CHENNAI: She is a Fulbright scholar who was attached with Golden Gate University, San Francisco, USA, for the fellowship. She is considered an inspiring performer, creative choreographer and an ardent researcher in the arena of dance. She had the distinction of being under the tutelage of maestro Padma Subramaniam for karanas, Kalanidhi Narayanan for abhinaya and Raghuraman for Tamil texts.
She is none other than Lakshmi Ramasamy who was awarded the first doctorate in Bharathanatyam from Madras University. With awards and titles galore, she was recently selected for the Senior Fellowship of Ministry of Culture of Government of India. This is not surprising, for she is the founder director of Sri Mudraalaya, an academy of performing arts, and has keen interest in imparting holistic training, practical dancing theory exercises, nattuvangam, stagecraft and stage management. These, coupled with her academic associations brought her laurels and had her chosen as an examiner for a couple of institutions and Member Regional Selection Committees.
Sundara Kandam in Ramayana, is said to bring auspiciousness and ward off difficulties in life. Lakshmi, who is credited with several thematic solos, duet choreography and full-length productions, will be performing Sundara Kandam, the symbolic life and prosperity, on August 11, 2014. The show will be premiered at Naradha Gana Sabha.
Sundara Kandam is about Sundara — the name by which Hanuman was fondly called by his mother. It is about the little monkey’s valiant yet noble deeds to help Rama find Sita.
Sundara Kandam is the only chapter of Ramayana in which the hero is not Rama but Hanuman. Hanumans’ selflessness, strength and devotion to Rama is revealed in the chapter. Lord Siva has said that whoever reads Sundarakandam or listens to Sundara Kandam Pahala Prapti will become a great devotee of Lord Rama and lead a happy painless life.
It is about hope, ethics and righteousness that reflect on the deeds of Anjaneya, revealing a life in which one’s inner strength is reigned by humility. It is also about Vibhishana’s honourable principle that he stands by, which is morally right even if against his brother’s will, and Sita’s unfailing hope that Rama will destroy the evil Ravana.
Hanuman’s indulgence in the destruction of evil proved that dharma alone will triumph. It is said that reading one Sargam of Sundarakandam is equivalent to chanting the Gayathri Japam 1,000 times.
The production will reflect Sundara’s selfless love, devotion and surrender to his lord Rama, suggesting that Sundara Kandam is a moral code that promises to make one’s days fruitful, says Lakshmi.
The event Sundara Kandam is being organised by Sivanugraha Trust, and will be performed by nearly 50 dancers, spanning three generations. The lyrics are by Rukmani Ramani and music is by Rajkumar Bharathi.