By IANS
Kuala Lumpur : The story of Meera Bai, the 15th century Rajput princess who renounced royal luxuries for devotion to Hindu god Krishna, was brought to life through a dance drama staged at Johor Baru as a tribute to legendary Carnatic musician M.S. Subbulakshmi.
The audience was swept away on a mesmerising journey through the life of Meera Bai, The Star newspaper said Wednesday, calling it “a night of splendour”.
The performance paid tribute to Subbulakshmi who immortalised Meera Bai with her portrayal of the princess in the 1945 movie “Bhaktha Meera”.
The dance drama of the same name was conceptualised and choreographed by lawyer-turned-artistic director Ajith Bhaskaran Dass.
About 80 students of the Suvarana Fine Arts school, which had organised the event, performed in the annual production for which music was provided by vocalists led by Singapore-based Bhagya Murthi as well as musicians on the flute, veena, violin, mridangam and tabla.
Ajith led the 11-member orchestra with the nattuvangam – the small cymbals that conducted the rhythm of the performance.
The costumes alone were a feast for the eyes, shimmering and dazzling in a riot of colours, complete with detailed embroidery and mirror work – a clear tribute to Meera Bai’s home state of Rajasthan in India.
The audience witnessed a spellbinding performance that culminated with the union of Meera with her beloved Lord Krishna in the temple of Dwarka.
The musicians also clearly enjoyed themselves during the performance, getting immersed in joyous chants of “Hare Krishna, hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna hare hare” as the songs increased in tempo.
The memory of “Bhaktha Meera” lingered long after the last anklet bell went silent, the newspaper said.