Devaniya School of Kathak performed the Mahabharata in Tamil

Mahal’, a festival by Devaniya School of Kathak, was a celebration of a decade-long pursuit by Jigyasa Giri in promoting Kathak in Chennai. The three-day festival, held recently at Sri Krishna Gana Sabha, featured a range of programmes — Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi, Kathak, a theatrical storytelling and a seminar. It concluded with a Nritya Natika titled ‘Kaalam Uruttum Dhaayam’ by the students of Jigyasa Giri.

This was the first time that a Kathak production was presented in Tamil. Comprising five sequences, it portrayed the game of dice from the Mahabharata, Draupadi’s humiliation, the Kurukshetra war and Krishna’s Vishwaroopa darshanam.

The production ‘Kaalam Uruttum Dhaayam’ had more theatrical elements with Kathak footwork patterns and movements visible only in a few places. 
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

Barring the dancer who played Draupadi, 17 others donned the roles of the male characters from the epic. Their powerful movements and expressions captured the spirit of the characters, adding to the overall impact of the presentation.

Eclectic mix

The production had more theatrical elements with Kathak footwork patterns and movements visible only in a few places. The use of twisted stoles by the main characters as a prop to depict a checkerboard was imaginative. The costumes, comprising dhoti pants, jackets and stoles, offered an eclectic mix of colours, patterns and styles. However, a more defined colour scheme to distinguish the Pandavas from the Kauravas would have created a strong visual appeal. Choreographically, the continuous movement of all characters on stage felt somewhat repetitive, making the sequences a little monotonous.

The use of twisted stoles to depict a checkerboard was imaginative. 
| Photo Credit:
Special Arrangement

The lighting design by Victor Paulraj effectively enhanced the dramatic elements of the production, complemented by the evocative musical score by Ajay Singh and Shreya Singh. The idea to use Tamil could have been more impactful had the presentation delved deeper into the dance form.