What Sustains Kalakshetra's Ramayana Series

THE HINDU
By Rupa Srikanth

Kalakshetra artistes performing 'Maha Pattabhishekam', a dance drama, at the Kalakshetra Art Festival | Photo Credit: M_Moorthy

The Bharata Kalakshetra Auditorium, a high-ceilinged structure, a Kerala Koothambalam-inspired design with natural ventilation — without fans or air-conditioners — was a dream performance space for dance-dramas built by the Kalakshetra founder-visionary Rukmini Devi Arundale in 1982. It fell into disrepair and the re-built auditorium was recently inaugurated on the eve of her 115th birth anniversary during the annual ‘Remembering Rukmini Devi Festival 2019.’ The concluding programmes of the festival, two gems from her Ramayana series of dance-dramas ‘Choodamani Pradanam’ and ‘Maha Pattabhishekam’ were staged there subsequently. [More]