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| Lovelorn heroine in painting By Aruna. S / Chennai |   | |||
Where were the dancers of Chennai?
The occasion was an illustrated presentation of Dr. Harsha V. Dehejia's book, 'A Celebration of Love - The romantic heroine in the Indian Arts'. And this followed by a dance presentation by well known dancer Malavika Sarukkai. The book published by Roli Books, is a compilation of paintings of the lovelorn heroine (the virahini nayika) drawn from the collection of miniature paintings of Harsha and Sudha Dehejia. The beautiful ambience of a heritage hall with tall pillars forming a square in the centre and old photographs and Thanjavur paintings hung on the walls around, made this place a neat setting to watch the 'Virahini Nayika' in painting and in dance...
Dr. Dehejia who has a double doctorate in Medicine and in Ancient Indian Culture, presented a slide presentation of the 17th, 18th and 19th century paintings of the lovelorn heroine...from the nayika looking at herself in the mirror to the heroine who adorns herself, is one with the nature around her and lost in the thoughts of Krishna Dr Dehejia pointed out that the book stops with 19th century, because, the women of the 20th and 21st century have become mere objects! (Don't we have romantic nayikas today? Fingers crossed. May be we don't have paintings of them.) The highlight of the evening was a dance representation of the lovelorn nayika by dancer Malavika Sarukkai. Malavika presented excerpts from dance pieces that displayed the surasundaris of the Khajuraho temple, a song from 'Kurunthohai' of Sangam poetry, a Jayadeva Ashtapadi and concluded with the 'Prema meeraka...' line from the well known Tanjore Quartet ragamalika varnam, 'Sami ninne'. Malavika shared with the audience, the thought processes of a dancer as she creates each piece... her experience of the rasa...and what she tells the rasikas with her gestures and expressions... As Malavika was talking about the lotus as the metaphor in love...et al and as one turned around to see the audience there, it was rather interesting to note that most of them were probably 65-plus men and a few women, some with walking sticks...Where were the young dancers or art enthusiasts at an event like this one? One probably forgets that the performing arts in India are so integrated with sculptures, paintings, icons and music... An exhibition of photographs of the paintings of 'Virahini Nayika' is on at C.P. Art Centre, till June 21, 10 am to 6 pm. For more information, contact Dr. Nanditha Krishna, C.P. Art Centre, 1 Eldams Road, Alwarpet, Chennai 600 018. Ph: 044-2434 1778. E-mail: cpraf@vsnl.com | ||||
