Rama Vaidyanathan performing on the Music Academy
| Picture Credit score: S.R. RAGHUNATHAN
Nritya Kalanidhi Rama Vaidyanathan’s recital whereas being replete with individualistic touches, for which the dancer is understood, appeared low key. She started with ‘Madhumateer’, an invocation to Earth, primarily based on a verse from the Rig Veda. Bhoomi, offering dwelling area for people, nourishing them with the bounty of meals from her physique, is certainly the true mom of creation. The music spinning round decrease notes, suggesting Earth as the bottom habitat for dwelling beings, was composed by the enterprising Sudha Raghuraman, in ragas Bakulabharanam, Latangi and Durga — set to 9, eight and 7 matra talas, respectively.
It was a extra acquainted floor when it got here to the Varnam ‘Ma mohalagiri meeruden’, a composition in Khamas, by Namasivaya Pulavar, set to Rupakam. The nayika on this, expressing her unrequited craving for Muruga of Kazhugumalai, worshipped by King Ettendra Bhoopathi himself, is printed because the abhisarika — Rama’s choreography presenting the standard picture of the love-stricken nayika braving the fears of the darkish woods, with its lurking hazard of snakes, for a tryst along with her liked one. The sakhi as messenger is urged to catch the Lord when alone, returning to her to report what transpires. The dominant temper, nevertheless, took an uncommon flip within the charanam a part of the varnam. Chiding herself for being devoted when not reciprocated, the nayika involves the conclusion that her obsession for one entity is pointless (oruvar asai peridai identify alaivadil enna).
Sudha Raghuraman and the dancer have behind them years of working in unison and each share the keenness for uncovering new territories, and have some nice work to their credit score. Nevertheless within the conventional Margam, the place the singing must match the motion, Sudha’s briga-laden rendition and the sound of the devices left sure phrases unclear, evoking a way of dance and music shifting in non-allied paths.
Uncommon padam
The dancer’s selection of the padam, ‘Taruniro punya papamu’, once more exterior the generally identified oeuvre of Kshetrayya, set to raga Dharmavati, portrayed a heroine, who was not the stereotypical nayika. Abhinaya specialists check with this quietly assured nayika as swadheenapatika. She is so fully dedicated to the person in her life that nothing he does can change her emotions for him. The dancer’s abhinaya, with out spinning an interpretative sub-text, was dictated solely by the lyric.
‘Re re kandarpa’ (a reputation for Manmatha) ushered within the finale, with music set in Kanada and Yamuna Kalyani. Resisting the temptations posed by the arrows of Manmatha, the devotee prays for the interior silence of Vairagya Kandarpa by way of whole renunciation. The piece was primarily based on the lyrics from Bhartrihari’s ‘Vairagya Shatakam’.