Ammaiyar - Shiva's Ghoul Devotee
Bharatanatyam by Keerthana Ravi
Paalini - The Protector
Bharatanatyam by Pavitra Bhat
Keerthana Ravi learnt Bharatanatyam under Padmini Ramachandran for over two decades. She is currently undergoing extensive training under Rama Vaidyanathan in New Delhi. Ravi stood first in the senior exam for Bharatanatyam conducted by the Government of Karnataka, and has received an ‘A’ grade from Doordarshan Kendra. She has won several dance competitions at the state and national levels.
Karaikakal Ammaiyar describes herself as a demon devotee accompanying her Lord Siva on the cremation grounds. Her life is lived in inversions; she transcends her youth and asking to be disfigured and ghoul-like so she can completely immerse herself in Siva. Upon reaching the Kailasa she is unable to walk upon the holy land and decides to crawl so as to not disrespect the sacred land Siva resides upon. She lives in cremation grounds much away from the gender and societal norms, following the path of devotion.
The production unravels her compositions trying to understand her philosophy that was the bedrock for bhakti siva literature. She was the earliest Nayanmars one amongst the 63 who wrote about Siva and her work precedes the other Nayanmars by 2-3 centuries.
Amaiyaar - Shiva's Ghoul Devotee by Keerthana Ravi - created and premiered exclusively for Pravaha.
Pavitra Bhat is a Bharatanatyam exponent who trained under Sikkil Vasanthakumari and later under the renowned exponent Deepak Mazumdar. To perpetuate and promote dance, Bhat established Pavitra Art Visual Institute (P.A.V.I.). The institute boasts over 300 students, many of whom have been awarded the CCRT’s Junior Scholarship. Bhat is an ‘A’ grade artiste of Doordarshan and has performed in India and abroad.
The Adi parashakti in the form of Paalini – The Protector continues her primordial duty of nurturing and protecting all her children of the universe. She, as a divine mother, creates the animate and pervades into all that has been created. She protects with no discrimination. Her protection does not demand any luxury; she graciously offers her grace to the exchange of a single factor and that is complete bhakthi or devotion. Every day, every minute and even every passing second speaks volume of her unconditional grace and thus by keeping the faith alive in all we mankind.
Age Limit: 6+
Late entry will not be permitted.
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Experimental Theatre: NCPA., Nariman Point, NCPA Marg, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400021, India
INR 200
