Not all journeys are external. We complete multiple internal and invisible mental journeys in a lifetime. And one of those, for many, is a spiritual quest, a longing to connect with the divine. That journey may begin for some when they face a downfall and it may carve the path for some others when curiosity sparks from within.
As for a young child, it often begins with the latter.
Curiosity transforming into a profound quest for a divine connection is the idea behind Govinda: A Tale of Faith, a dance production set to stage in Chennai. Choreographed and directed by Puja Unni, a Bharatanatyam artiste, educator, and founder of Spanda, Dubai, and performed by twelve-year-old Neetara Nair, the solo recital that was presented in Dubai earlier this year, is culminating its three-city India tour in Chennai on Sunday.
Ahead of the show, Puja Unni, recalls how the idea for this production — her first — attained fruition. “I think the most challenging part was figuring out where to start. I did have Neetara with me and somewhere along the thinking process, I did arrive at Govinda as the theme; but how to start was the most difficult part,” she says, adding that once she threaded together the storyline, her focus was on bringing the essence of the production without tampering with the aesthetics. “It was a very interesting process,” she declares.
Her disciple Neetara, offers a glimpse of what the audiences can expect. “The protagonist goes through five distinct phases, which are longing, calling, realisation, journey, and finally surrender; and it leads her on a path to spiritual calling.”
Practising, rehearsing, and performing the choreography has blurred the line between the storyline and reality for Neetara. “Whenever I dance, I connect with the protagonist. I can feel the emotions that she feels during each of the five phases. Whether it’s feeling the joy and bliss she feels while surrendering her heart or her curious nature when she talks to a deer,” the pre-teen confesses.
Keeping in mind that complex productions and choreographies in classical formats can often be lost on some audiences, Puja shares that she has kept the recital understandable while also not compromising on the quality of the art form. She says, “I have been fortunate to be with good teachers along my journey of dance and almost all of them have instilled in me a sense of responsibility towards the audience. I try to think of the audiences as falling into two categories: those who have no connection to dance or any art form and those who understand it profoundly. And then I think of what elements/parts of my work they can all relate to. I like to, in my work, keep something to take home.”
Though bound by Puja’s well-structured choreography, the solo format, Neetara believes, also allows her to add her own details and style. “It sets my creativity free,” she concludes.
‘Govinda: A Tale of Faith’ will be staged at Rukmini Arangham, Kalakshetra, on Sunday, August 2. Tickets are priced at ₹200 and is available on https://tikkl.com/aalaap/c/Govinda
