How poet Bahinabai Chaudhari’s evocative verses became the focal point of a Bharatanatyam performance

The viewer was drawn into the world of poet Bahinabai Chaudhari in ‘A woman beyond letters’, a 45-minute choreographic production by Vaishnavi Dhore for the Jharna festival. Delving deep into the native milieu of the poet, Vaishnavi presented glimpses of her life and work through the idiom of Bharatnatyam.

Bahinabai, a cotton farmer widowed early with three children, faced life’s hardships with great determination. Her pain and struggles found expression in her poetry. Her ruminations found expression in spontaneous outpourings of poetry and songs. Her verses traverse a wide spectrum of thought — her bond with Nature and family, reflections on life and death and devotion to Vittala.

As the curtains went up, a lone spotlight symbolic of an altar space, framed the silhouette of a woman in prayer. The dancer clad in a simple nine-yard Maharashtrian sari with minimal ornamentation evoked the divine presence of Vittala and Rukmayi, the spiritual anchors of the woman’s life. Through the poems that followed, the performance unveiled the varied facets of her life.

Vaishnavi Dhore presented a 45-minute production ‘A woman beyond letters’ at the annual Jharna festival in Chennai. | Photo Credit: J. Johan Sathyadas

The dancer explored well the sequences that moved seamlessly from the world of realism, highlighted through a poem celebrating the weaver bird, its care, love and effort in building a nest, to an abstract concept, where the poet tries to unravel the mystery of the mind, before moving into the personal space, to depict grief and resilience.

Vaishnavi’s command over technique and abhinaya was evident in the effortless ease with which she could communicate her ideas. However, there are a few areas that need refinement. For instance, the long theermanams that came at frequent intervals disturbed the flow of the narrative. Also, the imagery lacked a focal point, leaving the sequences without a connecting thread in the form of a recurring motif.

The distinct voice of Shruthi Veena Vishwanath, as co-performer, added vibrancy to the choreography. Her rendition of the songs and the musical score beautifully captured the essence of the rural setting.