Dancers N Srikanth and Aswathy V Nair have put together a month-long male dance festival titled ‘Pibare Rama Rasam’ in the month of Aadi. The Festival, which started on July 17, 2021 will continue till August 16, 2021. Speaking to Natyahasini, Srikanth says that the month of Karkitakam (Aadi) is to every Keralite, a month of austerities. “The monsoon is usually at its peak. Heavy rain usually brings some amount of agricultural loss etc. Hence people prayed for protection from natural calamities and chapters from the Adhyatma Ramayana of Thunchath Ezhuthachan would be ready every day. Gradually the month came to be known as Ramayana maasam,” he says.
According to Srikanth the festival features 31 male dancers on 31 days, performing three styles, Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and Odissi. He says dancers from all over India, as well as from the US, Australia, Singapore, and Malaysia are performing at the festival. “Dancers will present different compositions and there will be no repetition in this series,” he says on its USP.
Srikanth says dancers will present works of popular composers like Saint Thyagaraja, Tulasidas, Arunachala Kavi, Swati Tirunal, and others.
Following is the link to watch the festival: