She is a hard taskmaster, albeit benevolent, and exhorts her disciples to ceaselessly cultivate higher levels of achievement in their art. Revathy is an adherent of the traditional Melattur style, and ensures that the rhythmic, graceful grammar of
Bharatanatyam is exemplarily retained in her performances. That dedicated commitment sums up, in essence, the pristine dignity so characteristic of her art.
For, who else but Revathy, can weave so imaginatively ‘Suddha Nrittam’, as part of ‘Om Saravana Bhava’, major characters Cosmic Dancer
Lord Siva (Shilpa Darshan Kumar), Consort
Parvathi (Revathi) and Boy Lord Muruga (daughter Manasvini) as performers! This was the unique 20-minute highlight of the overall 90-minute, dance-drama. Contextually, Manasvini as Muruga, won everyone’s heart quite deservingly.
The ‘Bhaavaarpana’ function opened with 27 Revathy-wards (26 girls +1 boy), solemnly offering the traditional invocation. From then on, the drama of the myriad facets of Muruga unfolded grippingly and impressively. The advent of the six-faced Shanmukha, emanating from the fiery third-eye of Siva, the merger of the six different babies into one body, with six faces and twelve hands: the Teacher Swaminatha, who teaches his father the esoteric essence of the primordial sound ‘AUM’, and also instructs him on how to behave as a disciple (therefore, Swaminatha): Velayudha, who uses his VEL (the spear) to dispel nescience and to destroy evil forces: the ‘Valli Thirumanam’ episode: the Kaavadi synthesis of Bhakti-Hatha-Raja yogas and the Thiruppugazh obeisance were the eight episodes that featured Lord Muruga’s omniscience, omnipresence and omnipotence most effectively.
Revathy drew lyrics and inspiration from sources Kanda Puranam, Kandar Kalivenba, Kandar Anubhoothi, Sankara’s Sri Subramanya Bhujangam, Subramanya
Kavuthuvam, Thiruppugazh, Bharathiyar’s verses (‘Villinai Oththa’) and Kaavadi Chindu (Katha Kalakshepam Vidvan S Janakiraman) to portray the dance sequences in dynamic fashion. The battle-scenes – Muruga Vs Demons - were particularly specific examples – short, crisp to the point and not overdone. The melodies and beats chosen were appropriate. All the disciple- dancers – Sridharini, Manasvini, Darsana, Aisvaryalakshmi, Sukhi Sukumaran of Kalakshetra, Divya, Ramya Bhadrnarayanan, Shilpa Darshankumar – entered into the spirit of their Guru Revathy’s presentation very supportively.
The recital was performed to recorded orchestrated music and
Jathi-patterns.
‘Om Saravanabhava’ was recently presented to US audiences at 16 centres and earned warm approbation.
Revathy’s salutations to Muruga
Revathy Ramachandran’s Kala Sadhanalaya troupe of nine dancers rendered a thematic presentation titled ‘Om Saravana Bhava’, at the
