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Solo production 'BRIHADEESWARA – form to formless'
19.06.2018


Solo production 'BRIHADEESWARA – form to formless'

by Indian dancer Bala Devi Chandrashekar will take place in Riga.


Solo production by world-known Indian dancer Bala Devi Chandrashekar will take place on the 19th of June at 19.00 at the Riga Latvian Society hous (Merkela 13).

USA-based Bharatanatyam dancer Bala Devi Chandrashekar has been producing solo theme productions which she presents at the 'season'.

This year we will see a new project "Brihadeeswara – form to formless" - through the eyes of a Devaradiyaal.

Brihadeeswara – form to formless takes the audience on a journey into the soul and mind of a Devaradiyaal, Based on the guidance of renowned scholar Dr. T.N Ramachandran and historian Dr. Kodavayil Balasubramanian and  Dr BM Sundaram, this production celebrates the intertwining of the spatial and spiritual vibrations experienced by the Devaradiyaal, as she goes about her day to day life in the hallowed architectural wonder the Brihadeeswara temple.

Devaradiyaal, as the name suggests, is one who has dedicated herself to the eternal service of  the Lord and one who leads a highly pure life. This unique production celebrates the way her devout soul is immersed in the spiritual fervour pervading the spell binging edifice built by Raja Raja Chola.

This production across four acts celebrates the  Devaradiyaal's beauty and the architectural mastery of the temple while tracing her day to day life oscillating between the spectacular form of the temple and the enlightened awareness of the Lord's formlessness as the cosmic dancer. The production weaves the connection between the physical, metaphysical, lyrical and spiritual significance of each facet of the magnificent structure.

As the composition flows, it touches upon the temple as a metaphor by highlighting the Thirumurai hymns of Sundarar and Thirugnana Sambandhar. It celebrates the nine facets of the lingam whilst extolling and deriving inspiration from  the verses of Tirunavukkarasar, Manikavasagar, Thirumoolar and Sekkizhar's Periya puranam. Initiated by Goddess Uma, the different koothu - dance forms are conceived as performed by the Lord. The spellbindingly beautiful Angaharas (grouping of Karanas), depicted inside the chamber of the first tier of the Vimana above the sanctum, are performed for specific sollukattus of the panchamukha vadhya, a unique percussion instrument representing the five faces of the Lord. The "Kailay ula" anecdote of Sundarar and Cheran accentuates the artistic relevance of the fresco paintings during the Chola reign.

In short "Brihadeeswara - Form to the Formless"—concept, research and choreography by Bharatanatyam exponent and research scholar Bala Devi Chandrashekar with music composed by the musical genius Shri Rajkumar Bharathi, script PR Venkatasubramanian and set against the monumental Brihadeeswara temple, an UNESCO World Heritage site—is a celebration of the physical, metaphysical presence of this magnificent  temple through the eyes of the untarnished pure celestial love of the Devaradiyaal and the ultimate unification of the individual soul with the supreme energy.

Bala Devi Chandrashekar is a disciple of outstanding dancer and researcher Padma Subramanyam, founder and director of the Shri Padma Nrityam Performing arts academy in Princeton, USA. The renowned dancer with her graceful and yet precise approach to the classical dance movements will visit Riga at the beginning of her European tour. 


The event is organized by the Indian cultural centre BHARATA with the Embassy of India for Sweden and Latvia support.


Tickets are available in the BILESU SERVISS box offices for 5-10 €..





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