PARINAAMAM,
a new production in the Bharatanaatyam idiom
jointly
produced and presented by KALAABHAASKARA (Reunion Island) and BHARATAKALANJALI
PARINAAMAM (on Human
evolution & environmental protection)
KALAABHAASKARA (Reunion Island)
and BHARATAKALANJALI (Chennai) jointly produced and presented a
very unique NAATYA (Dance drama) PARINAAMAM (on Human evolution
& environmental protection). Bharatakalanjali commissioned the very
talented couple Sheejith Krishna (Bharatanaatyam dancer) and his wife Jyothishmathi
(Carnatic vocalist), both Kalakshetra graduates and former senior faculty
members, to undertake the choreography and music composition. The two days
presentation in the Reunion National Theater Champ Fleuri on 29th &
30th October 2010 were housefull - tickets sold out shows.
Logambal Souprayen Cavery, Founder
& Artistic Director of Kalaa Bhaaskara (Reunion) scripted the concept
and story to give a message to the contemporary audience and Smt. Revathi
Sankkaran wrote Tamizh songs for this unique production on the need of
environmental protection. Sheejith Krishna has shown the creative evolution
of life on earth and how movement, language, music, agriculture have evolved.
Then the struggle for power over food and theory of survival of the fittest,
Man’s greed leading to destruction of Nature, bringing unhappy situations
to those who indulged in the destruction of Nature and Nature worshipepers.
Finally establishing the fact that worship of Nature is a well-conceived
human endeavour to nurture life on earth. Both Sheejit Krishna and Jyothishmathi
deserve applause for their brilliant creation. They were supported by an
orchestra of high-calibre accompanists.
The Dhananjayans were present there
to supervise the presentation and introduce the Bharatakalanjali &
Kalaabhaaskara Artistes trained by Logambal Cavery, a senior disciple and
Bharatakalanjali alumni.
The Cultural Ministry of the Mauritius
Government presented a show in St.Louis on 1st November 2010, on the group's
way back home.
PARINAMAM
1st SCENE- ORIGINS
How did the world begin? Billions
of years ago came what we know as the big bang. The universe was formed,
along with the solar system and the planets. Bringing together science
and spirituality, the dancers describe the big bang relating it to Siva
and his cosmological significance.
2nd SCENE - LIFE
At the very beginning, the earth
emits tremendous heat. Fumes emanate from its seething core. Then comes
life-giving rain, and the lush natural world comes into being. Life evolves
over millennia, and eventually, man and Woman meet and procreate. The human
race is born.
3rd SCENE - NATURE AS TEACHER
Humans imitate natural sounds they
hear all around them and early language is formed
4th SCENE - FIRE
When high winds rage, trees crash
into each other and fire is born. Resourceful human then learn to create
fire by rubbing flint stones against each other.
5th SCENE - NATURE WORSHIP
Early humans begin worshipping the
elements: wind, fire, and rain.
6th SCENE - THE JOY OF RHYTHM
Inspired by elemental forces, thunder
and rain, humans start making music. The sound of falling water droplets
leads to the earliest concepts of rhythm. Dancing begins in its most primitive
form, as an unrestrained form of nature worship and celebration.
Interval
7th SCENE- EARLY CIVILIZATION
Ancient civilizations are established
alongside great rivers. Crops are cultivated, houses are built and trade
begins with the barter system.
8th SCENE - DESTRUCTION OF NATURE
Civilized man starts competing with
others for food, and so strife begins among the people. The man with the
most powerful weapon becomes the leader. This selfish king orders his people
to fell all the trees. He ruthlessly destroys the environment for his own
material needs.
9th SCENE - AADI ATTEMPTS TO STOP
THE DESTRUCTION
A young woman named "Aadi" is bathing
and offering prayers in the river .... She hears the sound of trees falling,
of the wanton destruction of nature by the King’s Men... She tries to stop
them by speaking out, telling them how vital the natural world, but in
vain. She finally collapses, unconscious.
Nature reveals her fury by unleashing
floods and the men flee in terror. In the meantime, the unconscious Aadi
has a dream in which angels appear and explain to her the value of loving
and respecting Nature as God. When people come in search of Aadi, she attains
consciousness and tells them about her dream.
10th SCENE - WORSHIP OF MARIAMMAN
Aadi ceremonially places a stone
under a tree. The stone represents the local deity Mariamman. People decorate
the stone and make ritual offering. They dance in honour of the deity.
11th SCENE - NATURE’S FURY
The scene shifts to the King’s palace.
The king and his subjects suffer due to extreme scarcity of food and water.
Anguished and starving, they hear from a distance the song of mariamman
and proceed to Aadi’s village.
12th SCENE - RECONCILIATION WITH
NATURE
The king see the happy faces of
the villagers and their oneness with the natural environment. He repents
his actions, realizing that humanity should respect and preserve Nature
to live in harmony with the universe. This oneness with NATURE IS THE FIRST
STEP TO A WORLD IN BALANCE, FILLED WITH PEACE AND HARMONY.
Dancers:
Logambal Cavery
Anjana Anand
Rajamally
Vidhya Girish
Gayathri
Karuna Sagari
Sheejith Krishna
Thiruchelwam
Madhusudanan
Nidhish
Season U.K
Dancers from Kala Bhaaskara Reunion
Logambal Souprayen-Cavery
Lilavathi Ramasamy
Laetitia Cillon
Sita Marianne
Devika Liret
Pouchepavalli Etti
Tillaynaryegul
Ringuin-Vellayen
Musicians
Vocal:
Jyothishmathi Sheejith, Arun Gopinath
Percussion: Nagarajan, Sheejith
Krishna, Nila
Konnakkol: Karuna Sagari
Flute:
Sunil Kumar
Violin: Sunil Bhaskar
Key board: Nithya prakash
Lighting Designer: Venkatesh
Costume: Anjana Anand
Lyrics: Revathi Shankaran
Music composed by:
Jyothishmathi Sheejith
Produced by: Logambal Cavery
Scene conception, Direction &
Choreography: Sheejith Krishna
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