Connoisseurs believe that there are two definitive streams accessible to Indian classical dance. The first is that which sticks to the traditional repertoire, while simultaneously attempting to create something new within the traditional themes and idioms. The second attempts to widen the repertoire by focussing on absolutely new themes.
With Indian classical dance being rooted in traditional canons, the task of choreographers or dancers to try and go beyond the laid down principles is not very easy. It is challenging to create improvisations to the time-worn and time-tested principles of dance in technique, style, theme, choreography, music and movement.
Time and again there have been lone attempts to explore the immense possibilities of crafting new repertoires for dance. Some have been successful, while others have not gone beyond the first recital. ‘Sivananda Rasa Lahari’ is a valuable addition to the repertoires of Mohiniyattam and Kuchipudi.
It took P.C. Krishnarajan Raja, a Sanskrit teacher at A.U.P.S. Palikkal, Pazhayannur, Thrissur district, nearly seven years of intensive research to complete the first phase of this very ambitious project. “I stake no claim for this. I was simply being driven by a divine force. Initially, it was slow progress. When it began growing on me I took leave from my job to concentrate on the project,” says Raja, of Mankavu Palace, Kozhikode.
‘Sivananda Rasa Lahari’ is an experience of the rasa or aesthetic relish based on the Siva lore. This is the very core of the Sanskrit natya theory, where every dramatic presentation is aimed at evoking in the minds of the audience a particular kind of aesthetic experience or rasa. “First the slokas and kirtans had to be composed. With references and influences of various texts and treatises such as Sivapuranam, Rudrasamhita Natyasastram, Soundaryalahari and Kumarasambhavam, I created the content. It begins with a devastuthi or pundarikam followed by a mangala slokam paying obeisance to the Lord at the famous Thali Temple at Kozhikode. An introduction to the main subject or naandikirtanam is introduced before taking the audience on to the nine rasas. All the rasa have separate slokas and kirtans with their meanings and interpretations in Sanskrit and Malayalam. And all this has been written keeping in mind its visual representation through dance,” he explains.
Here again Raja has followed a very elaborate structure. This systematic and intensive study on the rasas explores its manifestations in Nature, murals, sculpture before culminating in classical dance. “All the slokas and kirtans have been set to Carnatic music by Laila Sasikumar, former head of the Department of Music, Government College, Chittoor. She has painstakingly chosen ragas that match the rasa experiences,” he says.
When it came to choreographing Raja found many places where the mudras were incomplete. “We decided to set it to Mohiniyattam and Kuchipudi and the choreography was by Kalamandalam Kshemavathy, Kalamandalam Hymavathy and Anupama Mohan. Somehow, all of us found a need to create a new grammar. This led us to ritual arts from where we created new or modified mudras. This will, we hope, give the presentation a perfect stage language.”
Since Mohiniyattam is a dance form that epitomises lasyam (grace) with its gentle, enchanting pace and rhythm expressing some of the rasas in this composition, especially when related to Lord Siva, was difficult. So, five rasas – sringaram, bhayanakam, hasyam, karunam and shantam - are represented by Mohiniyattam and the other four, including Purusha Sringara, through Kuchipudi. A visual documentation of Sivananda Rasa Lahari with the three esteemed dancers and some of their disciples has been done. “We shot the dances in the backdrop of Halebid. The audio recording is over; the singers have rendered their parts, with only the final mix remaining. Along with the video we also want to bring out an audio album with narration.”
Laila Sasikumar, B. Arundathi, K.N. Ranganatha Sharma, M.K. Sankaran Namboodiri, Vijeesh Champakara and Reshma Narendran are the singers. Kshemavathy, Hymavathy, and Anupama Mohan are joined by Kalamandalam Nikhila, Kalamandalam Rachitha Ravi, Kalamandalam Veena, Swathi and Meenakshi. The music for dance has been created by Vayala Rajendran.
Siddhardh Kalloor and Panjal Unni have captured the movements and expressions of the dancers along with the architectural splendour of Halebid. The project is produced by Rajan Kapparath.
“We are sure that many dancers will include this as an important part of their repertoire. ‘Sivananda Rasa Lahari’ in its complete audio-visual form will be ready by the end of this year. As part of the second phase we plan to create an attaprakaram (acting manual) for all the rasas for what we have now is hardly seven minutes or a little more for each one. This will be accompanied by an interpretation in Malayalam and English. The music will be notated to make it easily accessible for dancers. In the meanwhile, we hope to see this performed on stage,” says Raja.
