Dancer-couple Nirupama and Rajendra revisit the Ramayana in ‘Rama Katha Vismaya’

From the thematic manufacturing ‘Rama Katha Vismaya’ offered by Nirupama and Rajendra in Bengaluru, lately.
| Photograph Credit score: Particular Association

The Ramayana, an historic epic, has been retold by means of varied artwork types over the centuries, particularly by means of classical dance kinds comparable to Bharatanatyam, Kathak, and Odissi. In latest occasions, many dancers have continued this custom by presenting Rama’s story to life on stage in recent and fascinating methods. One such manufacturing was ‘Rama Katha Vismaya’, a full-length efficiency, curated and offered by dancer-couple Nirupama and Rajendra. Staged at Chowdiah Corridor in Bengaluru, the manufacturing featured almost 60 artistes from the Abhinava Dance Firm.

The duo framed the epic as a story being narrated to Krishna by Yashoda as a bedtime story. When she reaches the sequence the place Ravana abducts Sita, little Krishna instantly leaps out of his mattress and shouts, ‘Saumitri, deliver my bow and arrow’, leaving Yashoda each startled and confused . In accordance with Nirupama and Rajendra, this second, drawn from Leela Sukar’s Krishna Karnamritam, the place Krishna remembers his previous life as Rama, impressed them to provide you with this thematic manufacturing.

Vibrant costumes (by Rajendra), vibrant lighting design (by Ajay Vijendra), choreography that comes with numerous kinds, musical rating starting from classical to folks, and grand units and LED projections added to the enchantment.

The presentation started with a gaggle of women wielding peacock feather followers and a gaggle of boys holding bows and arrows, highlighting the widespread hyperlink between Rama and Krishna. Their dynamic formations and actions for this phase, resulting in the introduction of Rama, had been skillfully choreographed. A quick depiction of Rama’s earlier avatars by Rajendra was attention-grabbing. And Nirupama explored her dramatic expertise with conviction in her position as Soorpanakha.

At one nook of the stage, Yashoda continued her narration to Krishna — the rakshasas, disturbing the rituals, being vanquished by Rama and Lakshmana, the breaking of Shiva Danush by Rama adopted by Sita swayamvaram, the entry of Rama, Lakshmana and Sita into Dandakaranya forest, appearances of Soorpanaka, Maricha (the golden deer), and eventually the kidnapping of Sita.

There have been some attention-grabbing segments too. As an illustration, within the Sita abduction scene, the depiction of Ravana’s duality was performed convincingly. Ravana is often portrayed as arriving disguised as a sage searching for alms, solely to vanish and reemerge in his majestic, royal type. However, right here, the variation was creatively offered as two dancers appeared on stage and moved in excellent unison to convey the concept that the 2 personas had been, the truth is, one and never separate.

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The introduction of Ravana was yet one more riveting visualisation. In utter darkness, glowing masks (used to point the ten faces of Ravana) started to swirl throughout the stage, earlier than regularly settling right into a formation behind the dancer — the embodiment of Ravana, the ten-headed king.

In ‘Rama Katha Vismaya’ a gaggle dancers, dressed as flowers and birds, represented the Dandakaranya forest.
| Photograph Credit score:
Particular Association

  Even the scene about Rama’s exile was handled in another way. As an alternative of the same old depiction of the disappointment that engulfs the folks of Ayodhya when Rama leaves for his exile, the dancers showcase the happiness and reverance with which Dandakaranya forest welcomes them once they enter it. Nevertheless, the presence of a gaggle of dancers, dressed as flowers, timber, birds and animals, who had been always shifting on stage was disturbing and regarded a bit amateurish.

The manufacturing aimed to incorporate components that may appeal to a large viewers, however the core of Rama’s character and the narrative had been misplaced amid a flurry of exercise on stage. A second of repose may have considerably elevated its impression.

Credit: Lyrics are by Ashtavadhani R. Ganesh. Music is by Praveen D Rao. He had mixed different sounds, and swara patterns in such a means that they match the tempo of the choreography. However one wished for some moments of tranquility to offset the excessive vitality ranges, for higher impression. Route and visuals are by Vinod Gowda, and . inventive course and choreography by Nirupama and Rajendra.