Divya Shiva Sundar’s Bharatanatyam recital was a debut of sorts — not the debut of a learner, but of a well-finished professional dancer from Bharata Kalanjali, established by the celebrated gurus, Shantha and V.P. Dhananjayan. Her aesthetic understanding and feel for Shastreeya Nrithya (Mohiniyattom artiste-scholar Dr. Kanak Rele’s term for dance codified by the shastras) is complete. She is technically picture perfect with graceful, accurately timed, well-rehearsed movements. She has a confident and charming stage presence as well.
Divya’s polish and mastery in the Nataraja Anjali (Nattai, Adi, verses from the Periya Puranam tuned by Bhagavathulu Seetharama Sharma) and in the Mohanam padavarnam (‘Mohanakrishna,’ Adi, Dhananjayan) did not end there. Her studied portrayals of Radha’s saddened state as she awaits Krishna in the bower, too depleted to walk to meet him and mistaking the darkness for him in her confused state, as explained by her friend to Krishna in the Ashtapadi ‘Natha hare’ (Desh, misra chapu), and of a hurt and angry woman, who is betrayed by her friend in the jawali ‘Praana nathan’ (Abhogi, Adi, Dhananjayan, inspired by Ghanam Krishnaier’s ‘Unnai thoodu anuppinen’), conveyed her internal depth and acting talent.
There were significant moments in Divya’s netra abhinaya that swung the pendulum from ‘great’ to ‘excellent.’ One was Radha’s expression of looking for Krishna during the phrase ‘Pashyati dishi dishi’ in the Ashtapadi — with the eyeballs hardly moving from side to side as if searching, the one piercing look had longing, desperation and sadness in it. The other was in the Abhogi padam, when the friend, who has been sent as a messenger of love returns — the heroine is first very happy to see her, then she registers her dishevelled state. She is shocked and lifts the friend’s veil. The shock turns to anger and disgust when she understands what might have transpired between her friend and lover. The effortless transition in emotion reflected the dancer’s maturity.
One of the other hallmarks of Divya’s recital was Shantha Dhananjayan’s dignified rendition of jathis. She is an excellent singer, so her voice resonates with a melodious sruti. That apart is the calm yet firm rendition, adding emphasis only where required. The opening trikaala jathi with its emphasis on the half point and end point of the tala cycle and the spaced out sollus in the second and others were elegant aurally and visually. The pancha nadai jathi with no sollus was unusual.
Rare episodes
Nruthyopahaaram on Guruvayoor Krishna was not heavy on sahitya. It presented lesser known leelas such as the killing of Sakatasura, who took the form of a cart and Dhenukasura, who took the form of a calf and others. Manmadha, the handsome god of love mistaking the blue-bodied Krishna to be Siva and running scared, when he realises that the divine Krishna is even more handsome than him, he falls at his feet in devotion. This was an interesting incident, played out with ease.
Expect the unexpected from Satyajit Dhananjayan, who has taken over the running of Bharata Kalanjali. The concluding Nagaswaraavalli Nrittangahaara (thillana) in Adi tala, a composition of veena B. Kannan was visualised by him. The music commenced with the charanam — a soulful rendition of Devi’s names — before the dancer walked in to the tisra-embedded pallavi ‘Deem tanana na dridani tom thillaana deem.’
The mei adavus continued into contemporised naattu adavus in the four directions, followed by enjoyable rhythmic passages. The nadai-bedam-usi sequence led back into the solemn, meditative charanam, sung as a rhythm-free virutham and fading off in that mood to end the recital.
The expert musicians were: Satyajit (nattuvangam), Binu Venugopal (vocal), Eashwar Ramakrishnan (violin), Laxminarayan (tambura). Ramesh Babu (mridangam) needs special mention for his restraint.
