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 A night of divine rhythm: Kathak's devotional journey - Dr. R.L.V. Ramakrishnan e-mail: rlvramakrishnan@gmail.com Photo credit: Oculus Photography June 11, 2025 The Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi presented a mesmerizing Kathak solo performance by Parvathy Sreedevi, who is the disciple of Kalamandalam Sony and Suchetha Sivakumar, at Bharat Bhavan, Thiruvananthapuram. The evening unfolded with an almost poetic coincidence, dark clouds rumbled overhead as if nature itself was setting the stage for a dance dedicated to devotion. The piece, Tara Charane, a Gujarati bhajan composed by Anoopam Mission in raga Malkauns, became more than just a performance; it was a spiritual experience. The track for the bhajan was co-composed and performed by Bhavik Patel alongside Chirag Ratanpara with the chorus provided by the Anoopam Sur Vrund group. The bhajan, a form of devotional catharsis, is dedicated to Bhagawan Swaminarayan, the founder of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya. He is revered as the human manifestation of the Supreme God, Purushottam Narayan.  Parvathy Sreedevi Unlike the high-energy Kathak often seen, Parvathy's rendition flowed with a meditative grace. The dance began with a striking image: Parvathy shielding a diya from imaginary rain, her pallu draped protectively over the flame. As the 'rain' ceased, she placed the lamp at Swami Narayan's feet, marking the start of her sacred offering. The bhajan's lyrics, "I bow to your sacred presence, your purity resides at your feet", were brought to life through expressive gestures. When the music swelled with sargams and rhythmic bols, her spins and footwork mirrored the devotional fervour. Yet, in quieter moments, her abhinaya conveyed deep introspection, especially in verses like "You dwell in every soul; I seek no more blessings." Parvathy, a performer active in both India and the UK since 2019, currently contributes to Scotland's cultural landscape through collaborative work and community leadership. What made Parvathy's performance particularly captivating was her ability to translate the bhajan's essence into movement without losing its devotional core. Kathak, often celebrated for its technical brilliance, the rapid tatkars, the dizzying chakkars, took on a different dimension here. The slower passages, where she held poses just a breath longer, allowed the audience to absorb the emotion behind each gesture. Her eyes, following the arc of an imaginary deity, or her hands tracing the shape of a prayer, made the abstract tangible. The musical arrangement played no small part in this alchemy. Raga Malkauns, with its deep, introspective quality, provided the perfect foundation. The vocalist's rendition of the bhajan, interspersed with sargams, created peaks and valleys of emotion - each crescendo met with a flurry of footwork, each decrescendo with lingering stillness. The synergy between dancer and musician was palpable, a dialogue where movement and melody completed each other's sentences. While Kathak has its roots in North India, performances like Parvathy's signal its gradual embrace in the South. The Kerala audience, more accustomed to Bharatanatyam or Mohiniyattam, responded with rapt attention, proof that devotion transcends form. Parvathy's choreography respected Kathak's classical framework while infusing it with a narrative clarity that resonated deeply. The choice of a Gujarati bhajan in a Malayali cultural space also spoke volumes. It wasn't just about showcasing Kathak; it was about finding universal threads in diverse traditions. The bhajan's theme, surrender, gratitude, divine love, needed no translation. As the lights dimmed and the applause rose, what lingered wasn't just the memory of a dance, but the feeling it evoked. The rain that had threatened all evening finally began to fall as the audience stepped outside, as if nature had held its breath during the performance and could now exhale. Parvathy's Tara Charane was more than a display of skill; it was an invitation to pause, to reflect, and to find the sacred in movement. In a world that often rushes past the quiet moments, her performance was a reminder of the power of stillness and the beauty of a dance that speaks not just to the eyes, but to the soul. That night, under a rain-threatened sky, her performance became more than dance; it was a whispered prayer in motion.  Dr. RLV Ramakrishnan is a renowned dance expert, performer and educator, currently serving as Assistant Professor at Kerala Kalamandalam. He is also a committed advocate for social justice within the performing arts, working to create more inclusive and equitable cultural spaces. |
