Six yards of a metaphor: Malavika Sarukkai's new production tracks journey of sari

What is the sari? Is it just six yards of fabric? Or a deeper philosophy? While playing with patterns/motifs why has it remained unchanged for thousands of years? These are some questions that Bharatanatyam exponent Malavika Sarukkai’s new production, Thari-The Loom, for Paramparik Karigar, tracing the journey of the thread from the loom to the fabric, tries to answer.

Sarukkai’s choreographies have always stood out for orignality of thought, intelligence, mastery of technique and and a vocabulary of vitalised movement that inventively relates the world of dance to the world. And Thari... which premieired in Mumbai on Tuesday not only holds up to that hallmark but goes far beyond. The perflect blend of dance, music, colours, lights and a deeply insightful thought process made this a treat for all the senses and the mind.

“For many the sari is physical and just a drape. Other aristes have explored that. I wanted to go to the fundamentals that dance and weaving share. Though seemingly different they share a connect in principles which look at space, aesthetics, harmony, design, structure, motifs, symmetry, proportion, relationship and alignment,” explains the Padma Shri danseuse. “Ultimately for me Thari... represents tradition that is asking me what I can do with it. Can I re-interpret? Can I talk about contemporary concerns connected to age-old questions to which mankind seeks answers?” She adds that though she adores tradition she does not let it bind her. “I’ve made it my own and use it to make a point.”

The sari brings memories of her mother who wore one. “I must’ve been 12 when I first draped one and it immediately felt special. A chance reading of an article on Kanjeevaram, two years ago, inspired me. I began to toy with the idea of working with handlooms for my choreography.”

Her interactions with filmmaker and friend Sumantra Ghosal (who made a documentary on her) helped forge a creative collaboration. “It was most rewarding to share my intellectual and creative processes with him through the preparation and fine-tuning. His poems that we have used to take the narrative forward are just right in nuance to what one is trying to say with Thari...”

The music put together by octogenarian Bharatanatyam exponent Prof CV Chandrasekhar adds an entirely new dimension to the performance and Aditya Prakash's singing stays with you long after. “I’ve collaborated with CV anna on several productions. He can both empathise with the concept and transform ideas into music which is visual and yet laden with emotions,” says Sarukkai.

The performance begins with the loom. “ In Kanchipuram, the sound of looms struck me. There was a rhythm there... also an integral part of dance.” In fact,  the dancers don’t wear ankle bells while dancing the first item with cane bobbins in their hands, so that the rhythmic clacks of loom recorded and edited by Sai Shravanam stand out. 

It then goes on to talk about the warp and the weft. “The warp goes the entire length of the sari like a constant... like Krishna’s flute, it is essential and beckoning, while the weft, which criss-crosses and hugs the warp, is representative of Radha,” explains Sarukkai who adds, “The two borders can be the two banks of a river and the space in between the one we navigate. It can also mean the borders of life and death in which life itself plays out.”

The next acts used the parrot, peacock and swan motifs common to saris and dance. The innovative addition of green, turquoise or white scarfs as little props to highlight the theme, added to the overall aesthetics. Pared down from fabric to thread in its tassles, Malavika's interpretative choreography spoke of how we come from infinite and go back to it.

Actor Vidya Balan who was present on the occasion called ‘Thari...’ ethereal Bharatanatyam. We couldn't agree more...