Sookshma: Post Performance Report
Sookshma: Post Performance Report
Odissi dance ballet was staged on 16th April, 2016 at ADA Rangamandira, Bangalore.
- Report by Suranjana Endow
Directed and choreographed by noted danseuse, choreographer, Sharmila Mukerjee and performed by the Sanjali dance ensemble, AK Ramanujan’s translation of a Kannada folktale “A Flowering tree” woven through the threads of Odissi, was well received by the audience and the critique.
Sookshma aims to uphold three concepts very integral to our existence, nature, woman and the liaison between the two. It talks about a women’s ability to give much like nature, it talks about her vulnerability in the face of a storm much like nature.
The story takes us through the life of a poor village girl Chenni. She and her sisters make a meagre living by selling flowers from the jungle until one day Chenni is bestowed with the blessing of transforming into a flowering tree by Sookshma, a celestial spirit, omnipresent, omniscient. She watches Chenni from afar, away from the human gaze, her love for trees, her oneness with flora, her beauty within, without.
Chenni willingly transforms into a flowering tree when her sisters pour water on her, sisters sell these flowers and make a good living. On getting married she willingly transforms at her husband’s behest and to quench the fancies of her relentless sister-in-law, until one day the woodcutters fell her, in the garb of a tree. Chenni doesn’t get back into her human form fully; she is half mutilated, swaying between a human being and a tree. The story ends on a tragic note.
One of the key features of the ballet was a Pallavi choreographed by Sharmila Mukerjee in raga Charukesi, performed by six dancers. The Pallavi was a medium to portray the day to day lives and chores of the sisters and the village folks. It highlighted the transience of life, how days pass, one by one. Infused with the Pallavi was a Kannada folk song and dance. All in all, the Pallavi successfully conveyed the technique and nuances of Odissi as well as upheld the native, earthy connect.
The costumes designed by Sharmila Mukerjee and Shubha Nagarajan were stitched in the form of the kacchi dhoti style to complement the ethos of rural life, with the traditional Odissi bengopatiya (a belt mostly made out of silver, featuring in classical Odissi attire) adorning the dancers’ waist. A brief detour from traditional Odissi sarees, the costumes were stitched out of Ilkal and cotton Chettinad ones in vibrant shades. The costumes though not traditionally classical absolutely highlighted the dancers’ chowk, tribhangi and torso movements as well as their footwork, integral to Odissi.
The music was composed by Debashish Sarkar from Calcutta. A concoction of violin, flute, sitar, sarod, manjira, keyboards, and soul stirring pakhawaj, the music was palpable and conveyed the varying moods of the ballet to the audience. Although the ballet was mainly driven through music, the Sanskrit verses were effectively rendered by Sarkar’s team leaving a lasting impact on the audience.
The set design was done by Sridhar Murthy. His team set up the stage with 7-8 sets of trees and two podiums. The trees were conveniently positioned, yet randomly, like how trees grow in a forest; the podiums gave the feel of a meandering path through the forests. It was alternatively used by Sharmila Mukerjee to portray Sookshma, the fact that she is a heavenly spirit.
Last but not the least, the light design by Jose Koshy helped create a foggy, greenish, forest like feel on stage, a lot like how a forest would ideally be, dark, and thin rays of sunlight would still want to make its way through the nooks and corners of the canopies. He could completely keep the forest sets in the background in total darkness when an indoor scene was being enacted on stage.
One of the highlights was his ability to create a heavenly effect on stage when Sookshma blessed Chenni with special powers. The foggy effect rendered by him seemed as if Sookshma has really appeared from the realms of the clouds.
Backstage work was smoothly and soundly managed by the efficient students of Sanjali. Their efforts not only lie in dancing with the proper technique, expression and delivering the choreography but also in efficient and sound management of props.
All in all Sookshma also tells the story of good, coordinated teamwork and one of that of success.
*Suranjana Endow is one of the senior students at Sanjali Centre for Odissi dance
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