The joy of dance

‘Rasollas’ is a delightful mixture of various dance forms presented by Sri Sai Nataraja Academy of Kuchipudi Dance, writes Gudipoodi Srihari.

Collaborating with Shilparamam, Ramadevi’s Sri Sai Nataraja Academy of Kuchipudi Dance, organised a dance festival called ‘Krishnam Vande Jagadgurum’, inviting reputed dancers of different genre to participate.

The mammoth event began with Mohiniyattam featuring Rekha Raju of Bengaluru. Her show began with traditional ‘Chollukattu’, verbal expression of jatis, tuned in Hameer Kalyan, Adi talam. She then went for Annamacharya kirtana Bhavayami Gopala Balam that narrates Yashoda’s deep love to child Krishna. This was followed with Swathi Tirunal’s Chaliye Kunjan in Brindavana saranga. She then closed her show with Oru Neramengilum Kaanade of the noted poet Chowvallur Krishnan Kutty. Rekha’s satvikabhinaya matched well with the subject, and her graceful moves in the Mohiniyattam attire were charming.

Kathak exponent Sanjay Kumar Joshi came out this time with ‘Vilasini Natyam’. ‘Vilasini’ in a general sense refers to a courtesan, a female character. Yet Sanjay did it with a male appeal by launching it with pallavi presentation, usually performed in front of the deity during ‘upabhoga’ ritual, then went to ‘Pallaki seva’ and ended with ‘Madhurashtakam’.

P.B. Krishna Bharathi, a well known dancer and guru took stage and presented

Krishna Nee Begane Baro of Purandara Dasa, and Jayadeva Ashtapadi Sancharadhara , choreographed by Vempati Chinna Satyam. Meera bhajan Jagme Dohi Naam , her own choreographic work was her last number.

Bharatanatyam dancer Geetha Ganeshan came out with a Bhagavatha story woven in the format of slokas, her own renditions. These were pre-recorded. The span of theme covered from Krishna‘s birth to his display of ‘Viswaroopam’ or Omniscience in the Bhagavad Gita episode. Her abhinaya laced with nritta spells caught the imagination of the audience. She closed her show with Sarangapani Padam Mogudochi Pilichenu.

On the second day of Rasollas, brilliant performances by Mumbai-based Kathak artiste Ranjana Phadeke, disciple of Pt. Birju Maharaj stole the show. Her ‘Krishna vandana’ set in Bhimplas was a piece of pure nritta in teen tal. The other number that was interesting was the holi celebration between Radha and Krishna to a song

Hori Na Daro Rang in rag Bageshree. Her abhinaya as Krishna and Radha was superb.

This was followed by Hong Kong-based Roopa Kiran’s Bharatanatyam. ‘Dwadasa Stotra’ — 12 slokas in praise of Udipi Krishna was praise worthy. There was also popular Madhuranagarilo Challanamma of Chittor Subrahmanya Pillai in Anandabhairavi. Later Kuchipudi exponent Swetha Nayak presented episodes from the life of Krishna. There was a song in Malayalam too tuned in raga Kapi. There was Ashtapadi Chandana Charchita for a change. She concluded with Tarangam Nanda Mukunde in Ragamalika.

The final show of the evening was that of Keralanartanam artiste Sridevi Namboodri. She opened in prosaic script narrating an episode from Mahabharata. The accompanying song was Subhadra Haranam . Dancing to a Malayalam devotional, Sridevi concluded her show and the two-day event too.