The ballet had the line Jaya Rama Rama as a strain. Yasoda chose a doha from Tulasidas Ramayana, after the rendition of some slokas from Valmiki Ramayanam for this. Later the composition Ramacharanam, written by Devulapalli Krishna Sastry and set to music by Palagummi Viswanatham was used. Yasoda was presenting all these sequences as a solo ballet with probing abhinaya adopting the Kuchipudi idiom adding some impressive jaties. An elephant, a deer; symbolic of Pushpavaatika and also Panchavati were also incorporated in abhinaya. Later, the song Kankana Kinkini Noopura Dhwani Suni taken from Pushpavatika vilasam of Tulasi Ramayanam, to depict the reactions of Srirama after seeing his consort Sita. Another sequence depicting that Hanuman achieving what all he did, simply by chanting Ramanamam. Then appeared the Thyagaraja’s composition Maa Janaki Chettabattaga in Kambhoji that gave scope to depict Siva Dhanurbhanagam and his marriage with Sita. Other sequences of Ramayana like the Sitapaharanam and Rama meeting Hanuman and the latter flying across the ocean to Lanka and finding Sita in Ashoka Vanam were also incorporated, including how the earth and stones for the construction of the path across the sea.

For this Yasoda needlessly used brass plates for carrying the building material and throwing them around. This part could have been shown in mime. For this she took up one more composition from Tulasi Ramayanam Bandhi Sethu. Ravana’s killing and the rest of the drama followed in expressive mime. The entire musical part for this and for the dances presented by other artistes too was pre-recorded. Each episode was explained with commentary in English, also as part of the pre-recorded music. Ravikiran set music for some of these songs.

Then followed another episode presented by Kathak artiste Sanjay Joshi, who chose a theme on Sun God. This was titled as Sapta Saptih – meaning the seven rays of sun. It is a potential theme that could have been exploited better as Kathak style suited it most because of its vigour. There were plenty of slokas all describing the seven rays we see them, which any science student is aware of. The sound of the chariot that Sun God rides was used as backdrop. Sanjay was shown constantly moving around turning around himself like the earth encircling the sun. The theme opened with the sun emerging from Hiranya Garbha or cosmic womb. The seven colours and their characteristics were explained through a number of Sanskrit slokas. Sanjay presented footwork typical of Kathak.

Yasoda Thakure depicted the power of Rama namam.

Anupama on the following day presented a theme titled Shiva Eva Guruh interpreting different forms of Siva and his consort Parvati depicting the Shiva Shakti Tatva, Kala Bhairava and Mahankali forms and ended with Ardhanareeswara Tatvam, a combination of Purusha and Prakriti. Guru Swarpoopa as Dakshinamurthy, as Parama Guru, culminated the drama. Anupama presented to her best all these phases of the drama combining abhinaya with nritya well. Renuka Prasad conducted to the vocal support by Swetha Prasad.

Then there was a theme titled Nitya Nav Ras featuring all the three artistes in different phases of the drama. As part of it Vasant Ras, Sharat Ras, Maha Ras, taken out different chapters of Sri Krishna’s romantic life were presented, ending with vasantha poornima’ the union of Radha with Krishna. This part was done by Anupama and Sanjay together with some more girls added to it in the number of Oothukadu Venkata Subbaier’s Nirupama Sundarakara. Chakrapani lent male voice in the recording for the Rasakreeda part.

© Copyright 2000 - 2009 The Hindu