Spring in her step, and spring in her music
- Priyadarshini Govind
 Vasantha ragam, one of the most beautiful ragams in the Carnatic music repertoire also denotes spring, the season of hope and new life. Priyadarshini Govind's varnam for the festival at Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, Chennai, 'Dani kori' was in ragam Vasantha, misra jhumpa talam, a composition of Poochi Srinivasa Iyengar. Between Hariprasad's music, N.S.Murali's clean 'kaala pramanam' and Sigamani's melody on the violin, the dancer's job was easier. Not that Priyadarshini spared herself any effort. The long and exacting theermanams set by the mridangist, Vijayaraghavan, were executed with enjoyment and verve; the remarkable fact being that she was never out of breath after the difficult nritta passages. Her lines were clean, with grace not forsaken. The unusual talam obviously took a lot out of the dancer and her ensemble, but they proved their expertise. In the sahitya, a friend, the sakhi, who is purported to be an older woman, is conveying a message of love to Lord Padmanabha. Befitting that role, the dancer maintained an affectionate, teasing look in her eyes throughout.
The dancer in green and gold, breezed in with aplomb. A dramatic or forceful entry makes a statement of confidence and energy. The pushpanjali was in Neethimathi ragam, Adi talam, a composition of the vocalist Hariprasad. The kurunji ragam padam 'Shiva deeksha purulalanura' by Ganam Sheenaiyya was beautifully sung with poignancy that was reflected in the abhinaya. The nayika is a Shaivite, and is conscious of her loyalty to Shiva. But when Krishna beckons, she is tempted to go with him. Priyadarshini very sensitively portrayed this confusion as to her allegiance. The heart or the head was the choice before the nayika. The Tulasidas bhajan in raag misra khamas, 'Tumaki chalatha Ramachandra' did not do anything for the head or for the heart. It was a sweet bhajan where the mother Kausalya is enjoying her child Rama's first steps. With Priyadarshini's talent for abhinaya and Hariprasad's talent for music, a more challenging composition could have been chosen.
A thillana in Tillang ragam, Adi talam, by Lalgudi Jayaraman, completed the 'margam' of Priyadarshini's programme. Vibrant nritta and inexhaustive energy marked the entire programme. The only regret being the absence of more intense abhinaya. |
