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padmanabha
16th September 2006, 08:17 PM
[tscii:a9c201e9c1]With ineffable resplendence of glory and inescapable power of attraction, Lord Krishna has conquered our minds. The message of Krishna as a boy is to the emotion as that of Krishna the preceptor of Arjuna in the battle field of Kurukshetra is to the intellect of man. Since Bhaktiyoga is easier to tread than Gnanayoga we have plenty of performing arts and literature based on Krishna’s activities at his younger age.

The latest addendum is Krishna Leela authored by Dr. P Venugopalan. This Kathakali format ahs made the connoisseurs awe struck as this is the first time in Kathakali that this highly sensitive Krishna theme has been developed in the strict lyrical and technical language of this art form.

The theme deals with the Union of KRISHNA AND HIS mother Deavaki. After slaying Kamsa Krishna meets her. The mother reveling in the newly found surge of maternal instincts expresses her desire to witness the childhood pranks and exploits of KRISHNA. He arranges a meeting between his foster mother Yasoda and his real Devaki. Yasoda narrates the wonderful pranks of Krishna.

Such incident is not mentioned in Bhagavatham and it is purely Venugopal’s imagination maternal instincts, like love poignancy, anxiety are the play’s highlights.

The plight and agony of Devaki who’s all the seven children were killed soon after birth by Kamsa is beyond our imagination. In her eighth delivery Lord Vishnu emerges from her womb. The God child grew in stature and revealed HIS real form. Before assuming the form of a child HE suggested to exchange HIM with the girl child born to Yasoda.

After 14 years Krishna reaches Mathura, slain Kamsa releases his parents viz Devaki and Vasudeva.

The play Krishna leela begins with young Krishna set out to see his mother for the first time desiring the warmth of her love and embrace. But the mother could visualize him as Lord Vishnu, her savior. She prostrates before he son.

Krishna was embarrassed at this gesture. When he realizes their sufferings he was brimmed with remorse. He failed in discharging the duty as a son. So he seeks their pardon. Devaki express her desire to wines his childhood pranks. Who else can explain it better than Yasoda-the foster mother?

She narrates the incidents of Poothana’s salvation, how she perceived the vision of the whole universe in his tiny lotus like mouth, the deliverance of nalkubera, the killing of Beka, the humbling of the giant serpent Kalia, lifting of the mount Govardan etc.

These sequences provided vast opportunities for the innovative exposition of the aesthetic, elements, of Kathakali. Here the actor, who performs the role of Yasoda can dish out a wide spectrum of expressions brimming with emotional exuberance and fervor through PAKARNATTAM that is acting multiple roles by one actor.

The play has ten padams and five slokams. The credit for choreography goes to Kalmandalam Vasu Pisharadi an exponent in Kathakali.
The three hour long play also exposes the poignancy of the pangs of separation experienced by Yasoda who has to give back her child to the real mother. This sense of irreparable loss is Universal being experienced by all foster mothers in the world.
(527 words)
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