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 'Darshan' by Malavika Sarukkai- Dr. Usha RKe-mail: simplyushark@gmail.com Photos: Innee Singh July 8, 2025 Madhavi Foundation for Creative Excellence presented 'Darshan' by Malavika Sarukkai at Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi, on 4th July 2025.  When the storyteller actually experiences the story and finds herself as physically present as either the protagonist or a communicator intrinsically present at the situation, you as in the audience, are drawn into that realm or bubble to experience and become a part of it. This certainly calls for the artiste to go within her soul and churn her spiritual sea swing through all the philosophical waves, as Malavika created the mood and ambiance for The Darshan. Such an evening became possible when she moved from the 'physical to the Metaphysical'. A journey meandering through years of exploring, relooking, revisiting and reinterpreting. In this visual form of art, the body plays a tricky role often challenging, yet Malavika svelte as ever, glowed in her pithambara and gold costume, fitness exuded. The immaculate choice of the four segments, the progressive moving of the bhakta often taking the role of the hero, highly embellished and drenched in internalised spirituality brought the auditorium to a silent gasp many a time finally ending in a trance like moment with the thunder of claps for a good long time. Numerous moments of ecstasy or "moksh ke pal" kept the audience in the Vaikuntha dham, not a whisper or word, everyone totally looking at the stage bewildered. Malavika wove four compositions beginning with a dedication to lord Shiva, "Tandaveshaha" explaining the significance of the primordial sounds, their interweaving into each other bringing about the creation of Naada blending into the emotional, philosophical and rendering the shades of spirituality and trance. Statuesque postures of the lord without making it physically demonstrative yet exuding the personality of the lord of dance gave the whole piece a meditative pace. 'Mareecha vadham' brought out the numerous aspects of grace, glances and gambeerya portrayed through the characters of Sita, Mareecha disguised as the golden deer, Ravana's darting eyes of vengeance and Rama calm and benign yet sharp in focus. Storytelling and role plays often result in high dramatics without a pause or a seesaw like approach lending the delineation only the optimal vibrancy or energy required. The characterisation, depiction of nature, the flora and fauna along with the divine characters of Rama, Sita and Lakshmana in exile, in contrast to the those in Lanka, juxtaposed the good over evil with ease and finesse. Malavika's performance of this story displayed this technique, a master class for the young dancers.  The next two compositions led by the leelas of the godhead Krishna were popular and tremendously endearing. "Krishna nee begane baro," the evergreen Kannada pada this time melting from the cajoling of the mother to her wonderment of feeling and visualising him as not just her baby but the one who wields the universe. The moments of the unbelievable experience of Yashoda through the antics of Krishna were so beautifully presented almost making us, the audience, feel as being in the midst of the stage and it happening around us. It was the Raas, through verses from Srimad Bhagavatam that raised the gradual and desired elevation of adhyatmika Darshan to its pinnacle. The beauty of the Raas Leela, the emergence of the lord exhibiting "one for each" and the ecstatic shringara veering its way rapidly to the "oneness" resulting in the ultimate form of Bhakti made for an intangible dreamlike finish to the evening. After a few moments of silence, the present hit the audience and in an indisputable gasp of appreciation every member stood up and the ovation grew louder by the minute. The Madhavi Foundation family - Meera Khanna, Rama Vaidyanathan, Indira Nayar and Col. Ravi - are keeping the true love and passion of their mother Madhavi Gopalakrishnan alive through these events.  Dr. Usha Rk is an Arts Consultant and former Member Secretary, Ministry of Culture; former Director, Cultural Centre, Embassy of India in Moscow. Her conceptualisations of thematic dance presentations are appreciated and well received across India. |
