Bharatnatyam And Philosophy

    • deebashree.mohanty@timesgroup.com
    • Publish Date: Nov 2 2016 5:46PM
    • |
    • Updated Date: Nov 2 2016 5:46PM
Bharatnatyam And Philosophy

Danseuse Geeta Chandran in Anekanta, a dance visualisation, explores the philosophy of embracing diversity and accepting multiple truths. Jain philosophy’s mool (integral) mantras reiterate the existence of multiple realities in every facet of life — be it cultural, political, social or economic. Visualising it through Bharatanatyam is what artiste Geeta Chandran sought to do and thus was born Anekanta. The Bharatanatyam recital celebrates multiple truths embracing diversity and its universal acceptance. She explores the key concept of Jainism: that there is no one universal truth, or to phrase it differently, that there are multiple ways of looking at or approaching any issue.

The Padmasri awardee explores Lavanyatvam, presenting different bhavas to a single libretto in many bhavas.  Anekanta will be presented at the Kamani auditorium on November 3 and 4.

Why Jainism and Bharatanatyam? Chuckling, Geeta responds, “This question has been asked by many. How can hard-core Jainism philosophy be artistically visualised through Bharatanatyam which involves aesthetic expressions like sringara (romance)? I chose Bharatanatyam as a technique to present the Jainist philosophy, as our gurus have often told us, these are the tools, play with them.”

The idea struck her after reading The Colours of Desire on the Canvas of Restraint: The Jaina Way written by Sudhamahi Reghunathan, writer-scholar known for her columns on Jain philosophy.

Geeta describes choreographing the concept of “not comprehending truth in its entirety” as a marathon. She had to journey through reading, exploring poetry and the varied musical possibilities it had to offer. Sudhamahi elaborates on the concept, “There are seven ways of understanding a situation and there are seven possibilities. Geeta has extracted its core intelligence to createAnekantha. The concept of multiplicity is that of Mahavira, the founder of Jainism. It is not just my religion that is right, but the other also can be. And whoever has seen the entire truth is open to the idea of accepting the opposite and its oneness with the Ultimate.”

Sudhamahi feels that even with truth you can create chaos. Geeta believes that in India, tolerance is a passive word which does not celebrate the opposite: “Anekanta is carved out of the concept of accepting the opposite, not going off the stage in disagreement – that is the essence of Jainism. Hinduism acquires the same vibes at various junctures.”

Words and sense are two patterns. Without words, one cannot make sense, without sense, the word is meaningless. Together, they form the whole, which is the crux of Anekanta, an idea born to celebrate the silver jubilee of Geeta’s Natya Vriksha Dance Company. The idea of rendering an artistic visualisation to the Jain concept emerged from the thought that “Do words and sense alone create rasa?”, and from the realisation that it is just not possible to ever attain the limits of dance and drama, for there are many “lores”, and art and craft are hence infinite in nature.

There will be a solo performance by Geeta on the first day, and her disciples of Natya Vriksha will present a group performance on the second day. In the performance, she will examine shades of Anekanta through choreographies that explore the relationship of word and meaning of many avatars, of many bhavas to a single text. “Like that of Ravana who gets fascinated by every single aspect of Sita’s body, and wonders if such is the power of each part, what would be the impact of the whole? It presents the cosmic view of inter-relatedness of existence,” she says.

Music for Anekanta is designed by the artiste herself in collaboration with K Venkateshwaran and Dr S Vasudevan.

Comments

JIYA TOMAR B G S NATIONAL PUBLIC SCHOOL

Indian culture is always filled with exuberant things be it festivals, clothes, food, rituals or even dances and Bharatnatyam is one of these phenomenal things indeed.

Vandana Subash City International School Wanowrie

I have been learning Bharatnatyam for the last 8 years..But I have never seen the dance through such a concept..very nice..

Bhavana Jaison Atomic Energy Central School No 2

India is gifted with many dance forms and bharathanatayam is one of the best.

Hiya Kilam global indian internatonal school

Bharatnatyam is really an amazing dance form....

Brenda Marshal PADUA HIGH SCHOOL-MANKHURD

India is a blessed country. It is gifted with so many dance forms like Kathak, Mohiniyattam, Bharatnatyam, Kuchipudi, Oddisi, Kathak Kali, etc. And the best one I feel is Bharatnatyam and Kathak Kali..

Brenda Marshal PADUA HIGH SCHOOL-MANKHURD

And for this what we all need is perfection..

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