Kalanilayam’s latest play ‘Anubhava Aaradhanai’ (dramatised and directed by K.S.N.Sundar), is not so much a play, as a quest for the spiritual inspiration behind Tyagaraja’s kritis. ‘Anubhava Aaradhanai,’ is not a whimsical or fanciful interpretation of his kritis, or an attempt to retrofit his life story for the audience, with over dramatised embellishments. For the play is based on a book by Swaminatha Athreya, a scholar known for his meticulous research.
It explores some incidents that inspired the saint’s compositions, and thus gives a context to these kritis. For example, the bhakti of Natesa Achari’s night-long play on Rama moves Tyagaraja to come up with ‘Etavuna’ (Yadukulakambhoji). The kriti mirrors Natesa Achari’s lines in the play.
Ramaraya’s criticisms of Rama are seen as part of the liberties only a true bhakta can take with God, and an emotional Tyagaraja composes ‘Adigi Sukhamu,’ (Madhyamavati) again reflecting word for word the angry outburst of Ramaraya.
The play was more episodic than linear, which was understandable, considering the nature of the production. Although each incident was like a short story with a kriti to mark its conclusion, the sudden shifts, without a proper introduction leading to each of them, resulted in a staccato effect that sometimes left viewers all at sea.
For example, the sudden appearance of a sage in saffron left one befuddled, as it was not immediately clear that it was Upanishad Brahmendral.
Each episode could have begun with a preamble through a voice over, to lend clarity to the proceedings. The play moved at a sedate pace, which could be tedious if one is used to fast- paced drama. Obviously, the nature of ‘Anubhava Aaradhanai’ precluded any histrionics, the focus being the lyrics and their inspiration. It is to the credit of the actors that they effectively highlighted the emotional aspects behind the compositions. Sikkil Gurucharan sang snatches of some kritis and his rendering was moving, capturing fully the bhakti bhava.
