A dance drama based on the epics or mythological stories , not only offers a platform for students of dance schools but also ensures a full house with parents and relatives in full attendance. It was at one such overflowing auditorium that two productions were presented to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Natya Sankalpaa, the dance school of Urmila Sathyanarayanan.
‘Meera -The lotus of Prem’, based on the works of Swami Sivananda, was the first presentation. It was curated by Urmila, choreographed by Sheejith Krishna and the musical score was by Rajkumar Bharathi.
A beautiful cut-out of Srinathji as the backdrop, enhanced by blue lighting and clouds of smoke , was an apt setting for a group of apsaras asking Krishna about his Radha. His response that Meera is a reflection of Radha, was the prelude to the story of Meerabai. A Rajasthani princess, who as a young girl was playfully told while watching a marriage procession that Krishna would be her life partner. Her belief in those words made her totally devoted to him. Her marriage to Rana, her detachment from worldly attractions, her bhakti mode and final union with Krishna formed the crux of the story.
Choreographed with a good mix of solo and group dances, theatrical inputs, by way of dialogue, were added for impact. Rana’s sister was portrayed more as a rakshashi (demoness) than an evil woman. Urmila as Meera looked regal. But the finery could have been toned down gradually as Meera surrendered herself to Krishna, to make it more effective.
The singer, rendering the compositions in a shrill voice, did not quite convey the feeling of bhakti. Overall, the focus of the production was on grandeur and colour and in that respect it succeeded.
The second presentation took the audience from Krishna to Rama, as the famous Swati Tirunal composition, ‘Bhavayami Raghuramam’, was chosen to narrate the latter’s story.
The production was a combination of narrative and swaras. This song is lengthy, as it condenses an epic into one composition. Therefore, when a group of girls in pavadai chattai, followed by another group of older dancers, and yet a third group for the narration came onto the stage in succession, it became tedious to watch. The large number of students on stage detracted from the flow of the story. The presentation was backed by a live orchestra that had Saikripa Prasanna wielding the cymbals, Hari Prasad on vocals, Guru Bharadwaj on mridangam, Venkat on rhythm pad, Kalaiarasan on violin, T.Sashidar on flute and Jayalakshmi Sekar on veena.
