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 Tributes paid to Dr.Kanak Rele - Vijay Shanker e-mail: vijaydance@gmail.com July 20, 2024 BRILLIANT PORTRAYAL OF PRAHALADA CHARITRAM The 87th birth anniversary of the eminent Mohiniattam dancer and dance educationist, Dr Kanak Rele was observed with a tribute performance in the Kathakali style by Kalamandalam C Gopalakrishnan and his disciples in the presentation of Prahalada Charitram at the Kanaka Sabha of Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyalaya on 15th June. Prior to the presentation, Dr Uma Rele, director and principal of Nalanda Nritya Kala Mahavidyalaya, addressed the gathering after paying homage to Dr Kanak Rele, "We will always be indebted to her great contribution in the promotion and propagation of Mohiniattam and also for the establishment of Nalanda that offers degrees in classical dances up to the doctorate level. She will always be our inspiration, as we express our heartfelt gratitude and reverence." Kathakali performances in Mumbai city are rarely seen. Kalamandalam Gopalakrishnan has been closely associated with Dr Kanak Rele for several years, conducting her performances and also as a faculty member at Nalanda. Incidentally, Dr Kanaka Rele was the disciple of "Panchali" Karunakara Panicker in the Kathakali style, hence a Kathakali performance was a befitting tribute to a great diva of classical dance. 
Kalamandalam C Gopalakrishnan Prahalada Charitram commences with the scene when Hiranyakashipu takes young Prahalada to the ashram of Shukramuni and requests the great mentor to teach Prahalada about his history and the values of life. Prahalada starts his studies and while Shukramuni goes away for a bath, he instructs the other senior students to teach him. After returning from the bath Shukramuni is surprised to learn that young Prahalada is chanting "Narayana" and not "Hiranyanaama." In spite of telling him, the young Prahalada refuses to listen, hence is taken to the court of Hiranyakashipu where the king asks Prahalada to recite what he has learnt. He advocates the worship of Narayana and criticizes his father and continues to chant "Narayana." Hiranyakashipu is enraged and punishes him and he is sent to the forest where he is tortured by the Kinkaras but Prahalada escapes from all the torture and returns to the court of Hiranyakashipu. The arrogant and proud king is shocked and asks Prahalada how he has derived so much strength to bear the torture. He declares that it is his ardent devotion for Narayana that has protected him. Hiranyakashipu is confused and challenges the young lad and asks as to whether his Lord resides in the pillars too and he affirms the same. Hiranyakashipu breaks the pillars in a fit of rage and is shocked to see the arrival of Narasimha avatara (half man half lion) who rips the arrogant king apart. The power packed performance of Narasimha was brilliantly executed by Kalamandalam C Gopalakrishnan, to the extent that it sent shock waves in the audience. The role of Hiranya was well performed by Renjish Nair, sage Shukran by Arjun Warrier, Prahalada by Shilpa Variar Chhablani, the role of Kinkaran and student was executed by Babu Nair and Divya Nandagopan. The singers were the veteran Gireeshan, Krishnamohan and Nikhil Prasad, the percussion musicians were Kalamandalam Nandakumar on chenda and Kalamandalam Venu on maddalam. On the whole it was a great tribute to a great artiste. GURUSMARANA IN KERALA On the occasion of Gurusmarana 2024, in Mohiniattam ode to Guru Dr Kanak Rele, one of her foremost disciples Dr Dimple Nair and her team of talented dancers presented Ramabhavam, the dance interpretation of Swati Thirunal's popular composition "Bhavayami Raghuramam" incorporating the magnificence of the Lord and the complete Rama Charitram in the dance drama format, in the Mohiniattam dance style in three venues in Kerala, namely Sopanam in Cherpu on 26th June, Melpathur auditorium of the Guruvayur temple on 27th June and at the Town Hall in Irinjalakuda on 28th June. It was quite interesting to watch the varied episodes come alive, enacted and performed by ten Mohiniattam dancers.  Dimple Nair and group Originally, 'Bhavayami Raghuraman' was an ekaharya presentation, conceived and choreographed by Dr Kanak Rele and further on taught to different disciples like Dimple, Sunanda, Madhuri etc. For the first time, Kalamandalam C Gopalakrishnan took the initiative of choreography and presenting 'Bhavayami' in the dance drama format, thereby inviting the participation of other Mohiniattam dancers, who are all the disciples of Dr Kanak Rele, hence a unique and novel method of expressing their reverence to the great mentor. Dimple Nair who plays the role of the protagonist Lord Rama said, "Initially we struck the idea during lockdown. We are all scattered in different cities, hence the online sessions started and finally we all came together in Kerala and gave the dance drama a proper shape and finesse and am glad the response has been amazing with lot of appreciation and we look forward to more such programmes." Bhavayami takes the audience through the various stages and episodes, pertaining to the life of Lord Rama, like his birth, the Seeta Swayamvaram, 14 years exile, the missing Seeta, the tussle with Jatayu, the devotion of Hanuman, the Setu Bandhan, the destruction of Ravana and ultimately the Rama Pattabhishekham as he ascends the throne in Ayodhya. While all the dancers played their roles well, special mention needs to be made for Dr Dimple Nair who was befitting as the "Maryada Purush", the role of Seeta and the sprightly Jatayu played by Unnati Ajmera. Besides Dimple, the dancers were Sneha Nambiar (Ravana). Radhika Nair (Hanuman), Unnati Ajmera, Nayana Prakash, Bhadra Rajeev (Seeta), Shruti Mohana, Ananya Amrutraj, Dipannita Das and Aishani Chatterjee. Bhavayami included ragas Saveri, Nattakuranji, Dhanyasi, Mohanam, Mukhari, Purva Kalyani, Madhyamavati and was set to rupaka talam. Wonderful rendition of orchestra comprised Kalamandalam C. Gopalakrishnan on nattuvangam, Kalamandalam M S Gireeshan on vocal, mridangam by Kalamandalam Kiran Gopinath, veena by Thrissur Muralikrishnan and edakka by P Nandakumar. The programme in Irinjalakuda was part of the golden jubilee celebrations of Dr K.N. Pisharody Kathakali Club. A seminar was also conducted in Irinjalakuda by Keli Ramachandran, Gopalakrishnan, and Gireeshan wherein an open discussion was held to convey to the audience, the enormous work undertaken by Dr Kanaka Rele, her ideas, her concept and talas used in her numerous choreographies with live demonstrations. On the whole, it was a fine session of music, dance drama and storytelling.  Vijay Shankar is a Kuchipudi and Kathakali exponent, teacher, bilingual journalist, arts critic and actor. |
