‘Putanna’ explores the duality of life, the masks we wear and the storms raging within us
The Margazhi season in Chennai is a dazzling celebration of classical arts, where the city pulses with vibrant cultural performances, especially dance. As part of this festival, Putanaa — a Bharatanatyam performance by Eesha Pinglay and Swarada Bhave — delves deep into the duality of life, drawing inspiration from the complex character of Putanaa in the Ramayana. The performance explores the emotional conflict of Putanaa, once Ratnamala, the daughter of King Mahabali in Lord Vishnu’s Vamana Avatara. Her desire to nurture Vamana, thwarted by the vengeance of her father’s fall, leads her to a life torn between revenge and motherhood. The choreography reflects this intricate interplay of good and evil, as both dancers skillfully navigate Putanaa’s emotional journey through pure dance and expressive storytelling, all set to the evocative music of percussionist Satish Krishnamurthy.
We speak to Eesha Pinglay and Swarada Bhave.
How was Putanaa conceived and when?
Swarada: Putanaa was conceived and premiered at Madame Menaka Choreography Festival organised by MCC and Nadroop Institute in 2019 in Pune. This was a proverb-based choreography festival and we had chosen a proverb: ‘Appearances can be deceptive.’ This work portrays the emotional conflict of Putanaa, who was Ratnamala, in her previous birth, daughter of King Mahabali in Lord Vishnu’s Vamana Avatara. After seeing Vamana, Ratnamala had a strong desire to feed him but Vishnu pushed Mahabali, her father, to Patalaloka and hence, she decided to take revenge. So this production is a blend of revenge and motherhood.
Putanna is about duality in life. What are the roles you are presenting?
Eesha: Even as it talks about duality in life, Swarada and I are exploring the grey area. We are constantly transitioning between good and evil, playing and navigating between the two ends of the emotional spectrum. Similarly, Putanna has both a good and an evil side.
Swarada: It’s a smooth play of good and evil characters. So, like Eesha said, both of us navigate equally through all emotions.
When performing such a piece, where do you draw the inspiration from?
Eesha: My all-time inspiration is my guru Vaibhav Arekar. The way he practices abstraction is remarkable, as it still brings forth the meaning of the piece. He weaves the narrative thread with perfection, making thematic presentation effortless. A piece like Putanna resonates with his philosophy of drawing inspiration from real-life experiences. He has always emphasised the importance of looking to our own lives for inspiration.
Another inspiration for me was the workshop I attended at Natanakairali, led by Guru G Venu. The process I learned there helped me delve deeper into the emotions of this piece and reflect on them more profoundly.
Please elaborate on the choreography and music to bring out the theme in Putanna.
Swarada: The choreography is arranged in such a way that the conflict is shown through technical aspect, i.e. pure dance and through expressions. The music is done by Satish Krishnamurthy, who is a percussionist as well.
Bharatanatyam is a traditional dance form, so when presenting a theme that resonates with the current times, is there any changes or innovations to the choreography you incorporate?
Eesha: I’ve been looking at Vaibhav sir’s productions and choreographies, which have made me believe that traditional form is way more expressive. When we try to innovate and explore the abstraction of it, we realise that the true strength of the form lies in its abstraction. By embracing innovation while respecting tradition, Bharatanatyam can continue to evolve and remain relevant in contemporary times. A piece like Putanna utilises the narrative power along with its abstraction.
What has Margazhi come to mean for you?
Margazhi is a very auspicious month and for us dancers, it is a real treat when you are especially in Chennai, because we get to meet all the dancers who have come from all parts of the world just for the season, sharing thoughts, ideas and getting recharged for the coming year. In a way, Margazhi is a booster dose!
By registration only.
December 14, 6.30 pm.
At Kanakavalli, Chetpet.
Email: rupam@newindianexpress.com
X: @rupsjain
