Earth, Water, Fire, Air, Ether
In celebration of panchabhuta
In Hindu mythology, the nature of the universe is explained with five elements, known as panchabhuta. These are earth, water, fire, air and the void or ether.
References to these primal and primordial five elements are repeatedly present in different Upanishads (collection of Vedic texts). Among pre-Socrates Greek philosophers and philosophical schools, discourses on primal elements are also abundantly recorded.Featuring the elements and their relations through dance recitals, in an interesting fashion, Dance school Pallavi Dance Centre presented a spectacular dance-drama titled Bismaye Jage Pran.
Directed and choreographed by seasoned dance exponent of the country Minu Haque, the production’s premiere show was staged at Experimental Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy on Tuesday.
Eighteen dancers of the centre performed in the production which, through extensive, careful and relevant use of songs and poems, depicted respectively the unitary and unified influence of the five elements in constructing the universe and its human level as well.
The director used mostly classical dance styles such as kathak, bharatnatyam, manipuri with necessary fusion of folk and contemporary styles.
It is the impact of the fusions that made the dance-drama truly riveting and arresting.
The recital began and ended with two Sanskrit verses from the Upanishads where the five elements are evoked.
As the focus of the drama is to show the bond of love among the elements and not strife; solely Tagore songs and poems by Tagore, Bishnu Dey, Purnendu Patri and Ram Bose, were selected that reveal celebratory and sometimes romantic relationship between mankind and natural elements or between the elements only.
Tagore’s songs like Bishwabina, Ogo Nodi Apon Bege, Gaye Amar Pulok Lage, Ektuku Chhoya Lage, Hawar Neshay Uthlo Metey, Fagun Toder Daak Diyechhe, Dokhin Hawa Jago Jago, Hey Bhairob and some others were befittingly incorporated into the production.
Kasturi Mukherjee, Shahidul Islam, Anik Bose, Salma Begum and Smita Dey respectively enacted the dramatic presentation of the elements- earth, water, fire, air and ether/void. The accompanying dancers also did an impressive job in portraying the themes.
Kolkata-based writer Debashish Roy did the script, while Mita Haque, Bulbul Islam, Anima Roy rendered the songs.
Among the audience was Lubna Marium, seasoned dance exponent and general secretary of cultural organisation Shadhona, who labeled the production as ‘pleasant’ and praised the experimentations that the director attempted. ‘It’s always a pleasure to see new experimental works in dance. Each work is the brain-child of the Director. It isn’t important for the narrative to be lucid and clear. Its just necessary that the piece evokes emotions,’ shared Marium with New Age.
-With New Age input
