Report on the KATHAKALI   Performance by Kottakkal Sasidharan Nair

Mr. Sasidharan in NAVARASA – NINE FACIAL EXPRESSIONS -

Shringaara (love), Veera (valour and heroism), Karuna(pathos), Adbhuta (wonder), Hasya (derision), Bhayaanaka (the fearful), Bheebhatsa (disgust), Raudra (anger) and Saanta (tranquillity).

The Manchester Malayalee Association had organised a KATHAKALI, dance drama performance by the renowned artist Kottakkal Sasisdharan of Darpana, Ahmedabad, India. Mr. Sasidharan has had a distinguished career as a performer, teacher and choreographer for over three decades. Of the hundreds of dance forms that form the kaleidoscope of India’s artistic heritage, Kathakali, the ancient dance of Kerala, brings out in the best manner, the exquisite combination(s) of Aangikam (body language), Mudra (gesture), Abhinayam(acting), Sabdam (voice) and Sangeetam (music).  It is the ‘telling of a story’ through these components that emerge as Kathakali - which can be roughly translated as ‘story through dance’. The programme consisted of three parts: first an introduction to an accessible description through mudras and abhinaya of the characters of animals; second, a demonstration of the nine rasas, as evoked by key moments in the Indian Epic Ramayana; and finally, the story of Lord Krishna in all his many aspects.

In the first part, Ajakarakapalitam, the artist brought to the audience of an inter-play of three powerful beasts of the forest, elephant, python and a lion.  The manner in which this rather sad, but common happening in nature is brought to life on stage is ‘Katha-kali’ itself.  The fact that a single artist portrays all the three beings and the great struggle among them is an indication of the imaginative potential in this great art form. In the second part,  Sasidharan’s presentation of Ramayana, is a classic illustration of how a story is told through Sangeetam (music), Sahityam (lyrics, literature), Nrttam (dance) and Abhinayam (acting).  A central point in Indian classical dance is the importance given to the Nava Rasas, or the nine aesthetic flavours or spontaneous expressions.  The depiction of Rasas is considered to be a substantial measure of the experience and skill of an artist.  In this part, the artist brings to stage the experience of the nine Rasas through the story of Sree Rama, the protagonist of the Ramayana - Shringaara (love), Veera (valour and heroism), Karuna(pathos), Adbhuta (wonder), Hasya (derision), Bhayaanaka (the fearful), Bheebhatsa (disgust), Raudra (anger) and Saanta (tranquillity).

In the third part, Krishnakatha, the performance is an offering to the mighty power that came from the womb of Devaki (Krishna’s mother), and who later on spent his wondrous childhood in the gardens and forests of Vrindavan.  The artist beautifully illustrates the metamorphoses of Krishna from a divine and loved boy-God into a reluctant warrior, kingmaker and philosopher  Krishna acts as a guiding force and finds his ultimate role as a philosopher-saint to the largest empire of ancient India, Hastinapura, overseen by his friends and admirers, the Pandavas. The dancer attempts to bring this message all woven with the intricate, yet beautiful movements and music.  The dancer encapsulates the whole universe of storytelling within him; and becomes in parts all the characters one by one.  This is homage to the lessons from Krishna’s life that inspires one and all, from the harnesser of atoms (Robert Oppenheimer) to the apostle of peace (Mahatma Gandhi).

The performance, which lasted for two hours, received an enthusiastic reception as Sasidharan’s great expertise and talent, as usual, did not fail to win the hearts of his audience in Manchester who were delighted on experiencing a unique form of ethnic art.