Getting to know the stage and the audience can prove a challenge for any performer as stages are hard to find.
The annual Rangaparichaya Festival organised by Natanakaisiki Mohiniyattam Gurukulam, Irinjalakuda attains relevance in this context. The Rangaparichaya Festival gives the Mohiniyattam students of Guru Nirmala Paniker at Natanakaisiki, a much-needed space to perform.
Mother of Mohiniyattam , a documentary on Kalamandalam Kalyanikutty Amma, directed by Vinod Mankara, and produced by Smitha Rajan, was screened during the inaugural session.
The inaugural session was followed by a Mohiniyattam recital by Sandra Pisharody. After ‘Chithrangada,’ the choreography of the famed work of Ravindranatha Tagore’s by Nirmala, Sandra presented one of her new productions – that of a portion of the Kathakali padam from Duryodhanavadham . The subtleness with which she approached the lyrics from the Attakkatha was remarkable. ‘Sangameswara Mangalam’, which was also choreographed by Sandra, paying obeisance to the deity of Sangameswara or Koodalmanikyam, the deity at the Sree Koodalmanikyam Temple at Irinjalakjuda, was again proof of her prowess as a choreographer.
The festival concluded the next day with performances by all the students of Natanakaisiki. Beginning with a Cholkettu in Ragamalika and Adi talam choreographed by Nirmala, the students moved onto a Jathiswaram in Chenchurutty ragam and Adi tala, which was one of the oldest compositions in Mohiniyattam, following which the younger students of Natanakaisiki presented a Krishna sthuthi (‘Krishna Mukunda Murare…’). Anju Peter, a senior student presented a padam detailing the Peacock Dance and ending with ‘Kaliyamardanam’. After the thillana in Bhoopalam and Adi talam, the students also presented the Desi compositions of Mohiniyattam including Poli , Chandanam and Kurathi , which were revived by Nirmala.
Vocal support was provided by Neelamperoor Sureshkumar with Kalanilayam Prakasan on the maddalam, Murali Krishnan on the veena, Kalanilayam Ramakrishnan on the edakka and Meenakshy Menon and Sandra Pisharody on the nattuvangam.
