Narayana Guru brought live through “Mahan Sri Narayana Guru” , a drama on the life and preaching of Sri Narayana Guru, who promoted spiritual enlightenment and social equality, on the seventh day of the golden jubilee celebrations of Tamil Isai Sangam.
The play began with the birth of Narayanan alias Nanu and the incidents that made him to penance viz take bath after touching a particular caste, not allowed to sit equal with others in the padasala, separating leprosy patients away from society, marriage without the consent of the Bride and Bridegroom, disease will come to us due to sin, were portrayed well in the respective scenes.
Though his ideas were revolutionary, the peaceful methods that he adopted to achieve his ambition/goal were well exhibited in the role played by K R S Kumar as Narayana Guru.
A nonagenarian Kudanthai Mali has brought out the reach of Narayanaguru across India through Guru’s meetings with Ramana Maharishi, Rabindranath Tagore and Mahatma Gandhi, through his dramatization, dialogues and direction.
The drama has made everyone feel for one religion, one caste and one god, the preaching of Narayana Guru is relevant today even after independence.
The first part of the day’s programme witnessed a wonderful dance drama “ Sri Balakrishna Leelai”, choreographed by Natyacharya Shylaja Mahadevan, by students from Madurai Sri Kalakendra arts and cultural academy under the leadership of R M Sri Amsini.
Lord Krishna’s birth to the famous Kaalinga Narthanam were portrayed through the lyrics and songs from “Krishna Leela Madhuryam of Ambujam Krishna, Madurai Muralidharan (Kalinga Narthana Thillana) and by Dr Shylaja Mahadevan.
The Kaalinga Narthana (Krishna vs the serpent Kaliya) , killing of demon Arishtasura ( in the form of Bull), killing lethal bird and Krishna lifting Mount Govardhana like an umbrella over his friends and their cattle, were portrayed energetically and playfully with creativity and received good appreciation from the audience.
S Padmanabhan
