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From verse to dance
A verse composed in Sanskrit, a painting inspired by the recitation of the verse, the verse sung to an appropriate rAga and danced with the correct abhinaya. What is special, you ask? Well, the topic for the verse is given by a member of the audience extempore!
Dr R Ganesh of Bangalore is an expert in this and a select audience was lucky to see him in action on November 8, 2003, as a part of a series of programmes in remembrance of late S Subrahmanyam, a noted scholar.
The programme was called 'kalAvadhAnam: kAvya, citra, gIta, nrtya'. Dr Ganesh is an expert in avadhAnam, the ancient display of a scholar being able to handle several tasks, music, poetry, dance, astrology etc., all at the same time.
He is an expert in several languages and is well-versed in classical poetry, vEdAs, shAstras, etc., and was performing in Chennai for the first time.
The painter was B K S Varma, a well-known artist based in Bangalore. His works have been exhibited before and he has worked with Dr Ganesh in the past.
The verses were sung by noted Bangalore-based musician, Sangita Choodamani Dr Nagavalli
Nagaraj.
The dance was for the verses were performed by Sundari Santanam, a senior disciple of Dr Padma Subramanyam and director of Bharatha Nrityashala. Dr Nagavalli was accompanied by Kalaimamani Tiruvarur N Balam on the violin. Tiruvarur N S Rajam, sister of flute maestro N Ramani, provided the mridangam accompaniment.
We got a taste of what was to come with the invocation itself. Dr Ganesh chose to dedicate it to Krishna. He quickly composed on the spur of the moment a verse on Krishna in the mallikamAla meter.
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'Our Krishna is searching for his crest jewel, the peacock feather;
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He searches for it amidst the peacocks roaming in the backyard;
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The peacocks are fooled by his colour of the rain cloud;
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He in turn forgets his search as he watches their dance;
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May the forgetful one protect us!'
Even as the verse was being composed, Dr Varma, using a thread with quick but masterly brush strokes, drew an enchanting image of Krishna with the rising sun in the background and a calf (the calf was drawn when the note Ma was sung!). The singer chose to sing the verse in hindOLam. The dancer brought out her expertise by adding that Krishna realises that he has lost his feather when he looks at his reflection in the flowing
Yamuna!
By this time, Dr Ganesh had a large list of titles/questions that the audience had given him. The rest of the evening was given over for seven to eight chosen. There was a request for a verse on Krishna accepting to dine at Vidura's house instead of Duryodhana's was asked and the rAga specified. Not to be outdone, Varma had a member of the audience write the three letters of Vi-du-ra on any part of the canvas. This was done and the ensuing painting had the image of Vidura in the 'Vi' the 'du' became a part of Duryodhana's luxurious moustache and the 'ra' became a part of an image of Krishna eating!
In response to a request for a verse describing the drunken revelry of monkeys on Hanuman's return from Ashokavana, the last line stimulated the stammering-intoxicated speech of the monkeys. The meter was dhruta vibhuta - meaning swift (when drinking!) and slow (the aftermath!). The song was set to kApi. It was the turn of Sundari to show the revelries on stage.
Another poignant verse was in response to a line 'I remember your touch but not your face'. The verse was set in the aftermath of marriage when the hero says:
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'During our wedding, the veil shielded your face like the moon behind the clouds;
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I remember your affection;
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I remember those flower bud finger tips garlanding me;
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I remember the horripilation on the touch;
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I remember that touch but have forgotten the face;
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Lift your veil, my love'.
The dance was well in keeping to the richness of the verse.
The programme ended with an impromptu verse composed that paid homage to Valmiki after whom Tiruvanmiyur is named. The artist's picture of the sage with the image of Rama in his forehead was one that the audience is sure to remember for a long time to come!
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