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 December Margazhi Season '23 by Medai, Bangalore - Rathna Supriya Sridharan e-mail: rs@nnpnrithyam.com January 19, 2024 Medai Bangalore launched their first five day 'December Margazhi Season' in '23. Inspired by the December Season in Chennai, it was launched as an extension into the fast growing cultural hub Bangalore. Co-founder Gowtham and coordinator Preeti came up with this bright idea to showcase Indian classical dance forms for five days in Medai - The Stage, located in Koramangala which is one of the happening places in Bangalore that welcomes all types of art and cultural activities. This event witnessed a houseful success on all days. Medai - The Stage, which was started by Charles in Chennai, has a vision to spread across cities. The concept seems to be drawn from the relatively recent innovation - blackbox studio, but here there is a dedicated performance space, compact seating supported with very good lighting and acoustics. Medai Bangalore is looking at extending the duration of the December Margazhi Season '24 for a whole month showcasing all art forms with established artistes and aspiring performers. Workshops too are in their list, which will give a better understanding and insight of the arts. The first season had a good lineup of artistes with their troupes who presented mythological traditional presentations with a different flavour. On day one, it was Prabhat Arts International led by Bharat and Sharath Prabhat who come from a lineage of innovative productions and here was yet another one, 'Vividha.' Different concepts presented from the diverse cultures across our country with varied ideas through a variety of subjects like the adaptation of 'Chaturang' the concept in Hindustani music in Carnatic music presented in Bharatanatyam. Compositions of saints from different regions, the Warkari Sant who worshipped Sri Panduranga and the Dasas who worshipped Sri Krishna as both the Lords being the form of Maha Vishnu were interwoven. These spectacular performances in Kathak, Bharatanatyam and Bharata Nrithyam were presented adapting contemporary aesthetics in music.  Madhulita Mohapatra & Nrityantar ensemble Nrityantar Dance Ensemble presented 'Colours of Krishna' on the second day. It was a kaleidoscope of hues and emotions of the leelas of Sri Krishna, which serves as a poignant allegory as we are reminded and drawn towards him, who is an embodiment of love, humility, righteousness. It chisels through the emotions of a being, thus a devotee surrenders in bhakthi. Directed and choreographed by Madhulita Mohapatra, music composition was by Rupak Kumar and the rhythm composition was by Guru Dhaneswar Swain.  Sreelakshmy's group Kuchipudi Kathanam - story telling through Kuchipudi - was a presentation on the third day by Karthika, Madhavi, Souparnika and Ganga, the students of Avanthika Space for Dance from Kerala, under the tutelage of their founder Sreelakshmy Govardhanan.  Jayeeta Dutta's group The ancient city of Varanasi is witness to eons of history. On the fourth day, a Kathak performance 'Dashashwamedh' (which is the name of the main gate of Varanasi on the banks of the Ganga) presented enchanting stories of Varanasi, traversing through its narrow lanes reverberating with music, temple bells, artistry, and chatter of pilgrims giving a feel of that surrounding through ten choreographies, which were conceptualized, directed and produced by acharya Jayeeta Dutta and performed by her students. As we await the installation of infant Sri Rama on the 22nd of January '24 in Saketa Ayodhya - Rama Janma Bhoomi - with the wave of 'Jai Sri Ram' and 'Sri Rama, Jaya Rama Jaya Jaya Rama' ringing through social media, and pracharams in holy places thus building up devotion and reverence towards Lord Rama, acharya Deepa Narayanan Sashindran rode on this wave by presenting her latest choreography a Nrithya Rupaka, 'Bhava Nuta' - Bhava means Lord Shiva and Nuta, praising Sri Rama in this context in his worldly existence.  Kuchipudi Parampara Foundation The approach was through the Advaita Vedanta framework. He is the doer, hence, Deepa had chosen keerthanas from Adyaatma Ramayana, a noteworthy retelling of Sampoorna Ramayanam by Munipalli Subramanya Kavi (1730-1780) who through his 104 Sankeerthanalu, highlights the spiritual journey of Lord Vishnu as Rama on Earth performing his Leela Natanam. Here, the Sutradara is Lord Shiva who narrates the Ramayanam to Goddess Parvati. The compilation of lyrics was done by Dr. Rajani Malladi and the music compositions by Gampalahally Gurumurthy. It was a neat presentation by the artistes of Kuchipudi Parampara Foundation, flowing seamlessly through the narration. Deepa used colours to represent characters than elaborate costumes. Each character was well portrayed by the young dancers. The epics Ramayanam and Mahabharatam, though presented again and again in different ways over centuries, carries the fundamental learning of virtues and values that need to be imbibed by human beings through their journey on this earth. This presentation of Adyaatma Ramayana was yet another reminder that kindled the mind, to observe one's own emotional outbursts that could lead to dire consequences, like that of Soorpanaka, Manthara or Ravana to name a few in the Ramayana. Medai -The Stage ended their December Margazhi Season on this insightful presentation on the fifth day.  Rathna Supriya Sridharan is a Bharatanatyam exponent and Artistic Director of Nithya Narthana Priya. |
