An interesting seminar-cum-illustrated presentation of Ashta nayikas (eight types of heroines) and four nayakas (heroes) threw efficacious light on the very important topic of classical dance. According to the treatises of dance, these classifications are made on the basis of their attitude, temperament, habit, condition and behaviour. Participation of leading dance Gurus and their prized disciples in the renditions held at the ADA Rangamandira under the aegis of College of Dance and Music and Keshava Nrithyashala was the plus point.
Informative talk: Seasoned singer Dr. Sukanya Prabhakar provided an useful introduction with her melodious singing and highly informative talk on padas and javalis of the erstwhile Mysore kingdom’s vaggeyakaras (composers). It is noteworthy that the padas and javalis are the most valuable and very potential source for abhinaya. They are known for their spiritual, devotional and artistic qualities too. These padas and javalis have the themes of different nayakas and nayikas. The abhinaya in sitting posture was an attractive feature of the Mysore style of Bharatanatyam. Dr Sukanya in her lucid speech referred to the bhakti of Haridasas and Sharanas and averred that their literature is the fountainhead of Padas and javalis. She sang Saddu maada byadavo (Sripada), Kaanade nillalare (Vyasaru), Ranga baarane (Vadiraja) and others to drive home her point of view. She revealed the fact that the then rulers of the kingdom themselves were good at composing. Their shringara (romantic) poetic works have been endearing. Chicka Veeraraje-ndra (Bhavavenda), Kantheerava Narasimharaja Wodeyar (Ene bhamini), Mummadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar (Munisetake bega bare), Aliya Lingaraja Urs (Sairisu sairisu ramani) among others were the expert composers. Dr Sukanya informed that there are about 200 Kannada javalis. Quoting Venkataramanaiah and Ramanna she placed on record the contribution of Veena Padmanabhaiah who had composed 3 Telugu and one Kannada javalis. She sang Vaddante kopama mutta which has a profusion of sangathis of raga Suruti. Her rendition of a few padas and javalis was enthralling.
Nayikas relived
Reputed danseuse and presently the president of the Karnataka Sangeetha Nrithya Academy, Guru Vyjayanthi Kashi was in her elements in portraying Swadheena patita nayika on the basis of Dharmapuri’s ‘Smara sundaranga’. Keeping intact the vachikaabhinaya, she received good support from her daughter Prateeksha Kashi on nattuvanga and Akshata (vocal). A successful performer-cum-Guru Sheela Chandrasekhar in the happy company of Rajeshwari (nattuvanga), Srivatsa (vocal) and Narayanaswamy (mridanga) demonstrated a nayika who is repenting after a quarrel with the nayaka (Todi entodi, Kamavardhini, Subbaramaiyer). Vanitha, a disciple of Guru Revathi Narasimhan did well in sketching the traits of a Vasakasajjika nayika with the lyrical support drawn from Dwaraki Kris-hnaswamy’s Kannada javali (Marulagide naanu, Kalyani). The mentor of the semi-nar Guru B K Shyam Prakash triumphantly directed his student Padmaja to enact a virahotkhanthita nayika as per the Yadukulakambhoji pada Taamarasaaksha. Veteran Guru Bhavani Ramanath’s daughter-actress Akshata Ramanath delighted the audience with her portrayal of vipralabhda nayika (Maara Cheluvanu manege baarano, Madhuvanthi). Guru B K Vasanthalakshmi’s choreographic excellence was on view in the presentation of Indendu vachchitivira (Suruti) to underscore the behaviour of a khanditha nayika.
Guru Lalitha Srinivasan’s disciple Suneetha Sastry artistically illustrated a Prothitpathika nayika who is neither jealous nor suspicious about her hero who is in a distant place, as per a Saveri pada Emo teliyadu with an Amaru shataka shloka preamble. A versatile danseuse and scholar Dr Padmaja Suresh meticulously depicted an Abhisarika nayika (Yarikagum bhayama, Begade).
Dazzling nayakas
In the nayaka segment, experienced dancer Sathyanarayanaraju dazzled in the enactment of a Dheerodhaattha nayaka (Lord Rama, Yaaro evanyaro, Bhairavi).
Though the selection of a filmy song yielded a mixed result, Sudheerkumar’s attempt to show a Dheera lalitha nayaka was laudable. Raghunandan and GS Nagesh used their own compositions to interpret Dheerodhata (Kamalakshi nee enna, Begade) and Dheerashantha nayakas (Shantanu dheerashantanu) respectively.
Directed and choreographed by Gurus BK Shyamprakash and BK Vasanthalakshmi, the dance drama 'Bharatha Bahubali 'was marked by colourful traditional costumes, elaborate props and rich music. The adaptation of Kannada’s Aadi Kavi Pampa’s epic was fruitful. Raghunandan, Sudheerkumar and Manasi Raghunanda in the lead roles captivated the rasikas.
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