JOIN USMahithi, a kuchipudi dance concert presented by Hema A Gautham, Suhasini K Shetty and Swetha Kasetty recently, was not only entertaining but also sent out a strong message.
Held at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, the concept of the show revolved around woman power and drew strong connections from the past as well as from the present.
Instances were taken from mythology as well as from the present world. The unique concept of Mahathi highlighted three characters of women in Natyashastra.
Sweeya — the pathivratha or the devoted woman; Parakreeya — a married woman who has intense love and affection for Lord Krishna; and Sadharana — one who doesn’t belong to anyone.
Choreographed by Veena Murthy Vijay, the dancers showed great energy and coordination on stage.
Unlike the norm, the musicians accompanying the dancers were backstage, rather than on stage. The show began with the dancers entering the stage one by one and performing together. The brilliant choreography helped in bringing out the concept better. After Ganapati Vandana, the dancers started their three-part performance. The first showcased the characteristics of Sweeya, who is extremely devoted to her
husband and considers him her God. The beautiful choreography made the audience totally involved in it.
Gautami, who was there at the show, says that it is the right time to portray the truth that women are powerful in their own way –– and that they have been so for many years.
“Indian mythology has several such incidences, where women have been worshipped; where they have brought justice and ended anarchy. I feel this dance represents just that. Art is a strong medium to pass on a certain message. Kudos to the choreographer and the dancers for showcasing this message at the right time,” she says. The programme ended with the dancers portraying Sadharana, a woman who is fearlessly independent and does not believe in bonds. Each character had its own uniqueness and the dancers did justice to all the three characters.
Prashanth, who watched the performance, says the concept was the star of the show.
“The dancers were successful in bringing out the theme of the show. I really liked the way they portrayed each character,” he adds.