Ganga has been a rich source of inspiration for creative individuals to respond to it through their chosen medium of art, and the latest offering was the premiere of the dance-music-theatre presentation of Kala Sadhanalaya’s ‘Jagat Pavani Ganga,’ scripted and directed by Revathi Ramachandran. Lalgudi G.J.R. Krishnan has provided the musical score for this production, which tackled the subject from three angles —first the natural landscape of the river, second mythology, folklore and history and the third, environmental issues.
Revathi used dance sequences, theatrical elements, mime and shadow play. Conceptually the ideas flowed well, but the presentation did not quite capture them.
Beginning with a lengthy description of the landscape with its trees, flowers, the sounds of water splashing on the rocks, movements of birds and fish, the narrative moved on to depict stories of Anshuman’s Ashwameda yaga, Bhagirata’s penance, Ganga’s descent and so on. The calibre of the dancers notwithstanding, the choreographic pattern which consisted of a large group of dancers enacting these sequences one after another in a flurry of continuous movements, with no moments of repose and restraint, gave room for monotony.
Certain segments such as the Ganga aarti, use of a masked horse for the yagna and Siva’s entrywere aesthetically appealing.
The final section by Mime-Matrics though well-executed was also a cosmetic addition, without the dance providing the link.
The musical score followed the choreographic requirements and used appropriate ragas and rhythm to suit the scene. Sutradar Karthik Ananth Subramaniam would have been better with a less aggressive approach and lower decibel levels. The production will stand to gain if the emotional content is enhanced; otherwise it will remain just a visual experience.
