BENGALURU: When Usha RK, an arts consultant and administrator, saw the differences in the manner in which a deity is offered prayers in different parts of the country, she decided to highlight these differences through classical dance. “The prayers, structures and the spiritual connotations are all different and in order to bring out these aspects, ‘Kshetram’ was designed,” she says adding that the performances are in a different formats with each presentation beginning with the description of the temple. The festival is on from October 3 to 5 at Seva Sadan, Malleswaram
The Lord Jagannath Temple, Puri by Madhulita Mohapatra
Odissi dancer Madhulita Mohapatra will be presenting a recital about Jagannath Puri. Built in the 12th century, the temple sprawls in an area of over fourlakh square feet and is bounded by a 20-feet-high
fortified wall and four splendid gates.
“My performance will explore the serenity and sanctity of ‘Purushothama Kshetram’ of Puri, the divine abode of Lord Jagannath. Odissi evolved as a ritual, as a form of worship and meditation at the Lord Jagannath temple. The Lord loves Odissi dance. It is the best offering to Him as we describe His abode through the medium of dance,” she says.
Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai by Navia Natarajan Navia will be doing a Bharatanatyam presentation on the Meenakshi Amman Temple, Madurai. Meenakshi is the main deity here and it is believed that Lord Shiva assumed the form of Sundareswarar and married Parvati (Meenakshi) at the site where the temple is currently located.
“I have visited this temple a couple of times in my teens. But I never spent time to understand its significance and splendid architecture. But later, as I started growing as an artiste, I felt the need to explore, seek and to go beyond,” she says. The narrative, she says, takes us through the imagery and philosophy of who the Goddess is.
“She is the one with ‘beautiful fish-shaped eyes’. It just doesn’t mean ‘long and slender’ eyes shaped like the body of a fish, but the Goddess’s eyes are open forever to support her devotees by merely glancing at them. She is called Shakti, the energy from which all things are created,” she says.
Lord Venkateshwara Temple, Tirumala by Soundarya Srivathsa
Soundarya Srivathsa will be presenting Lord Venkateshwara Temple in Tirupathi. “I have fond
memories of the deity of the Lord of Kaliuga and the divine place. I used to be a regular visitor to this temple and every time, I would climb the seven hills,” she shares. She says she has choreographed the 40-minute piece keeping the tradition of Bharatanatyam in mind. “I took about one month’s time to set the entire production. I did some research online, read books and also watched films based on Lord Venkateshwara,” she says. She’d working with her husband D S Srivathsa, a singer, on this project. “He helped me with the entire script and music. Since we worked together, it was quite easy for me to understand and work on this project,” she adds.
Shri Krishna Temple, Udupi by Ragini Chandrashekhar
Bharatanatyam dancer Ragini Chandrashekhar’s performance on Shri Krishna Temple in Udupi looks at the lyrical poetry of the dasara poets. The main piece is a composition of Purandaradasa. “The choreography brings together the twin elements of both ‘nritta’ and ‘abhinaya’ to bring out the ‘ananda’ in Krishna’s dance.
The performance concludes with the soul-stirring poetry of Kanakadasa. It is believed that the deity at this temple turned itself around to allow the lowly Kanakadasa to have a ‘darshan’ of the Lord. It is through the ‘kankanakindi’ (golden window) that devotees even today consider it most auspicious to see the Lord at Udupi,” she adds.
Arasuri Ambaji Temple, Gujarat by Vidha Lal
A kathak performance on Arasuri Ambaji of Gujarat by Vidha Lal explores the beliefs and legends about this temple. Ambaji is a town in north Gujarat surrounded by the Aravali hill range. “It is one of the 51 shaktipeethas and there is no image or statue of the Goddess.
It is only the holy Shrivisa yantra which is worshipped here,” says Vidha. Her recital is divided into three parts. In the first composition ‘Ambe Jagdambe’, she offers her devotion to the Goddess Amba. In the second part, to show the power of Devi and the concluding piece will be ‘Arasuri Ambe Maa’, depicting the journey of a devotee atop the hill going to the temple.
“The story is about how a devotee helps thirsty and tired people climb up the hill. He carries children on his shoulders. The sick are cured by the grace of Maa, and the procession proceeds for a darshan of Ambe,” she narrates. “The movements for garba with a touch of Gujarati folk, and the abhinaya are the
highlights of this piece,” she says.
Shrinathji Temple, Rajasthan by Abhimanyu Lal
Abhimanyu Lalu will be performing Jaipur gharana of Kathak on ‘Krishana Kshetram’, Shrinath ji of Nathdwara. Nathdwara is the gateway to Shrinathji. It is situated in the Aravalli hills in Rajasthan on the banks of the Banas river. The deity from the 14th century depicts the Lord lifting the Govardhan hill. The performance by Abhimanyu commences with the depiction of the mangla sewa, where Thakur Shrinath ji is awakened by Yashoda ma.
He says. “It will be followed by the Nritta aspect of Kathak showcasing different poems on Krishana Leela. I will conclude my recital with a bhajan and archana, ‘Sharan gayo ko kaun ubaryo’. In this composition, I will show the Govardhan leela which shows Kanha protecting the Brajbhumi by lifting the Govardhan Parvat on his little finger and providing shelter to everybody when it gets flooded with torrential rains,” he adds.