Review: Gokula Nirgamana (2010)

Title: Gokula Nirgamana dance drama
Written by: Padmasri Pu. Ti.. Narasimhachar
Director and Choreographer: Gargi Panchangam
Produced by: Alamelu Iyengar
Music: Subhapriya Srivatsan and Hemmige Srivatsan
Location: Smithwick Theatre at Foot Hills College, Los Altos, California.

Score: 9.5 out 10

The great Kannada poet Pu. Ti. Narasimhachar has penned some of the best lyrical works in Kannada literature. Gokula Nirgama is perhaps the most beloved and popular among his works. I think this is not only because of the timeless and universal appeal of Krishna and Radha's romance but also because it has been captured in very beautiful lyrics with an inbuilt musicality which shows that Pu.ti.na was not only a great poet but he also had a deep understanding of music. The ending of the this story is also of great importance .

The current production which I watched was produced by the poet's daughter Alamelu Iyengar who is well known for her wide ranging involvement in cultural activities including drama. It was organized as part of a concert series by the group 'South India Fine Arts' in California.

The story is a depiction of Radha's love and devotion for Krishna. The entire presentation was in the form of a dance drama based on the Bharatanatyam dance tradition. The verses of the poet's work were performed by a live music group and the emotions in the verses were depicted by excellent dance performances set to the beat and tune of the music.

The dance choreographed by Gargi Panchangam had a class of beauty and artistry. Some of the songs are already popular among the music lovers. To watch Radha and Krishna dance to this music with the Gopikas was a feast to the eyes. Gargi as Radha was simply exquisite in her dance and in her emotions. As Alamelu rightly put it she personified the Radha of Pu.ti.na's imagination. Pushpa Ramanujam as Krishna embodied his charm and also helped to enhance the beauty of Nandagokula and his romantic relationship with Radha.

The Gopikas were a beautiful compliment to Radha and Krishna. Their dances were excellent and most notable was the Raasa Leele piece. The arathi offered to Krishna and the way the entire troupe froze in their devotion to Krishna made a deep impression.

The music provided the strong base for the dancers to perform. The composition and rendering by the troupe headed by Hemmige Srivatsan and Subhapriya Srivatsan was a display of fine artistic performance.

Stage settings and sound provided good support. The tree on the stage looked more symbolic than being a natural part of the scenery. Lighting added a lot to make the performance look as good as it did. The costumes were grand.

In an otherwise perfect execution there is some scope for improvement. The first 20 minutes or so felt a bit disjointed. Individually the dances were very good but there was no seamless transition between 2 pieces. To put it in a different way, it was after the arrival of Krishna that the audience got glued to the performance. Radhe's anticipation of Krishna was electrifying. The dances of the gollas could have been performed better as a group. The gollas could also add finer touch to their dance instead of the pop-folk style of dance. The contrast between the bharatanatyam dancers and the gollas stood out. It will be nice if the gollas' dances blend with the main style. The sticks in their hands were a distraction or they moved randomly affecting the dance. Perhaps the speeches at the end should have been without frequent interruptions. Now this one is more about the venue - it is really unfair to expect the elderly patrons and children to climb the hill. It is quite strenuous. The organizers did offer to mitigate this trouble by offering rides to people who required it. But not many people knew of it. All these external issues do have an effect on the audience's experience of the performance.

On the whole the production is commendable for its conceptualization and performance.