenging. This is exactly what Dr. S. Vasudevan’s “Sri Godagraja” (Goda’s elder brother) is all about. Skilful handling of a vast canvas with focus on saint-poetess Goda Devi’s (as the title denotes) hymns to bring out the persona of Sri Ramanuja, the torch-bearer of Sri Vaishnavism, within the tenets of Bharatanatyam is commendable.
Knitting the scenes together in narrative through English voice-overs made way for a window-view of the seer’s life if not his philosophy. Conceptualising and bringing in two spiritual personalities spanning across two different periods in time to justify the title is artistry par excellence. So kudos to Kamala Srinivasan, behind the ballet and Vasudevan, the choreographer.
What was bewitching was the choicest ‘pasurams’ (hymns) from Andal Tiruppavai, an adorable collection of 30 poems wherein the poetess codifies the methodology and bliss thereafter for a spiritual seeker through chaste, charming imagery. The ballet is all about the influence of this saint’s works on Ramanuja. Vasudevan as Ramanuja looked an epitome of the saint with his ochre clothes, shaved head, his staff, et al.
The daily rituals he undertook were depicted with clarity to drive home the point that he was not a mere Sanyasi but also spiritually enlightened soul. The verses from Andal’s Tiruppavai in the background were translated on to the stage through the character of Andal played by Akshaya Ravichandran who turned out to be an excellent dancer, especially when emoting to the seventh verse ‘Keechu keechendru...’. The pasuram chosen were apt to the incidents being portrayed on stage like ‘Unghzal Puzhai Kadai ...’ while Ramanuja preaches to a set of disciples; ‘Undu Madhagalitrra Nodade Thozh Valiyan...’ when he prostrates to a small girl who dishes out his bhiksha, daughter of another saintly person Tirukacchi Nambi, visualising her as Andal and so on.
The ballet’s title gets its clarity when we are shown that Ramanuja takes upon himself to fulfil a vow made by Goda Devi (as narrated in her second composition Nacchiyar Thirumozhi) to offer 100 pots of special rice kheer to Lord Krishna if her marriage with Lord Ranganatha gets realised but which she could not during her lifetime. Ramanuja then hears Goda’s grateful voice addressing him as her elder brother!
The priests hauling the palanquin with a statue of Sri Ramanuja prior to the show and at the end lent an air of authenticity to the event which marked the 1,000-year celebration of the seer of Sri Vaishnavism. However, AP Bhavan’s auditorium was not suited for a ballet of this magnitude.
