Dance professional Usha Rk on the visible splendour of Adi Shankaracharya’s Ashtakams

The ‘Adi Ashtakam’ efficiency at Saptaparni, Hyderabad

Adi Shankaracharya’s Ashtakams should not solely religious teachings; additionally they have nice potential for the performing arts. Dance professional Usha Rk just lately showcased Adi Ashtakam, a charming visible interpretation of Shankaracharya’s religious teachings, on the newly opened auditorium in Saptaparni, Hyderabad. This efficiency was significantly vital because it marked the eighth presentation of the Ashtakam following a profitable tour of a number of different cities.

Conceptualised and compered by Usha, the Ashtakams had been carried out by Shreyasi Gopinath (Sharda Bhujanga Ashtakam),  Arundhati Patwardhan (Panduranga Ashtakam), Prachi Save Saathi (Ganga Ashtakam), Mithun Shyam (Kalabhairava Ashtakam) and Keerthana Ravi (Guruvashtakam), to music composed and rendered by Vidya Harikrishna.

Publish-performance in Hyderabad, Usha shares that this eighth presentation happened naturally. “We started our journey in Mumbai with the premiere at Nalanda Mahavidyalaya, then moved on to Pune, Bengaluru, and Chennai. Throughout this time, Chembur High quality Arts in Mumbai invited us to carry out, given the robust presence of Shankaracharya devotees within the space. We did two performances in Mumbai earlier than heading to Kashi and eventually reaching Hyderabad.”

Acting at Kashi on Vinayaka Chaturthi was an fascinating coincidence, says Usha, who was there for private causes when she met somebody who organises occasions on the famed Assi Ghat. “This gentleman was accustomed to my work and requested what I centered on. After I talked about the Ashtakam, he recommended that I carry out it on the Vishwanath Temple. It was an incredible honour, particularly because the efficiency included the Ganga Ashtakam; it felt like a major second in our lives. The situation, Shankaracharya Chowk, added much more significance to the occasion. For the primary time, we had been presenting Shankaracharya’s compositions — particularly Kaalabhairava and Ganga Ashtakams — at this historic web site.”

Usha Rk
| Photograph Credit score:
Particular Association

Company to tradition

The previous director of the Jawaharlal Nehru Cultural Middle (JNCC) of the Embassy of India in Moscow, Dehradun-based Usha comes from a company world. “In 2006, after transferring from Mumbai to Bangalore, I transitioned from corporate-sponsored classical reveals to a brand new focus in dance. Festivals had grow to be widespread, and I wished to create one thing distinctive. So I started creating thematic performances the place dancers crafted items particularly for a narrative. My first undertaking was on Bhadrachala Ramadas, with seven male dancers narrating his journey and imprisonment via his compositions.” 

When discussing her confidence in transposing the complete poetic content material of Ashtakam into dance, Usha emphasises that conventional dance kinds are naturally descriptive. They visually specific phrases and feelings, whether or not from a varnam, padam, or jaavali.

Looking forward to exploring extra Ashtakams from Shankaracharya’s works, Usha explains, “Adi Shankara composed over 30 Ashtakams, every devoted to totally different deities, each female and male, in addition to rivers. We’ve carried out items just like the Yamunashtakam, and on this subsequent presentation, we plan to revisit some items and introduce others just like the Sharada Ashtakam and the Guru Ashtakam. The Guru Ashtakam, specifically, holds particular significance for me as a result of it displays the reverence for academics — an idea that’s fading within the age of institutionalised training.”

From the ‘Adi Ashtakam’ efficiency at Saptaparni, Hyderabad

Usha, whose father hails from Visakhapatnam, learnt Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi however not performs. “My dad and mom didn’t permit public performances after our arangetram — I’ve saved my connection to bounce alive in different methods. My father used to say, ‘In case you can’t carry out, you’ll be able to nonetheless contribute via analysis, writing, and extra.’ So, though I went on to check journalism and labored in company roles, dance remained part of me. I organised programmes, carried out analysis, and nurtured my ardour from the background.”

Usha’s love for dance led to a chance to work with the Ministry of Tradition and as a cultural director in Russia; the experiences gave her insights into sustaining artwork throughout totally different cultures.

Usha shares that the Ashtakam performances will proceed based mostly on viewers demand and sponsorship help. “There’s a risk of performing Mahakaal in Ujjain. These initiatives are extra summary, so we keep open and flow. When a chance comes, we can be able to convey it to life.”