Kuttrala Kuravanji is the first dance drama choreographed by the legendary dancer Rukmini Devi Arundale. In the year 1944. It is back on the stage this year. At the place it was staged.
Rukmini Devi and some of the dancers who took part in the production are not with us today.
But the Kalakshetra Repertory brings it to life again with no change in the format or in the choreography.
And the singers who also did the nattuvangam for the original production and the subsequent staging of the dance drama in the 1940s will be with Kalakshetra troupe at the show - on Dec.27, evening, at Kalakshetra.

The Adyar Brothers - K. Rama Rao and K. Lakshman - who will perform at this week’s show, take us on a trip down memory lane.
"Kuravanjis are ancient Tamil dramas, in which the heroine falls in love with the Lord. This one on the presiding deity of Kuttralam dates back to the 17th century and considered to the be the best of the Kuravanjis," Lakshman says about Kuttrala Kuravanji. “Rukmini Devi played the role of the heroine Vasanthavalli and N. S. Jayalakshmi took the role of the Kurathi, the soothsayer.” he recollects.
Rama Rao remembers all the friends of the heroine. ‘Chinna’ Sharada, now Sharada Hoffman, Anjali Mehra, Lalitha and Malathi Srinivasan played the roles of ‘sakhis’ of the heroine.
"Rukmini Devi wanted this ancient literary form to be presented in dance drama. There are many kuravanjis - Kumbesar Kuravanji, Sharabhendra Bhupalar Kuravanji, . . . But this is considered to be the oldest." Rama Rao adds.
"The satire or the verses included in the kuravanji for entertainment were not included by Rukmini Devi."

How long and tough were the practice sessions then?

"Rukmini Devi was a perfectionist. Naturally, we had specialists from the respective fields working on the production." says Lakshman. "V. Krishnamachari was brought from Bangalore for setting music to the verses." He is the younger brother of ‘Tiger’ Varadachari. "He used to keep crushing the beetle leaves and nuts and casually told the assistant to write the notations spontaneously," remembers Rama Rao.

Lakshman recollects a single line which is the essence of the Kuravanji. “Pennai sera vallavan. . . which indirectly means the name of the lord of Kuttralam ‘Thiri kooda rasa’, gives the complete description of the Kuravanji. Scholar T. K. Chidambaranatha Mudaliar (T.K.C) beautifully explained this line to us. He was specially brought to Kalakshetra to explain the meanings of the verses to us, and then to the students”

Were the students allowed to be part of the productions, in singing and doing nattuvangam?

"Among the students a few were called the pupil teachers, who used to be students as well as teachers. We were among them," Rama Rao recollects, with pride. "

Pasupathi was also singing with us." Lakshman’s memory takes him to the day of performance. "Pasupathy also did the role of Kattiyakkaran (who briefly introduces the story). After a brief presence on stage, he came to the accompanists’ place and sang with us.” He adds, “All the three of us came to Kalakshetra from Vandavasi together."
D. Pasupathy, an ‘A’ grade singer of the AIR has not been keeping well for sometime now and opted out this time.

"The unforgettable was the show at Kuttralam itself. Just outside the temple, on the Varusangu veedhi, which the Kuttrala Kuranaji verses also mention!," says Lakshman.

How did that happen?

"T.K.C belonged to Kuttralam and wanted Rukmini Devi to perform the dance drama at the place. It was on a Sivarathri day. People sat on the ground and watched the entire performance. there was pin-drop silence! People of Kuttralam could easily relate to it as it was their ‘ooru’ story!"
Rama Rao remembers the entire team travelling by bus to Kuttralam. "It was in 1951 It was raining in the morning. But people turned up in large numbers and enjoyed the performance."

"The production of Kuttrala Kuravanji dance drama sowed the seed for the other mega production from Kalakshetra - ‘Kumara Sambhavam’. This was in 1947, staged during the Annie Besant Centenary celebrations. says Rama Rao.
"The dance darma was staged for a few other times. But has retained the original choreography till date." Lakshman says.

But how could this be possible? We did not have the videography then!

"As the productions or choreography was created, ‘Periya’ Sharada used to write each and every movement or action, thereby documenting the whole dance or dance drama or whatever." says Rama Rao. "She has hugely contributed to the preservation of Kalakshetra and Rukmini Devi’s works," both the brothers say in unison.
"And for music, there were dedicated students like Kalpakam Swaminathan, the veena artiste, to meticulously write the notations while great musicians sang spontaneously." Lakshman joins him.
This recollection on Sunday last brought back to them memories of the past at Kalakshetra.

What followed was a beautiful varnam in Sriranjani raga sung by both the masters at Lakshman’s house in Gandhi Nagar, Adyar.

"The notes were by ‘Tiger’ while the sahityam was written by the Sanskrit scholar Vankatachala Sastri!"
This Thursday, turn up at this unique performance at Kalakshetra.
And reserve a special round of applause for the brothers.