Ludhiana, April 29
Graceful movements, intricate footwork, nimble movements of arms and delicate flexing of wrists and fingers by Shovana Narayan during her Kathak performance last evening at Guru Nanak Bhavan overawed the audience. Padmashri Shovana was in the city along with co-star theatre personality Sunit Tandon, courtesy the Ludhiana Sanskritik Samagam.
In the first part of the programme Shovana Narayan, an exponent of traditional Kathak, danced on Vandana Shanta Karam, sung melodiously by music composer and singer Jawala Prasad. Janab Ahmad Khan, a versatile tabla player, and Vijay Sharma on sitar added to the beauty of the performance.
She demonstrated rhythmic patterns, an integral part of kathak dance. Her display of Lord Shiva and Ardh Chandra, imagery of clouds, thunder, lightning, droplets of water were depicted extremely well. She seemed tireless and performed with gusto and elan. The jugalbandi between the tabla player and her footwork won wide applause.
The concluding part of her dance performance was based on the pathos of Yashodra, Gautam Buddha’s wife. She narrated the woes of Yashodra, when Gautam leaves the palace in quest of answers related to pain, misery and suffering in the world. Yashodhra expresses her pain at not being informed of her husband’s departure. When she comes to know that he is at her gate after many years have passed, she rushes only to find that Buddha is not her husband any more, but a bhikshu. She makes the supreme sacrifice by giving her son Rahul in alms to Buddha.
The entire story depicts the turmoil and pathos of Yashodhra. Her expectations at his return, her final disillusionment is brought in such a realistic manner that the audience was transported in the time of Buddha. Such was her acting prowess, and her understanding of a woman’s broken heart that for a few moments she carried the audience along with her. The accompanying artists were to good too and created the right mood by striking the right notes. Lights also played a very important role.Buddha was based on the story of Maithli Sharan Gupt and music was set by Jawala Prasad.
The second part of the evening took the breath of the audience away by its sheer novelty, compelling performances of Shovana and Sunit. It was not a play in the real sense but interpretion of complex human emotions through dance movements of Shovana. The reading of the lines by Sunit in his baritone voice impressed the audience. Yudhister and Draupdi abhinay is all emotions and delves deep into relations between Yudhister and Draupdi.
In the first part after reading of the text, Yudhister feeling about Draupdi at Swyambar, his emotions when Kunti, their mother, asks them to share her, his right to be the first husband on the wedding night and finally his gambling away of her, are enacted superbly by Shovana. The turmoil of Yudhister is for the audience to see.
In the second part, Draupdi or Panchali shows her reactions as to how she was charmed by Arjun and was glad that he was able to aim at the eye of the fish. Her resentment at the injustice meted out to her was well enacted by Shovana.
The third act belongs to Sunit. He renders the parts of both Yaksha and Yudhister. His voice becomes harsh and assumes ominous tones when he mouths the questions of Yaksha. Though devoid of action , the scene leaves a deep mark on the audience as the questions are relevant to our times. Pleased by his answers, Yaksha tells him that he will grant him the life of one brother. Yudhsiter asks him to bring Nakul to life, stumping Yaksha.
The last part shows trouble between a woman, Draupdi, and a man, her ‘first husband, Yudhister. Arjun won her. Dharamputra gambled her away. But all other brothers had wives except Yudhister. A most forgiving Draupdi realises that he had never deserted her. His trust was that of a child and he would always return to her. Finally there is no trace of scorn left in her and there is only ecstasy of surrender.
This work by Pavan K. Verma, brought to life by Shovana Narayan as well as Sunit Tandon delved deep into the recesses of mind to explore the deepest emotions between a man and woman then and now. It was a scientillating evening and a night to remember. “Thank you Shovana and Sunit Tandon for leaving such beautiful memories behind,” many in the audience.
