JOIN USDivinity and humanity in Ramayana, the most-loved of all Indian epics, weaved into a six-part dance-drama by veteran dancer Rukmini Devi Arundale has enchanted the city’s performing arts enthusiasts.
Beginning with choosing of Sita’s groom to Lord Rama’s victorious return from Lanka with Sita, who was abducted by the ten-headed asura Ravana, the dance-drama is being presented at the Sangeet Natak Akademi in Delhi since November 15-20.
The actors perform on the bare floor and the musicians give beat to each step taken by the character on stage.
One not only loses oneself in the beauty of the performance, the stage décor and the riveting narrative but acknowledges Rama as the ‘golden link’ that joins together all the characters.
We see Lord Rama not as God, but as the ‘godlike’ man and Sita as his faithful wife.
Kalakshetra Repertory Company’s six parts of the vintage Ramayana production had started taking shape in 1955 when Rukmini Devi produced the first of Ramayana dance-dramas--Sita Swayamvaram (the selection of Sita’s groom).
The following parts were Sri Rama Vanagamanam, 1960 (King Dasharath sends Lord Rama to 14 years to Dadaka forest), Paduka Pattabishekam, 1960 (Bharatha takes Rama’s ‘padukas’ to Ayodhya as a gesture that the throne shall be his when he returns from his forest venture), Jattayu Moksham,1965 (the king of eagles proves his devotion to Rama), Choodamani Pradanam,1968 (Hanumana goes to Lanka to fetch Sita and burns the city) and Maha Patabishekam, 1970 (Rama and Sita return to Ayodhya victorious and Rama takes the throne).
Rukmini Devi not only choreographed the dance, but selected each verse accordingly,
designed the set and costume herself.
All the parts and the production was largely based on Valmiki’s classical version which runs into 24,000 stanzas.
“It took her 14 years to complete all the six parts,’’ says Priyadarshini, director of Kalakshetra Foundation.
Some changes were made by Rukmini Devi to suit what looks good on stage, like for example Lakshmana drawing the ‘magic rekha’ for Sita’s protection, which was not part of Valmiki’s Ramayana.
The dance-drama based on the original text of Valmiki Ramayana, was edited for recitation by Venkatachala Shastri, Adinarayana Sharma and S Sarda.
Music has been composed by S. Rajaram.
Dhanya Krishnan, one of the performers and a student at Kalakshetra Foundation said she has performed in the dance-drama many times before, but it was her first performance in Delhi.
Each day every part was played by different artistes in the series. The production brought in 54 performers, including the musicians, who were also different for each part.
Four days of the six part dance-drama are over and the fifth and sixth parts Choodamani Pradanam and Maha Pattabhishekam will be performed on November 19 and 20, respectively, 6 pm onwards.