Living in a world dominated by technology, we can attest that our lives are dependent on this man-made-self-destructive-tool. There is a thin line of difference between ‘want’ and ‘need’, and Manomanthana shows us the ‘need’ to draw a line from succumbing to technology in this fast-paced lifestyle.
A perfect fusion of the renowned saint poet Tyagaraj’s kirti, with dance and a monologue expressing the perspective of the protagonist, this performance is one that will give you a reality check. This blend of Kuchipudi and harmonica is presented by a Bengaluru-based Kuchipudi artiste and choreographer Srividya Angara Sinha.
Speaking to us about how the idea of such a spectacle occurred to her she says, “Manomanthana traces the journey of an urban seeker. We all live this mundane life and a few of us realise the purpose is to seek the ultimate inner satisfaction. Today, we live in a world of criticism and cynicism and as an artiste fighting all of this and emerging with the utmost inner peace is the aim. Especially in a world where you are surrounded by technology, we don’t know where to draw the line. By attaining a state of tranquility, the ultimate concern is moksha, but how do we get there through a journey by keeping the elements pure? These are thoughts that were lurking in my mind.”
With a finite body and a finite life it takes a lot to reach the state of an infinite soul, when asked about how did she arrive at such a mature thought process she says, “The element of Bhakti runs in the blood, my parents are very spiritual and my upbringing has definitely been influenced by traditions and culture. So I guess the same happened with a gene map. And, of course the language of dance and saint Tyagaraja himself.”
Being a visual performance Srividya had to give a keen eye to details and she kept the essence of the kirits and created a monologue that narrated the story and life from the protagonists perspective. Around three years ago when the idea of this fusion occurred to her, things did not go her way but then her passion for the art did not let her give up.
With a focused mind of telling her tale and not worrying about her target audience she says, “I do not have a target audience. The fact that makes this performance stand out is perhaps the lyrics of a renowned saint poet associated with the protagonist, the music uplifts the artiste and in way Tyagaraja’s lyrics becomes a shield. Usually the performance goes with the lyrics but in this case the performance has it’s own story to tell.”
After her debut show of Manomanthana in Tanjavur on Tyagaraja Jayanthi Srividya is all set to perform in Bengaluru on 16 June at the Jagriti Theatre in Whitefield.
