Rama Vaidyanathan

The opening performance is not an easy responsibility to hold, and Rama Vaidyanathan carried it with grace and elegance. The mark of her creative ‘alamkara’ and use of ‘upama’ bring her to the fore as she kindles and elevates her audience, transporting them into a profound thought process.

Clad in light pastel bluish green with a dark purple border, a unique combination, she began with a shabdam on Tillai Sabha Nayagan, composed by Tanjavur Arunachalam Pillai, commemorating the auspicious occasion of Arudra Darisanam. To watch a shabdam on a main stage is rare these days, and to interpret it while retaining the format, yet creating a rendition suited to a discerning rasika, was no easy task. Only Rama could bring such depth into the simple lyrics of a straightforward shabdam. The nayika’s longing in the line En yellai etra kaadhal nenjil eppodhan arivaraado di was portrayed with reflective poignancy. The image of the raining bells from Siva’s Ananda tandava, as the nayika gathered them and held them close to her heart, revealed how she could bring vakrokti into her dance vocabulary with ease.

The Todi varnam Saraguna gavumu — rendered without the panchamam — unfolded with a deep sense of devotion that lingered in the air. Given to Rama Vaidyanathan by vidwan Mangalampalli Balamuralikrishna in 2009, the varnam found its final form only in 2025, after years of reflection. The result was a work pulsating with the seeker’s yearning for the omnipresent Mother.

The imagery of the Mother riding the lion and arriving with karuna revealed a compelling paradox. Each sahitya concluded with an ornate arudhi, underscoring the jeevatma–paramatma connection through aharya. When the Mother assumed sattvika bhava, her presence was felt even at the vachika level, as if seated among the musicians. The niraval at SMNGM modhini was effective, and the swaraksharam, articulated with clarity by Viswesh Swaminathan, added lustre to the raga. His husky voice enhanced Todi, though greater tonal variation might have elevated the experience further.

The jatis, composed by Sumodh Sridharan and rendered by S. Vasudevan, were crisp and intense. The final charanam carried a nationalist sentiment, evoking unity and victory for Bharatam. The varnam concluded with a jati, marking the moment when the Mother, fully adorned, is finally beckoned.

The final item comprised verses from Kalidasa’s Ritu Samhara, portraying the anguish of separated lovers. The mango tree served as the vibhava, even though the lovers were far apart. On a stage where space was a constraint, their separation, yet shared emotional reference through the mango tree and its leaves, was effectively suggested with the help of Surya Rao’s lighting. The energy of the jati did not always match the movement. The ragamalika was smooth, and Vasanta raga naturally stood out, particularly as mango shoots formed the thematic focus. The verse Kusumuthan sahakara vruksha drushtva brought out the creative best of all the artists on stage. The mridangam by Sumod Sreedharan and the violin by Raghavendra Prasath were a joy to hear.

(An author and a freelance art writer)