Parvathy Menon’s ode to Lord Krishna

A prolific dancer, Parvathy Menon has been learning dance under the able tutelage of Kalamandalam Mohanathulasi since the age of four. Having performed at various stages all over Kerala, Parvathy’s last production, Swathi Pranamam, a Kuchipudi recital based on the kritis of Maharaja Swathi Thirunal, was well received by the audience. Now, she is back with another novel Kuchipudi dance performance choreographed by the dancer herself under the guidance of her guru Kalamadalam Mohanathulasi. The work is titled Ghanshyam — An Ode in Kuchipudi to Lord Krishna. “Lord Krishna has been a much explored topic in the format of dance. It was a challenge for me to pick relatively unknown stories of Krishna and then see if they were adaptable to a dance format,” she says. Finally, Parvathy is ready with eight pieces in her dance performance with each piece lasting 10-20 minutes.

Talking about the novelty of the performance, she shares, “The entire life of Lord Krishna, right from his birth to Geethopadesham, has been adapted to the Kuchipudi dance format. The eight pieces transition through Krishna’s birth, childhood and then teenage years and finally culminate in the Geethopadesham. I will also be presenting Krishna Nee Begane Baro in a different format.”

Parvathy admits that a lot of research has gone into choreographing the eight pieces, adding, “I had to carefully select what to explain and what not to.”

A graduate in mathematics, Parvathy is currently pursuing law at Government Law College. Parvathy completed her diploma in Kuchipudi from Alliance University, Bengaluru. She is also the recipient of the Scholarship for Young Artistes in Kuchipudi instituted by the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT), Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and is currently undergoing advanced training in Kuchipudi under A. B. Balakondala Rao. She will be performing Ghanshyam at TDM Hall, Kochi, at 6 pm on October 2.