Program

Oblation to Fire god & Holy Mother
Language: Sanskrit
Written by: Ancient Sages of India
Raga (Melody): Revati – Tala: Sarva Laghu

A selection from “Maha Narayana Upanishad”, a 5000 year old text in Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language. Meaning - “Our oblations of Soma to the fire god, May he, the all knowing one destroy all those who do not like us, May that divine fire lead us out of all perils, like a captain who takes his boat across the sea, And also save us from all wrongs”. The second part of the dance is a Bhajan “Jai Durge Durgati Balihaarini” which describes mother Goddess Durga, invokes her strength to remove the evil spirits.

Ecstasy of Creation
Language: Benga
Srishti shikhar ullase
Written By : Kazi Nazrul Islam - Raga (Melody) : Ragamalika – Tala (Rhythm) : Adi(8 beats)

The poetry of Kazi Nazrul Islam (sometimes written Najrul Islam) is a fascinating combination of devotion, mysticism, cultural unity and political exhortation. Nazrul Islam, as his name implies was Muslim, yet some of his poetry was Shakti poetry. His poems were addressed to Kali, the Mother Goddess of Bengali Hindus where he often refers to her as Mother or Ma. Nazrul Islam composed his poetry during the British control of India and in Bengal, goddess Kali came to be viewed as a personification of national identity and a determination to be free of foreign domination. Poems addressed to Kali became poems addressed to Mother India, a divine image of a fiercely united nation. Srishti shikhar ullase is one such exhilarating poem that narrates the ecstasy of creation, freedom, sadness, space, spring and human relation.

Desire and Destruction
Language: Marathi
Maja anun dya to harin ayodyanatha –
Written by: G D Madgulkar - Raga: Ragamaalika - Tala: Adi

Sita, wife of Rama is fascinated by a beautiful golden deer and expresses her desire to obtain it. Rama agrees to fetch it but his brother Lakshmana cautions him not to chase the deer, as it look suspicious. To please Sita, Rama chases the Golden deer and kills him, which eventually happens to be a demon in disguise. Rama chases the Golden deer deep into the jungle and kills him. While dying, the demon, who was the golden deer, imitates Rama’s voice and cries for help. Upon hearing Rama’s distressed voice, a terrified Sita persuades Lakshmana to help Rama. Lakshmana believes in the invincible strength of his brother and refuses to leave Sita alone. Sita alleges that Lakshmana is dishonest and lustful. Tearful Lakshmana agrees to go. Before leaving, he draws a protective line around the house and requests Sita not to cross it. Ravana, the evil emperor of Lanka who had planned all these, kidnaps Sita in the disguise of sage to revenge his sister’s insult, thus begins his own destruction.

Incomparable
Language: Hindi
Raat Samay Vah
Written By: Amir Khusro – Music : Guru Prasanna Kasthuri - Raga: Ragamalika – Tala: Adi

Amir Khusro was a legendary Indian poet believed to have lived in the 11th century under the patronage of the powerful Delhi Sultan Allauddin Khilji. The feelings of a heroine towards her beloved hero are narrated here. She expresses to her friend –

He comes at night and goes away in the morning but he is not a Star;
He never allows her to walk bare feet, removes the dust & kisses her feet; but he is not her shoe;
Marriage does not happen without him, he talks beautifully, but he is not a dhol (drum);
He quenches her bodily thirst by giving her lots of drinks, but is not a glass of water;
He bites her and wakes her up and puts her in pain, but is not a mosquito;
He is very colorful, keeps repeating words of god but is not a parrot;
He can be read and touched all over the body and be embraced, but he is not a love letter.

INTERMISSION

The Messenger
Language: Kannada
Balegara Chennaiah
Written By: K.S. Narasimhaswamy
Raga: Anandabhairavi - Tala: Tishra Adi

A disappointed, gloomy expecting mother feels sad for her beloved husband. In order to avoid his father-in-law whom he dislikes, her husband stops visiting her and she misses him terribly. A bangle man, who sells bangles in different villages witnesses her agony and describes her situation to her husband. He asks him to visit her though he detests his father-in-law, so the unborn child can be happy and healthy.

The devoted navigator
Language: Gujarati
Chalo Ganga ke Paar
Raga: Ragamaalika – Tala: Adi — Music: Prasanna Kasthuri

Lord almighty Rama is an incarnation of Supreme Godhead Vishnu. Though born as a prince, he is banished from his kingdom for 14 years to uphold his father’s promise to his step mother. On his journey to the forest, he comes across River Ganga. Guha, a boatman, refuses to board him on his boat. He jokes humbly, that the dust from his feet might convert his boat into a woman as it did with Ahalya. (Ahalya was cursed to be a stone and Rama touched the stone with his feet to remove her curse). Guha reminds Lord Ram that taking care of two women, apart from his wife will be difficult. Guha’s intention is to do service to Lord Rama. Rama laughs and agrees. Both of them cross the river. Rama wishes give him the fee, which Guha denies saying that he cannot accept any fee from people in the same profession. Guha says he helps cross just a river, but Lord Rama helps everyone cross the ocean of life.

Sonnet 130
Language: English
My mistress’s eyes are nothing like the sun
Written By: William Shakespeare - Composer: Pandit Vishwamohan Bhat
Raag: Basanth Mukhari - Taal: Roopak(7 beats);

My mistress’s eyes is an all-time exalted poem that maintains the originality of his lover’s beauty and transcends the typical metaphors of love poetry. This 130th sonnet is presented as an abhinaya (expression) routine challenging the traditional Indian dancer to portray the romantic moods of abhimaani naayaka (the hero, who takes prides in his beloved’s beauty).

Celebrate Independence
Languages: Tamil and Telugu
Aaduvome
Raga: Rageshri – Tala : Adi - Written by: Bharathiyaar
An Illustrious National poet of India praises the value of freedom. He writes – “Let us dance and sing songs describing how we have achieved our goal of blissful (Ananda) independence (sut(d)antiram)! “ . This poem is interspersed with a traditional Tillana that praises of Lord Shiva in Telugu language.