The ballets featured by Asmitha Resource Centre so far were mostly woman oriented. But this ballet ‘Rajsimha’ trekked different path. This is an allegory depicting Lord Narasimha’s life. Renowned Bharatanatyam artiste Rajeswari Sainath presented this ballet with her usual expertise at Ravindra Bharati last week.
The verbal narration also adds another character Chenchu Lakshmi, a tribal woman who pacifies Narasimha, after he enters the forest soon after annihilating the demon king Hiranyakasipa. But for these references to Narasimha theme in text, rest moved to a narration on familiar path directing at social reformation pointing out at loot of forests, building of dams, destroying mother earth, enjoying authority, power and lack of accountability — all topics that concern the country. The script says these were new insights to augur ‘humane future’. It has nothing to do with Narasimha or Chenchulakshmi as nothing was said later except saying Narasimha is symbolic of liberation and Chenchu Lakshmi as hallmark of tribal exploitation. The background narration scripted by Vasanth Kannabiran was in English.
It is indeed yeoman task for dancer Rajeswari Sainath and her team, to interpret the theme in Bharatanatyam. She choreographed apt dance for the prayers to Lord Narasimaha and later for Chenchu Lakshmi sequence adding some folk element. The team tried to match the content of back voice narration, provided by Vithal Rajan, Srinidhi Raghavan and Vasanth Kannabhiran on social evils to dance with traces of interpretation in dance. The subject also pleads against the destruction of our planet and raises issues of power, authority, accountability, corruption and justice that are haunting today’s world. Issues of freedom, faith and diversity are also encompassed in the script that also says annihilation of Hiranyakasipa heralds dawn of new freedom and hope for survival of humanity, for it is fight for freedom from abuse of power of trust.
Every phase of dance was loudly applauded more because of its intense presentation of packed jatis and wonderful music score provided by Chennai based B.V. Balasai that stood by the ballet. Some tunes bore similarity to Western system. But for the rendition of initial slokas, addressing Lord Narasimha, the rest ran to the backdrop of pure instrumental music.
These dances were presented to pre-recorded music. Rajeswari’s performance was dominated by novel jati spells that she had gone through with ease and grace. She planned the group dances for thematic expression well.
The folk idiom in presenting tribal character Chenchu Lakshmi was brilliant. All her disciples aptly supported Rajeswari.
The ballet was staged with the support of Department of Tourism of Telangana, Goethe Zentrum and Associate Bankers Officers Association unit – SBH.
