To embark and evoke the divine feminine this Navratri, Shankarananda Kalakshetra brings back their Bharatanatyam production, Sri- The Goddess Within. This production, instead of talking about the stories of the goddess in the raw form, talks about the “goddess in all her manifestations and forms”. It explores different narratives of Lakshmi, Durga and Saraswati.
“We look at Laksmi as someone who bestows wellness. She is more than wealth, she is more than material, she is the preserver of life and wellness, and this is what we try to portray through our narrative,” says Dr Ananda Shankar Jayant, the choreographer and founder.
Saraswati, she says, is generally presentation portrayed with a veena and music, representing vak (speech), but here, they have portrayed “something more internal and present in everybody—expression, memory, intuition, perception, imagination and creativity.”
Moving on to Durga, they speak about her in terms of Shakti, Meenakshi (the provider of life), and Lalita, a symbol of the Sri Chakra, a geometric figure representing meditation, worship and spirituality.
Delving a little deeper into invoking the goddesses in everyday life, Ananda says, “When we're speaking a language, we're manifesting Saraswati; when we are standing up for the truth, and don't give a shoulder to anything that is wrong, then you manifest the goddess Saraswati; when you manifest power, you manifest Durga. The goddesses are more than what they represent in an idol; they are all within us in different forms.”
The approach to choreography was also on similar lines. “Instead of thinking about the stories, it was thought about in terms of imagery,” says Ananda. For example, the piece on Lakshmi starts with an elaborate section showcasing the ocean, where she is born from, and a lotus. The pieces of Saraswati have a strong imagery of a swan. “There is a bit where seven to eight dancers are doing a jathi to a particular swaram, and by this we are trying to tap into the collective unconscious.”
Owing to the symbolism of each segment, the pieces were chosen very care fully. One of the major considerations was with what kind of music the imagery can come alive. Along with this, concerns like which ragam can be placed beside which, and variations in thalams so that the audience does not find it monotonous, were considered. Ragams like Hindolam, Amritavarshini, kamas, Lalitha, Mayamalavagowlam are used. Having a live orchestra also really enhances the musical experience.
Shivani Nambiar, one of the dancers, expresses her excitement in being part of this production. “When it was premiered around 11 years ago, I was one of the kutties with a small role in a swaram. I feel extremely grateful and happy to be playing the Devi in this production. It feels like life has comes a full circle, but only a lot better,” she says.
One of the most interesting aspects about this group’s productions is that they give the audience not just a narrative, but an experience. Even if the laymen do not understand the intricacies of the vocabulary and story, they take back an experience. “The whole repertoire is strung and stitched in a way that the imagery takes centre stage and comes alive,” Ananda says.