Melange of emotions

Unique expressions

Raadha Kalpa, a dance school, presented a classical Bharatanatyam performance called Raadha in the City recently.

The exquisite cultural extravaganza, based on Munshi’s Krishnavataram and Jayadeva’s Geetagovindam, presented a picture of Raadha, the consort of Krishna and her unconditional love that surpasses all boundaries.

It also illustrated the beauty of Radha through vigorous and graceful moves and represented a melange of emotions that flows  through the heart of Radha for Krishna.

The Bharatanatyam ensemble was presented by Rukmini Vijaykumar, a well-known Bharatanatyam dancer and Parshwanath Upadhye.

They presented the different facets of Radha and her love for Krishna as well as the quest undertaken by Radha to find her love.

Rukmini and her team, with their alluring expressions, engaged the audience in rapt attention. The depiction was a treat for the eyes.

It represented how Radha soulfully dedicates herself to Krishna, with her mind, body and soul.

Her jewellery, tresses, and her walk are compared to the peacock feather that rests on Krishna’s hair. Her beauty is unmatched.

Her love for Krishna epitomises pure devotion and passion. Following ‘Raadha’, a modern piece of dance was presented by Rukmini and her team.

The performance called ‘Trouvaille’, which means to find or discover oneself, was based on French poetry.

Several facets of emotions were expressed in this piece, leaving the viewer with complete reverence for the piece.

 The first part of the poem dealt with noise and silence and how we are in search of inner peace. The second part was about walls that we build around us. One is compelled to masquerade oneself and deceive people.

Following this was a piece, of yearning and longing for the days one would spend with one’s lover.

Though love is depicted as an illusion again, the thoughts and mind of an individual is immersed in that yearning. The next feat was a sad poem which depicted Radha’s agony and her silence and how she is left with no tears to shed.

The last bit dealt with the confluence of the past, present and future and the conflict that we go through due to the love and hate relationship we share with people around us. The underlying theme is that of self-discovery, which is depicted in a beautiful blend of actions, dance and facial expressions.

Rukmini Vijaykumar says, “The ensemble is completely around the concept of how one acknowledges the Paramatma within us. It is also about putting the same theme side by side through different mediums in the same context.”

The piece truly reflects the contemplative self of an individual and the aspect of pondering over the concept of time in the journey of self-discovery.