| Lord Rama’s tale of bravado has inspired hope for centuries, while his wife Queen Seetha remains on the sidelines, getting only the occasional mention. But all that has changed. Ekaantha Seetha (meaning lonely furrow), a Bharat Natyam dance drama, portrays the queen as a strong-willed mother with a clear purpose in life. Under her tutelage, her twin boys become masters in horseback riding, archery and sword fighting.
"This is an admiration and a salute to all womankind," says Uma Ganesan, founding president of Cleveland Cultural Alliance (CCA). The organization is presenting Ekaantha Seetha in 32 cities across North America. "These stories are about women plowing lonely furrows and rising to challenges."
The show actually features three women from different periods, ranging from pre-historic to modern times. Ganesan envisioned the theme and picked the main characters for their extraordinary courage in the face of adversity.
Even though Seetha is a deity, she came to Earth as a human being thousands of years ago, enduring the same hardships as her fellow people. "We’ve given her human treatment by looking at her as a single mother."
Also featured is Lakshmibai, the Queen of Jhansi, who refused to let the British annex her kingdom and triggered the first battle for independence in 1851. History credits the 23-year-old martyr for planting the seed of the freedom movement.
Turning to contemporary India, the spotlight then shines on Aparajitha. Educated and living in a small town, Aparajitha becomes the target of innuendoes after her husband is paralyzed in an accident. This stroke of bad luck forces her to get a job. She also forms self-help groups for women seeking financial stability. "Women are gaining self-confidence, knowing their intrinsic worth. The obstacles they rise above to keep their children in school, to make ends meet, are absolutely incredible," says Ganesan.
The dances are based on Bharat Natyam (a popular, classic Indian dance) repertoire. However, some creative additions have been carefully integrated to reflect the changing times and status of the characters. "The three episodes needed three kinds of treatment choreographically, musically and dramatically," says artistic director V.P. Dhananjayan. "The first episode is highly classical then it’s diluted to a folk level and then again diluted to a common man’s level."
CCA was formed in 1991 to bring classical dance programs to mainstream Americans. But solo numbers are hard to follow if you are not a connoisseur, says Ganesan. So she began producing story ballets involving several dancers with supporting English narratives in key places.
"Just watch the dancers. You will understand what they’re saying from their facial expressions, hand gestures and body language."
Catch Ekaantha Seetha on Saturday, October 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the University Theatre (University of Calgary). |
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