Bhanusimha was just 16 when he began exploring human emotions through the grand backdrop of divine interplay — a theme that has long inspired and continues to inspire soulful poetry.
Fresh in his mind was Gita Govindam, the celebrated work of Jayadeva, which deeply influenced his artistic sensibilities. His fascination with Maithili (a Hindi dialect) further fuelled his urge to write. Not in his native Bengali, but in Brajbauli, another variant.
These poems were later published in 1884, introducing the world to the young poet behind the pseudonym. Over time, he became better known by his real name: Rabindranath Tagore.
The collection, now famous as Bhanusingher Padabali, remains widely sung, choreographed, analysed, and discussed, just like his other literary masterpieces.
Kerala has long embraced Tagore — translating his works, celebrating them, and watching films based on them. Yet, Bhanusingher Padabali has remained largely unexplored here.
Seeking to change that is Kalamandalam Sony, an exponent of mohiniyattom. Based in Thiruvananthapuram, she and her team brought Bhanusingher Padabali to life through dance at the Tagore Fest, held on March 24 and 25 at Bharat Bhavan.
“Translations cannot compromise the originality of either the work or the dance form conveying it. So how do we do it? We focus on the soul of the creation. Tagore himself spoke of the soul’s progress as a perfect poem. Our goal is to recreate that soul — the emotions behind it — which hold a universal appeal,” says Sony.
It is this universality in Tagore’s works that makes them sensitive yet adaptable. Perhaps this is what facilitated the translation of ‘Chitrangada’ — one of his deeply intrinsic works — into mohiniyattom. This adaptation, likely a first of its kind, was performed at the Tagore Fest by dancer Vidya Pradeep.
The story of Chitrangada is widely known and performed. Devoted Tagore fans often sing “Ami Chitrangada, Rajendranandini”, evoking goosebumps and a deep sense of exhilaration.
“It was a challenge,” Vidya admits. “But as I read it, the sheer power of the storyline captivated me. The idea is universal — it resonates even today.
Tagore’s portrayal of the epic Manipuri princess Chitrangada, who transforms herself into a delicate damsel to woo Arjuna, only to realise that her true strength is her beauty, is deeply moving. He saw her as a strong woman willing to appear weak for love, only to learn that Arjuna valued her strength above all. The message is profound — true nature is the most beautiful. Tagore expressed this a century ago, yet the thought is more relevant than ever.”
Both Sony and Vidya relied on state-of-the-art music and accompaniments to present Tagore’s stories through mohiniyattom. As they put it, the universality of his ideas made adaptation seamless. The grace was already embedded in his works, making them an ideal fit for mohiniyattom. The only element that needed translation in Chitrangada was the text, a task accomplished by K Jayakumar, a former bureaucrat and lyricist.
As for Bhanusingher Padabali, its lilting music and the enchanting romance of Radha and Krishna set against the serene landscapes of Vrindavan naturally lend themselves to the magic of mohiniyattom.
Keeping the originality of both the works and of mohiniyattom was an artistic balance, say the dancers considering the drama element in Padabali and Chitrangada. Its staging elsewhere, in a Bengali setting, had the accompaniments that enhanced presentation.
But here, the setting had to be created by the nuances of mohiniyattom. “There is grace, as we said earlier, in Tagore’s words which is a common ground in both Mohiniyattom and his works. So what needed translations was the setting.
The use of props, costumes, and music accompaniments are the usual ways this is done. But any change would affect the scheme of Mohiniyattom. So, using traditional musical instruments used in the dance form, without changing the costume to suit any mood, the interpretations only focused on the emotions that are being conveyed,” they say.
In some ways, the similarities in traditions did help. The idaykka has a tone quite similar to the dhol...mildly booming to create intense, deep music. The music too had a flow about it, which suits the subtle swells of mohiniyattom. So, the emotions alone needed to be understood well for a fulfilling interpretation.
Language, it turns out, is no barrier. Especially when it comes to Tagore, the dancers affirm.