Channel: Voice from the past

Category: Music

Tags: indian literaturethamizhindian dancetulsidashindi literaturebharatnatyamtheatrepadma subrahmanyamtamilindian cinemaclassicramavataramramasitalove at first sightkambanhindiawadhiramcharitmanascinemakambardanceindian classical dancetamil literature

Description: A dance performance by the doyen of Bharatnatyam Dr. Padma Subhramanyam. There are many reasons why I chose to share this particular video. It’s a dance adaption of love at first sight between Rama and Sita from Ramavataram written by Kambar in Tamil and Ramcharitmans by Tulsidas in Awadhi/Hindi. It’s interesting to know that the first written record of Ramayana by Valmiki doesn’t mention any such illustration. Poets such as Kambar & Tulsidas described such instances that affirm of constant cross-currents across India since classical times. This performance is quite cinematic in itself. It’s not like a stage dance performance. The mise-en-scene is different here. Attributes such as close-ups, zooms, camera angles, dual roles are specific to cinema. But another thing that makes this video cinematic is the concept of love at first sight. Indian Cinema has been showcasing love at first sight every time and again. How fascinating it is to know that its gensis are from our ancient literature! All this while I'm thankful to Arjun Narayanan - Journalist, Storyteller, Podcaster & Film researcher - for helping me in translating and tracing out the Tamil poetry of the Ramavataram. P.S. Here in the Tamil version, Sita and Rama saw each other when Rama picked up a ball that was fallen from Sita's balcony while in the Hindi version they met for the first time when Sita was heading to worship Gauri.