BENGALURU: Watch Anuradha Vikranth, an ace Bharatnatyam dancer, dance on a canvas. She will be drawing a peacock with her feet to portray the bird as the messenger who will bring back her beloved hero in this dance feature Mayura Sandesha.
The technique is called Chitra Nritya. Anuradha explains, “We have rangoli powder spread over an area of about 10 x 10 feet. The notes are set to Mallikamoda tala, a rare tala format. There is a way to move your feet to be able to balance and draw the figure.”
It was conceptualised by choreographer, scholar and innovator Veena Murthy Vijay. She says, “Skanda is Subhramanya and his vahana is peacock. In the ancient times, when Gods were carried in rathas for processions, devadasis used to dance and draw the vahana of the deity on procession with rangoli.”
Anuradha further says, “Chitra Nritya was a part of ‘Alaya Nrityas’ (temple dances), firstly presented by the priests themselves where the pictures of the God’s vahanas (vehicles) were drawn as part of the ritual to invoke the Gods and then this dance form was presented by the devadasis.”
She has taken up this concept for a solo dance narrative elucidating the longing of the tribal heroine Valli for her beloved hero Skanda. She says, “Mayura Sandesha is a highly emotive dance number which brings out the varied emotions of the heroine. These include her longing to be with him, her fear of not being reciprocated and then her determination to win him over.”
Apart from Bharatanatyam, she has also adopted the movements of the Charis and Karanas from Natyashastra as reconstructed by her Guru Padmabhushan Dr Padmasubrahmanyam. She worked on the entire production of this Nirupana tradition for two months.
Known for choreographing on social issues, Veena Murthy says, “The social theme in this feature is nature and how we should preserve it and enhance our lives. Peacock represents ecology and the beauty of nature”.
Veena Murthy says she did not find it difficult to choreograph. “Since I knew the chitra nritya technique, I just had to build a theme and ready the script. Ganesh wrote the lyrics.”
Anuradha will be performing at the NrutyaRangoli, a national dance festival conceptualised by Veena Murthy Vijay. “This festival is unique because a non-dance institute is organising it. Dance festivals are usually less compared to music or art festivals. These fests are organised usually only by the dancers. In Nrutya Rangoli, I have collaborated with Academy of Music. We have internaltionally-acclaimed dancers performing all styles of Indian Classical dances at the festival. The theme is colours.”
Do not miss the performances at Nrutya Rangoli from May 5 to 7 from 6.15 pm at Chowdiah Memorial Hall, Malleswaram. Dr C N Ashwathnarayan, Malleswaram MLA, will be honoured by Academy of Music.
Nrutya Rangoli Performances
May 5
6.15 pm - Performances by students of dancer Shama Krishna and Nrityagram Dance Ensemble.
May 6
6.15 pm - Performances by Bharatanatyam dancer Samana Gururaja, Surya N Rao, Tadepalli Sathya Narayana Sharma and Kathak couple Hari and Chethana.
May 7
10 am - Dance drama Panchama Veda’ by Keshava Nrithya Shala.
11 am - Discussion on the need of inter-disciplinary knowledge for dancers and choreographers.
6.15 pm - Performances by Bharatanatyam dancer Shilpa Nanjappa,Rasika Ensemble and Odissi performer Madhulita Mohapatra and her troupe Nrityantar Dance Ensemble.