Technically sound but

A critical evaluation of the Bharata Natyam Kutchery by Lekshmy Gopalaswany at the Cochin fine arts hall on Sunday 14th January


It is with great expectations that we went to the Fine arts hall, It is none other than Leksmy Gopalswamy performing!

The Natvankam, vocal, violin, flute, mridangam all were first rate. The Ragas used were Naatta Bilahari, Simhendra Maddhyma and Hamsanandi are the favorites of lovers of South Indian classical dance. The danseuse did her recital perfectly from a technical point of view. Then what does the “but” in the title mean?
The dancer is a narrator in the first place. In Bharata natyam, she need not tell the whole story but has to narrate a particular mood (mainly the heroine’s) through imitation of emotions by bodily movements (Aangika), facial expression of the rasas (Saathvika), with the help of the songs –Padas & varnas sung from the background(Vaachika), and with the costume (Aaharya). Though she enacts the role of the heroine in the vipralbdha mode (one of the eight classes of Heroines-Ashta nayikas; vipralabha is one who is forced to stay away from her lover and she is awaiting his return) the performer has to represent the nayaka and the sakhi on the stage. She also has to enact the nayika in other modes also by way of reminiscences, expectations and as a matter of jealousy towards other beloveds of the nayaka. Though the basic rasas are sringara & karuna, all the other seven are also to be enacted. Especially when depicting the nayaka mode, she has to enact roudra & beebhatsa. Only on very few occasions did LG try these. Compared to the standards set by herself, those few attempts were not upto the mark. I would argue that monotony resulted because she was in the Nayika mode most of the time. Specifically, I was referring to the varna where nayika is waiting for Lord Chidambaranaath. In this, the theme had immense possibilities which were substantially underutilized.
To be fair to her, it should be admitted that both the Padas--one based on the Kuchela story and other about the naika straining to find out who the nayaka was- were beautifully enacted. She excelled in the padarthabhinaya. However, she seemed to be reluctant to enact the referent. Every body knows that she can do it. Then, I wonder why it was not so satisfying to me. I cannot find an answer to it. One possible explanation could be the video incident.