Abhinaya provides silver lining

SREKALA BHARATH, disciple of K. J. Sarasa, who performed for Kartik Fine Arts, is a skilful artiste and her dedicated efforts were evident in her presentation. However, in her recital that evening, she seemed quite worn out even in the first half of the performance. Although Srekala made a sincere attempt, her physique did not help her to achieve the intricacies of the rhythmical aspects or the Adavu structures with perfection. From the beginning, there seemed a lack of involvement, creating a void. But she revealed considerable skill in abhinaya and exhibited fairly good control over this area. Chitrambari (vocal), K. T. Sivaganesh (violin) and Nellai D. Kannan gave solid support and provided the necessary spirit to this recital.

``Sri Ganapatini'', the well-known kriti in praise of the foremost of Gods, marked the beginning of the performance. The central number was the lively varnam (ragamalika) of K. N. Dandayudhapani Pillai, contributing joyful moments of enchanting lyrics and swara sections, spreading over the network of bhava and tala. Srekala danced with sincerity and commitment, although liveliness was absent in her rendering. Her depiction of the love- lorn Nayika, also lacked the continuity of the main mood at certain moments. However, Srekala depicted the varied ideas for Maa Madhi and Taamadam with an elegant touch, and with appropriate linking of the elaborations for these lines.

For Sadaa Ninaivu, which explains the heroine's constant pining for her Beloved Lord, the sancharis were not impressive. The one where Srekala depicted the lady in love as immersed in the thought of her beloved as she is sweeping the floor with a broomstick, was not in good taste. It would have been better if she had concentrated on loftier ideas. However, in the latter part of the varnam, Srekala tried to infuse some spirit, especially in the catchy arudi sections.

Narendra Kumar, himself a talented dancer, conducted the recital, with good control over Nattuvangam; but the theermanams he rendered, had mostly mridanga sollus than the rhythmical recitations of typical jati syllables employed in Bharatanatyam format. Some of the patterns seemed partly familiar, and the rest filled with such new inclusions; also the opening recitations of Narendra Kumar were elongated unnecessarily, as though to sound complicated in the process of executing complex rhythmical structures; actually they seemed to create only a lack of crispness, prior to the theermanams.

Also Srekala's execution of certain adavu set-up for these were unfinished, depriving the items of a gripping quality that they are supposed to provide.

NANDINI RAMANI

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