Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry’s Nagamandala earned appreciation from the playwright Girish Karnad itself – you have really understood my play, he said

One story and so many tellings. A.K. Ramanujan told this folktale and it became three plays – Nagamandala, Siri Sampige and Haavu Hokka Manegalu by Girish Karnad, Chandrashekar Kambar, and Hooli Shekar respectively. Girish Karnad’s Nagamandala, when compared to Kambar’s Siri Sampige is less complex, but makes for good theatre. His plays are a reflection of contemporary Indian cultural and social life. For this, Karnad makes use of folk tales, myths and historical legends.

Nagamandala was first produced in Kannada in 1989 by the late actor Shankar Nag. A grand and ambitious production, the play had B. Jayashri, Padmavathi Rao, Arundhati Nag and Shankar Nag himself in the play. Music was composed by C. Ashwath and the stunning song, “Maayada Manada Bhara” written by Gopal Vajpeyi. Recalling those days, Padmavathi Rao says: “Those were not days of theatre workshops. Much of our association with theatre was fuelled by our own personal passion and the willingness to work with ourselves. Aru, Shankar and me would discuss every little detail. For me, the most intense part of the play was Rani’s loneliness. It’s the story of most women in India. They come from loving families and don’t know the world is going to change dramatically for them. I would think that this is the world’s best kept secret. There is a duality between ‘said’ and ‘unsaid’ and throughout history and mythology one sees this happening to women.”

Much later the play was taken up by Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry. The play which drew from several theatre traditions dazzled for its aesthetics. Nagamandala was Neelam’s first major work. For the first time, writes Chaman Ahuja, speech, narration, recitation, songs, dances, costumes, props, movements, stood unified. In a sense, she did not just direct the play, she recreated it- a recreation that earned full approval from the playwright Girish Karnad: ‘You are the only person who has really understood my play.’

Neelam’s Nagamandala is based on a fine translation in Punjabi by poet Surjit Patar. In fact, Neelam took up this same play some time in the late eighties and it proved to be a turning point in her journey as a director. Speaking of her later Nagamandala, which Neelam calls a recreation, she says: “I wasn’t very excited to begin with. I didn’t know if I wanted to do a tale about snakes and women all over again. The Manto festival at Lahore got cancelled and I just started reading Nagamandala again. The story had the power to grip her again and so I picked up the same script and most of the same actors and started work on it all over again.”

The Company presents Nagamandala (Punjabi) directed by Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry, will be staged at Ranga Shankara on November 2, 7.30 p.m. For tickets, bookmyshow.com and Ranga Shankara box office.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> Features> MetroPlus / by D.G. / October 30th, 2014

Noted Malayalam litterateur Alankode Leelakrishnan releases souvenir ‘KABANI’

Mysore :

The Silver Jubilee Celebrations of Railway Malayali Samithi were conducted in a grand manner on Oct.19 at NIE Diamond Jubilee Complex in city.

The celebrations were inaugurated by famous Malayalam litterateur Alankode Leelakrishnan, who also released the souvenir ‘KABANI’ which was published as part of the Silver Jubilee Celebrations.

The retired members were felicitated during the programme. Prizes were distributed to the participants who won in the competitions which were conducted as part of the year-long celebrations. Cultural programmes were performed by the family members as well as by ‘Niswartha Band, Calicut.’

Silver Jubilee Committee Patron T. D. Anilkumar welcomed. President Babu P. Naresh presided. Secretary V.R. Harikrishnan proposed a vote of thanks.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News  /  Thursday ,  October 23rd, 2014

She sculpts with conches and sea shells 

Mysore :

Senior Shanku Shukti artist of city Y. Jayamma was presented with the Karnataka Shilpakala Academy Award-2012 at her residence, Shanku Shukti Kala Kendra, on Irwin Road here yesterday.

Academy Registrar H.V. Indramma and Member L. Shivalingappa presented a cheque for Rs. 10,000 and a memento. City artist Jamuna Rani V. Mirle was also present.

Jayamma is the first Shanku Shukti artist of city who sculpts a figure using conches and sea shells transforming ideas into reality. She has mastered the rare act without any guru but only with her creative mind. But the government is yet to recognise the artist.

Speaking to a section of the Press, Jayamma said, “I never aspired for any award but always sought encouragement which was provided by people.”

Jayamma right now is said to be suffering from leg pain and not keeping well. She has won the Jayachamaraja Wadiyar award in 1961 when she had scored the highest marks at Maharani’s College.

Mastering the art using sea shells, Jayamma reportedly began using coloured sea shells instead of colouring the white ones to give a natural look on advice from Marimallappa High School Art Teacher Subbannachar.

Jayamma retired from service as a teacher at JSS TCH College and is said to have shown a sculpture of sea shells of former President Dr. Abdul Kalam recently to Kalam himself who appreciated the art and asked Jayamma to preserve that along with her other exhibits.

Jayamma has a huge collection of her art works at her Kala Kendra located opposite the State Bank of Mysore on Irwin Road which is also open to public.

Jayamma is said to be very innovative and creative as she can get inspired by the words of a poem and come out with an art of sea shells.

Her collection included sculptures of 3.5 ft tall Ugranarasimha, Mahishasura Mardini, Jatayu Vadhe, Crucified Christ, Kalinga Mardhana and many more.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News  / Wednesday ,  October 22nd, 2014

Intro:

Amidst the talents born in big cities, we human beings tend to forget the ones born in small villages. At a distance of about forty-three miles from the heritage city of Mysore, one can come across the musically rich couple “Jawarayya and Boramma,” popularly known to the listeners of Tatvapada and Janapada forms of music as “Tamboori Jawarayya Dampathigalu.” The humble couple resides in a tiny house in a small village called Basaralu in Mandya District with their grand-daughter Sowmya, who too is on her way in specialising the art form.

by Phalgunn Maharishi

One may find their names alien but only when we start our journey to visit the couple shall we know the respect and fame they have earned in their village. Not only have they made their mark in their village, but also across the State in various villages and cities during several occasions. Living in sheer poverty, the couple has nothing but their pure talent with them. They reside in a very old house which is in a not-so-good condition and leaks during rainy season.

The couple started singing Tatvapada around 30 years ago when they were deeply in search of happiness and satisfaction in life. Remembering those early days, Jawarayya said that he and his wife Boramma were influenced by the words “Only through Deeksha can one attain Moksha” by Rudramuni Swamiji of Kodugal Mutt in Holenarsipur Taluk. Sticking on to the words, the couple took Deeksha from the Swamiji and later on, Tatvapada and Shivaraadhane became their lifestyle!

After losing their two lovely daughters, their life shattered and the couple started concentrating more on Tatvapada. They started singing day and night to forget their agonies. Even today in the evening of their life, they roam around the streets of Basaralu carrying out what is known as mendicancy which we call as “Bhikshatana” in India. They sing and entertain people in their village even for a bag full of rice! According to Jawarayya, there have been many days for them without food starving in the streets and waiting for an opportunity through which they can earn some money.

Jawarayya and Boramma have so far performed in Bangalore, Belgaum, Bidar, Shimoga, Hassan and many other cities. They have also performed several times in Bangalore Doordarshan and Akashvani Bangalore and Mysore radio stations. There have also been many successful performances by them during events like Mysore Dasara, Gagana Chukki Utsav (Mandya) and Gadinada Utsav (Bellary). Both husband and wife have been the proud recipients of many awards like Janapada Academy Award (Madikeri), H.L. Nagegowda Award and Tayamma Mallayya Award (Maddur) to name a few.

They have also been into fond remembrance to many Mysoreans by their memorable performances at Manasagangotri, Gangubai Hanagal Music University, Rangayana, Jaganmohan Palace, Kalamandir and even DC Office. Jawarayya and Boramma said that they both are always thankful to Prof. Kalegowda Nagavara of Mysore University for recognising their talent and introducing them to the public on various occasions.

Both Jawarayya and Boramma are carrying forward the traditional forms of music which are on the verge of fading away from the current modern scenario. Backed with such acute musical talents, they have come a long way together singing Tatvapada with Boramma plucking the string of their Tamboori and Jawarayya beating their Dhamdi in a typical folk style rhythmic pattern.

According to Jawarayya, Tatvapada is not just an art form, but a way of living. The duo have earned their daily bread through the traditional art forms. The pleasant sound of their Tamboori mixed with their powerful voices is really a mystical experience to every listener. They both are sailing on the same boat together all these years. Even though they are physically aged, a young freshness still exists in their voices and their interests. They both have sung the words of Mahalinga, Shishunala Shariff, Jnanananda, Nagalinga Yogi, Kaiwara Narayanappa and others.

If one asks Tamboori Jawarayya how can he remember the lyrics of what he sings at such ageing days, his humorous reply would be that, “There is a tape-recorder inside me which has stored everything from past 40 years and it just keeps playing back through my mouth”! Both husband and wife are very much interested in making this traditional talent reach the younger generation and so they have pleaded many to help them make a CD and release it!

Such beautiful singing birds are surely a treasure for not only Mandya and Mysore, but also for the whole of Karnataka. They deserve more attention from the people in general and the government in particular to help them uplift the art forms.

Tamboori Jawarayya and Boramma are available for contact to anyone through their Mobile: 9902429694.

source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Monday ,  October 20th, 2014