Shilparamam in association with Moham Attakalari, an institute for Mohiniyattam, presented the all Mohiniyattam festival Kaishiki with performances by Dr. Mythili M Anoop, and her students at Moham Attakalari, and alumnus from Kerala Kalamandalam and the University of Hyderabad at Shilparamam Madhapur recently.
The first composition ‘Eka Dantam’ in Adi thaalam, a Ganapathy Stuthi choreographed by Guru Padma Shri Kalamandalam Kshemavathy was presented by Dr. Mythili, Sreeja and Sherli. The shlokas were interspersed with dynamic vaittharis, which made the presentation interesting.
The next composition is a Cholkettu in Khanda chaapu and Gambheera Nata raagam choreographed by Guru Kalamandalam Leelamma. The song rendered by Kalamandalam Karthikeyan was presented with the characteristic Kalamandalam shaili of Mohiniyattam- the soft sideward sways rendered harmoniously and with perfect synchronization.
Paripahimam Hare, Draupadi’s plea to Krishna, when the Pandavas decide to send Krishna to the Kauravas to negotiate and prevent the great war, was appreciated by the chief guest, Kuchipudi dancer and Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee, Deepika Reddy. The padam is from ‘Duryodhana Vadham’ and written by Vayaskara Arua Narayanan set in Raagam navarasam and Chempada taalam was choreographed by Mythili under the guidance of Guru Sadanam Balakrishnan. “Paripahimam Hare is exclusive and that the dancer’s nayanabhinaya was remarkable,” Deepika Reddy said. Some of the rasikas too were moved to tears.
Ritusamharam, based on Kalidasa’s Ritusamharam, music by N C Parthasarathy and Shesham Ramana, Sudhakar and Dr Srikant, choreographed by Dr. Mythili Anoop was presented by her dancers. The dancers first presented the Greeshmam, then Shishiram, Varsham and Vasantam. The Vasantam ended with a pandattam, (the play with the ball) which was interestingly woven in, with the dancers picking flowers, making a garland and rolling it into a ball. Deepika Reddy appreciated the eight dancers on their performance. She said that she was also swaying with the dancers and keeping rhythm.
Ashtalakshmi, a keertanam on Devi is in Raagamalika, composed by Uttukadu Venkata Subbayya and choreographed by Guru Kalamandalam Leelamma was presented by Gopika P Gopan, Sreelekshmi Murali, Maneesha M, Sivaganga P L, and Megha Vijayan. The dance was beautifully choregraphed and executed with several poses of Devi, precisely and dramatically shown like drawing on a canvas by the five dancers.
Kanakamayam – an utsava prabandham in Huseini raagam by Swathi Thirunal, choreographed by Guru Padma Shri Kalamandalam Kshemavathy was performed by Sherli and Sreeja. Kurathy choreographed in the Desi genre by Guru Nirmala Paniker and set in raagamaalika and Taalamaalika was lapped up by the audiences for getting into the character completely, with the playfulness, the betel chewing and palm-reading. In this, the dancer was appreciated for the versatile eye-movements. The last piece too had an invocation of Lord Ayyappa, which marked the crescendo.
