Sita,in Retrospect

First came the original story told through Rama's viewpoint; then one from the point of view of the vanquished asuras.

First came the original story told through Rama’s viewpoint; then one from the point of view of the vanquished asuras. However danseuse Kohinoor Darda’s interpretation of the Ramayana is from the eyes of Sita. Her performance ‘Jaanakiyan’,which combines the dance form of Kuchipudi along with Marathi poems,is an attempt to showcase the female story. Darda mentions that the idea behind the concept was to give the women in the Ramayana their due when it came to expressing their feelings that they quietly hid behind a veil of contentment.

There are so many singular aspects about the Ramayana,that every character in it can narrate the story from their view. Be it Raavana who wanted Sita for himself,or Rama who had to compel her to take the Agni Pariksha because he had to uphold his stature as a righteous man in society. Sita,I feel,was one of the least explored characters in the epic. She never spoke, she says.

In this modern retelling of the classic,Sitas portrayal by Darda through dances will reveal how the mythological figure felt at various points of time. It begins with her marriage. She is a silent spectator to the Swayamvar. After her marriage to Rama,she follows him in his 14-year-long exile without any questions. However,in the dance,she constantly asks questions about her marriage to Rama and also expresses her feelings of unwillingness to be a part of the self-imposed exile but having to do it for the sake of society, she says.

The performance,which will be held at the Shankuntala Jagannath Hall,Karnatak High School,at Kothrud on November 10,will also feature three of her disciples who will be playing the roles of Rama,the golden deer and also both their sons. She says,Interestingly,she doesn’t describe Raavana as a bad man. According to her,he is a well-cultured and educated man. The whole idea is to portray the humane side of Raavana,who has always been looked down upon as the antagonist.

The appearance of the golden deer,which was the turning point for the epic tale,is another highlight. Instead of asking for the skin of the deer,she merely wants the animal as a playmate. She says,Another reason why we want to highlight Sita is because she is the representation of the sacred feminine. And with the high rates of female infanticide we want to make her voice heard. In a metaphorical manner,the world is the stage for a modern day Ramayana,these are all the evils that Sita is struggling against on her own.

The songs for this special performance have been written by Lalita Banthiya,while music has been composed by Gandhar Sangoram. The performance has been choreographed by Guru Gayatri Ambekar. Darda mentions that while it is a two-hour programme,the ‘Jaanakiyan’ is only for an hour. The team worked on the dances for three months and have been researching alongside to get their facts and history right,she says. We want to take it across Maharashtra now. Since it is primarily in Marathi,it will connect with audiences well, she adds.

(Jaanakiyan will be showcased on November 10 at the hankuntala Jagannath Hall,Karnatak High School,at Kothrud evening seven pm onwards)

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Ramayana
SITA