Bhoopaala Bharatham

Description

Live Recording of the performance on
31-7-2013 at the
17th Thematic Dance Festival of
NATYARANGAM,
NARADA GANA SABHA TRUST

Introduction by
Dr Nanditha Krishna

The rulers of our Land have been venerated as manifestations of Divinity. This exalted status was bestowed on them for the role they had as Bhoo Paalas (Protectors of the Land and the people).Emperors and Kings from six dynasties were presented in Bharathanatyam at Bhoopaala Bharatham, the 17th annual thematic dance festival of NATYARANGAM, the dance wing of Narada Gana Sabha Trust, in the year 2013.

The couple Shijith Nambiar and Parvathy Menon presented the life and work of Marthanda Varma, who founded the kingdom of Travancore and built Sri Padmanabhaswamy temple in Thiruvananthapuram. Victorious in battles he was a loser in love, as the woman he loved turned him down .Maharaja Swathi Thirunal of the same royal line, was an ardent devotee of Lord Padmanabha, on whom he composed songs in several languages. He was also an able administrator who brought in several reforms for the welfare of his subjects.

Shijith and Parvathy, alumni of Kalakshetra, have won acclaim as performers, teachers and choreographers. They present the life and contribution of the Kerala kings as a visual tribute where action and emotion culminate in Bhakthi.

Dr.Nanditha Krishna, historian, environmentalist and writer, is the Director of The C. P. Ramaswami Aiyar Foundation. Author of several books she is the editor of ECONEWS, Indian Journal of Environmental Education and publisher of the Journal of Indian History and Culture.

Credits
Concieved, Scripted and Choreographed : Shijith Nambiar & Parvathy Menon

Music – Edappally Ajith Kumar
Creative inputs – Sri. Karun Menon
Vocal – Sri Arun Gopinath
Nattuvangam – Sri Gireesh Madhu
Mridangam – Sri Shiva Prasad
Violin – Sri Venkata Subramaniam
Flute – Sri Sruthi Sager
Extra Effects – Sri Suresh
Compering – Sri Govind Venkatesh
Technical director – Sri Venkatesh Krishnan
Resource person – Smt.Nandita Krishna
Research inputs – Sri R.C Karippath