By Anna Rao
Raga by Vaaradhi and Chaitanya Art Theatres presented a unique creative confluence of classical carnatic instrumental music, bharatanatyam and Australian jazz music in Hyderabad on 26th November at Ravindra Bharathi.
Ocean Winds – Oz India was conceptualized by Dr.Rajeswari Sainath and Vyshnavie Natya Centre as a treat for her City. She has been dancing for five decades and teaching for four,and is one of the well known luminaries of classical indian dance in Hyderabad. The event was presided over by Dr.Mohan Kanda and Chief Guest L.V.Subramanyam, both former Chief Secretaries. Aparna Kanda,the M.C. commented that on a night where sound becomes language, and movement becomes meaning, we gather as one community, connected through the timeless and borderless language of music and dance. She dedicated the concert to the spirit of humanity, empathy and oneness.
The recital was a unison transcendently celebrating Global artistry. This Indo Australian collaboration unleashed a fusion experience of rare and profound depth which was heartily enjoyed by the audience. There were two segments-one dedicated to orchestra alone and the second included dance. The first item was “Ananda” in charukesi composed by Suresh Vaidyanathan ( inspired by lyrics composed by Ganapati Sacchidananda Swami on Anjaneya ) who was on the ghatam and percussions. A range of melodies blended as the percussion boomed and a cavalcade of musical notes processed as the Son of the Wind God was appropriately serenaded by Wind instruments infusing an atmospheric audio impact. “Pentacle” was authored by Adrian Sheriff who was playing the shakahuchi or Japanese flute ( used by Monks in Japan to solicit alms) and trombone. This was in five ragas as the plaintive note of the flute led sounding like a far off breeze, the second flute joined in to impart a rich tonal duality;the trombone’s trumpeting note added depth,the saxophone and percussion including the reverberating ghatam fused into symphonically majestic waves of sound reaching out and enfolding the audience. Tony Hicks on the saxophone and clarinet penned ” Sho Far Sho Good “.Here the ghatam took off first brilliantly handled with clarinets sounding inbetween to create an interlaced framework as the other instruments weaved a parade of swaras into a rich tapestry of layered vibrancy. Staccato sounds alternated with piping tunes amidst plangent notes from the mandolin creating a delightfully haunting melody. “Three Nine” was by Balasai the bamboo flute player. This was a powerful merging of sounds in mishra tilang as the rattling cadence of the percussion punctuated with blaring interjections of the saxophone resembled fiery blazes alternating with oceanic serenity as the notes were tossed from one musician to another forming strikingly original patterns. Raju played the mandolin, Chandrakanth mridangam and Srikanth the tabla. Nattuvangam was ably handled by Vyshnavi Sainath Prabhu. The second segment started with Guru Karaikuddi Mani’s Thani Avarthanam in the original recording by him.
The dancers -a student group ( Geetha, Sangeetha, Meenakshi, Keerthi, Gayathri and Nishika ) led by their Guru Rajeswari Sainath entered with a flourish as an a brief alaap preceded mostly talas weaved with laya. Rajeswari was in green and red aharya, the students in black and pink with gold spangles. Mirroring the music they intersected and formed tableaux in startlingly fluid fashion.”Vasantha pravaham” or ” Into The Fire”. The signature piece of the performance in bahudari and ranjani adapted into jazz was interesting. Rajeswari depicted a veena player playing ” Sa Ri Ga Ma” while the other dancers cupped their ears to hear. “Nava vatsalyam ” was aptly the delineation of a grandmother’s joy with the arrival of a grandchild. The poses showed her eagerly watching the bewitching child in a cradle, playing with the baby, fondling, and searching for it all evoking applause at the precise abhinaya displayed by a senior maestro. The students danced in a gentle mood with soft steps; a pair of them adorned with peacock feather fans swaying in a mannered style. The concluding “Manasa” (Peace) was a fitting finale that emphasized ” Lokahitam Mama Karaniyam ” – Our Duty Is To Do Good To Humanity. It was lyrical and spellbinding as Rajeswari danced in the centre surrounded by the students holding lamps in their hand creating a mellow mood and they went on to create a visual imagery of mellow hue as pastel skirts flowered out from the costumes accompanied by swirling movements. The orchestra was in standing pose during this piece to emphasize the serious need to follow in active precept as well as intention the particular verses from the Rig Veda which were the theme.
