Through dance theatre, Shashidharan NAIR holds up the contemporary image of Parasurama. By Mansi Bhansali
With the festive season approaching, performing arts in the city usually tend to deal with the epics and all too prevalent themes of Ramayana or the life of Krishna. Breaking this monotony, the exceptionally gifted dancer and choreographer Shashidharan Nair presented a story dedicated to the mighty Parasurama.
He is collaborating with the Indian Revival group to showcase Parasurama, The Axe Wielding Rama, The legend of the Sixth Avatar of Vishnu across cities. This is the story of a boy, who was forced to take difficult decisions, in order to fulfil his duties towards his parents and to establish the idea of fairness and justice in society. Nair, who has mastered various martial dance forms under the guidance of great maestros, is directing a dance-theatre for the first time. Talking about his piece, which blends in elements of Kalaripayuttu and Chhau, he shared, “The play focusses on the life cycle of the great Parasurama – beginning from his childhood till his austerity at Mahindra parvat. He is one of the seven immortals and was born as the sixth avatar of lord Vishnu, who is the preserver of humanity. He is a very interesting and strengthening character to play on stage.”
On opting to enact Parasurama, he added, “All the characters of the Mahabharata have already been depicted several times through numerous plays, theatres and exhibitions except Parasurama. Moreover, the play is very relevant considering the present scenario because he was the one who destroyed all the asuras who were disrupting peace in society. And currently we need a saviour character like him. Besides, he is flawed by circumstance but nevertheless stands tall in his commitments. The warrior class, with weapons and power, had begun to abuse their power, take what belonged to others by force and tyrannise people. Parasurama corrects the cosmic equilibrium by destroying these evil warriors and expiates all sins.” Parasurama legends are notable for their discussion of violence, the cycles of retaliation, the impulse of krodha (anger), the inappropriateness of krodha and repentance.
The play will unfold the lesser known facts about Parasurama who was born in a Brahmin family but had latent Kshatriya trait of fearlessness and valour. It is believed that the main purpose of Vishnu’s sixth incarnation was to free the earth by assassinating the sinful kings who neglected their duties.
The play is composed of five episodes showcasing Parasurama’s illustrious status and personality. Giving a brief summary about the third episode on Parasurama’s childhood, Nair said, “Once Renuka, Parasurama’s mother got attracted to a Gandharva or heavenly courtier-dancer on her way to collect water for her husband. Coming to know of this transgression, an enraged Jamadagni, Parasurama’s father, asked his sons to kill his wife. His four sons refused to do so and he cursed them. But Parasurama agreed to bring his mother’s head on a condition that he would revive his brothers and mother.”
Practising since five decades, Nair is an acclaimed Kathakali and Chhau dancer, who has successfully choreographed the Sampurna Ramayana, a mega production with a cast of 70 on a stage spanning 140 feet held during Dussehra for the last two years. “Along with the heavy usage of Kathakali and Chhau dance forms, I’ve used the famous martial art of Kerala, Kalari, which is considered as the mother of martial art,” he said. The credit of having developed the martial art of Kalaripayattu also goes to Parasurama.
Nair believes that in order to enact any character on the stage, whether mythological or contemporary, an extensive understanding of the character is quintessential. “If you research on your character well enough, then half of the problem ends at that point only.”
The play uses high-tech lighting technology to enhance the emotion and expression of the characters. Commenting on the status of traditional art forms amid the contemporary westernised forms, Nair said, “Nowadays, artists are not dedicated and sincere with respect to their profession. For example, a dance form like Kathakali demands a lot of patience, practice and dedication in order to present it beautifully. Stages are available for skilled dancers only. It is very important to preserve the traditional dance forms as they entail a culture within an individual. India is known for its diversity and classical dance adds to its richness. It also helps in enhancing one’s knowledge about their history and culture.”
