Triyambam: A tribute to goddesses

At the Madras Music Academy recently, the Sivamohanam School of Kuchipudi dance presented "Triyambam", an ode to the three goddesses of Hindu mythology—the Goddesses of knowledge, prosperity, and energy.

- Tapati Chowdhuri

At the Madras Music Academy recently, the Sivamohanam School of Kuchipudi dance presented "Triyambam", an ode to the three goddesses of Hindu mythology—the Goddesses of knowledge, prosperity, and energy. It was a group presentation comprising three different kinds of pieces choreographed by Jai Kishore Mosalikanti, a disciple of Vempati Chinna Satyam.

Traditional prayer in praise of Goddess Bala Tripura Sundari, the presiding deity of the Kuchipudi village, was followed by Saraswati Stuti. This description in dance was in praise of Saraswati, the goddess who is as light-complexioned as the moon, dressed in milk-white attire, and the one who sits on a white lotus holding a veena in her hands. She is all wisdom and knowledge. She is the dispeller of darkness, which signifies ignorance. Her form shines in the minds of the sages, and she is worshipped by all gods.

This piece began with a shlokam "yaakundendu-thushaara hara dhavalam" in raagam Valaji and Aarabhi. The next piece was a krithi of Muthuswami Dikshitar again in raagam Aarabi and Roopaka taalam. Sree Yudbhavam Kuchipudi has evolved as a dance-drama tradition, starting with kalapas, yakshaganas, and nrithya naatikaas; it has eventually developed as a solo repertoire, though it continues to retain the dramatic elements in every possible way.