Dancer puts new spin on tale of Punyakoti

Bengaluru: Anuradha Vikranth, a Bharatanatyam dancer from Bengaluru, has reinvented the allegorical tale of Punyakoti, the cow that is the embodiment of truthfulness and is part of Kannada folklore, as a classical dance recital for her 85-year-old father-in-law, who grew up loving the story.Stepping out of the long-established repertoire of Bharatanatyam dances confined to mythological narratives, Anuradha, founder-director of Drishti Art Centre, has used the vocabulary of Natyashastra and the grammar of Bharatanatyam to choreograph the relatively contemporary theme. Her troupe is set to perform the same, Broadway style, with large sets and original music, at Chowdiah Memorial Hall Saturday.“The practice of using the rules of Bharatanatyam to interpret and create new choreography is on the rise. Our event on Saturday has a line-up of interpretive choreography that will speak about issues concerning mental health and climate change through Bharatanatyam. Creativity in choreography is important but it shouldn’t be contrived. Classical dance does a great job of preserving Hindu scriptures and folk tales and new-age dancers should aim to also do that while wanting to do new things,” Anuradha said.Her team has had the music specifically composed, using folk tunes, for the performance. “At the end of the story, Punyakoti is reunited with her calf while the predator jumps off a cliff overwhelmed by the cow’s honesty. The social message here is of the power of truth and we’re emoting it through dance,” she said.Aathira Ekkanath, a corporate professional who restarted her dance journey in her late 20s with the art centre and one of the performers, said, “Folk stories influence perspectives and it is easy to put forward social messages through them.”Drishti Art Centre has created large sets depicting the forest, the hills and grazing fields for the performance of Punyakoti. “We want it to be nothing less than a Broadway show,” Anuradha added. With audio, lighting, sets and costumes of the best possible standard being arranged for the show, the centre said expenses are high but sponsors and fast-selling tickets offer some consolation. According to Anuradha, as a seasoned dancer, she enjoys the challenge of new interpretations and also encourages her students to ask questions on every step she teaches them to take, for it helps expand her horizons and learn of new ideas.

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