CHENNAI: In a world that’s always in a hurry, we rarely stop to notice the stories in an old temple pillar, the quiet message in a painting, or the feelings tucked into a line of poetry. Art asks us to slow down, take a breath, and reconnect with the things that make us human. For Bharatanatyam exponent Lakshmi Ramaswamy, this is what her forthcoming performances aim to achieve.
Returning to the stage after a hiatus, Lakshmi invites audiences into a world where dance, music, and visual art converge to narrate timeless tales. On January 2, 2025, at Krishna Gana Sabha, she will present Pramaanam, a solo performance inspired by the evocative paintings of Shri Keshav Venkatraghavan. “Paintings are frozen moments in time, and they reveal a story beyond time,” she says.
“I am so fond of paintings and architecture, especially temple architecture. When Natyarangam invited me to be part of their Chitra Bharatam project in 2018, that too an opportunity to interact with my favourite painter Shri Keshav Venkatraghavan, it was a big delight. To me, this challenge of representing the paintings and unusual dances was inspiring.”
The music, composed by Rajkumar Bharathi and rendered by musicians, adds depth to the performance. “Music is the backbone and springboard to a visual presentation. When you get a composer like Rajkumar Bharathi, who can envision the underlying drama and translate it into a soundscape, then it becomes a wholesome relish,” she says.
Sharing the stage that evening is Sapta Vidangam: A Journey Through the Seven Shiva Shrines, performed by the students of her institution, Sri Mudhraalaya. This group production delves into the lesser-known dances of Lord Shiva, such as Ajaba (serpent), Alabha (wave), and Bhramara (bee), tied to seven sacred shrines in Tamil Nadu.
“Most of us are well aware of the Nataraja icon in the Ananda Tandava,” Lakshmi says. “Sapta Vidangam is based on the seven shrines where Lord Shiva is believed to perform unusual dances like Ajaba, Alabha, Kukkuta (cock), Hamsa (swan), Kamala (lotus), and Unmatta (possessed). These are rarely performed in Bharatanatyam.”
Lakshmi sees this performance as a way to deepen the audience’s understanding of temple traditions. “When people visit temples, the routine is to have a darshan and prasadam. The significance of underlying philosophy and symbols is generally missed.
Through ‘Sapta Vidangam’, audiences will get to travel along with the dancers to these seven shrines and also listen to Tevarams that are attached to those places. They’ll receive a package of dance, music, visuals, symbols, philosophy, mythology, and images reflecting hope, to carry back home.”
For those seeking a more intimate experience, Rasa Ravali: An Evening of Javalis will take place on December 29, at Art on Terrace. This performance focuses on javalis — short, emotive poems exploring love, jealousy, passion, and humour. “Poems are artistic and creative expressions of feelings and emotions.
Especially when it comes to man-woman relationships, they are multi-layered, intricate, sensitive, and sensuous,” she says. “Rasa Ravali is an evening of entertainment brought out subtly and sensitively, yet strongly and passionately, through portrayal of characters in the Bharatanatyam idiom, encrusted on lyric and peppy music of the javalis.”
Reflecting on her return to the stage, Lakshmi shares, “I am filled with gratitude to the Divine energy to have opened the door which I thought was closed, soon after a major surgery.
Now, the more I practise, the more I realise how much I have missed it in the past few years. The forthcoming programme has given me an assurance and internal strength, and I look forward to bringing more art work in the coming times.”
Whether through the dance of a cosmic deity, the laughter in a javali, or the intricate symbolism of a temple shrine, Lakshmi’s performances remind us to linger in life’s quieter, richer moments.