Sacred Dance of India

Author(s): Mrinalini Sarabhai
Publisher: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan

Page 22

with all the ceremony that would befit a king Sudhama is overwhelmed and forgets his request till Krishna asks him what present he has brought The Lord takes the gift with tenderness and exclaims at the tastefulness of the rice, and Sudhama rises to go, forgetful of his own need But when he returns, he sees no hut but a wonderous abode, his wife bedecked, his children transformed! But Sudhama's vision is not changed Indeed he has been further blessed by a vision of the Supreme One He is not happy with his new home and continues his search for the Lord, the eternal journey of the soul
Towards dusk as the sun is setting, the Kathakalı drums announce the performance People gather from everywhere and sit on the ground in front of the pandal, the 'Ranga Bhoomi' Lut only by a huge brass lamp, its thick wicks burning furiously, the dance drama begins The "Thira Sheela' is held up and the characters emerge from behind, some in dramatic and fearful tempo shaking the curtain with tremulous hands and some gently as though looking upon the world for the first time and smiling, half-sadly, half-mockingly, upon what they see
The characters are made up according to their personal characteristics There is Paccha (green), Kathr (knife), Tadz (beard), Karı (black) and Menukku (shining)
Paccha is for divine or sattwik personalities with a serene and calm temperament like Krishna and Arjuna The Kathe is used for Rajasık characters, who are kingly but not noble, as for example, Ravana, the King of Lanka The Tadz can be both good and evil For instance, the white Tadi is the make-up of Hanuman and the Karuppa Tadı is used for a forester or Kirata, as in the story of Nala, and Kirata-Arjuna, where Lord.
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Krishnattam make-up. Shiva disguises Himself as a hunter The Chokanna Tadı is a terrifying make-up used for demons like Dusshāsana