Irvine Barclay Theatre

Event Guide

Table of Contents

About the Show

PROGRAM

Anubandh – Connectedness Credits

About Malavika

Malavika Sarukkai: Anubandh - Connectedness

Sat. Nov. 18, 2023 at 8pm

About the Show

Malavika Sarukkai

Anubandh—Connectedness

Saturday, November 18, 2023 at 8pm

Performance Sponsor
Ektaa Center and the Arpana Alumni Dance Fund

This performance is presented without an intermission.

PROGRAM

Aditya Hridayam
Valmiki Ramayanam | 7th - 4th Century BCE

The verses praise the magnificence of Surya, the Sun God, portraying him as the bestower of light and life, as he journeys across the skies in a golden chariot pulled by seven white horses.

During the spring season, inspired by the flower arrows of Kamadev, the God of Love, nature awakens. The cuckoo bird, intoxicated by the nectar of the mango blossom, kisses its mate. Bees, inebriated by honey, hum to each other. Individuals unite in pairs, intoxicated by the gentle breeze of desire. The ambiance of love permeates everything.

Dukha | Sorrow
Agni | Fire
Agni Gayatri Mantra
Poem in English | Sumantra Ghosal

The Assassination
Creative Structure | Malavika Sarukkai
Sangam Purananuru: Lyrics | 2nd - 5th Century CE
Music Composition | Vasudha Ravi
Ragam | Subhapantuvarali & Mohanakalyani

The song of Pari's daughters. Tinai: potuviyal Turai: kaiyarunilai

On that day, under the white light of the moon,
we had our father and no enemies had taken the hill.
On this day, under the white light of this moon, the kings,
royal drums beating out victory,
have taken the hill. And we! we have no father.

Translation - George L. Hart & Hank Heifetz

Pari served as the chieftain of Parambu Nadu during the concluding phase of the Sangam era. He governed over 300 thriving villages surrounding his hillock, known as Parambu. As one of the seven esteemed contributors, referred to as the Kaidaiyezhu Vallalgal, Pari was distinguished not for conquests or imperial rule but for his altruistic deeds. Held in high esteem by the populace, his prosperous territory stirred envy among the rulers of the prominent Tamil dynasties—Chera, Chola, and Pandya. Tragically, he met a brutal demise at the hands of these rulers, who subsequently seized control of his lands.

Notes - Karuna V. Sagari

The Wall
Creative Structure | Malavika Sarukkai
Music Composition: Swarams | Easwar Ramakrishnan
Ragam Naganandini & Bahar | Talam Adi

Circle of Life
Creative Structure | Malavika Sarukkai

In the words of the weaver Sant Kabir: "The Lord is in me, the Lord is in you, just as praana ("life breath") is in the seed."

Anubandh – Connectedness Credits

Concept & Choreography: Malavika Sarukkai
Creative Collaborator: Sumantra Ghosal
Music Concept: Malavika Sarukkai
Introduction: Malavika Sarukkai
Poems in English: Sumantra Ghosal
Narration: Sumantra Ghosal & Malavika Sarukkai
Commissioned Music for Swarams: Easwar Ramakrishnan
Music Production & Sound Design: Sai Shravanam, Resound India
Light Design & Technical Director: Niranjan Gokhale

Musicians in Recording

M.S. Sukhi: Nattuvangam & Rhythmic syllabus recitation
Vasudha Ravi: Vocals
Murali Parthasarathy: Vocals
Vignesh Ishwar: Vocals
Keerthana Vaidyanathan: Vocals
Nellai A. Balaji: Mridangam
Sai Shravanam: Tabla, Frame Drum & Keyboard
Easwar Ramakrishnan: Violin
JB Sruthi Sagar: Flute
L. Kishore Kumar: Sitar
Malola Kannan: Aditya Hridayam Chanting
Uday Bhawalkar: Dhrupad
Eliaz Caden: Producer for Dhrupad music

Grateful thanks to Dr. B.N. Goswamy

Costume Design: Sandhya Raman
Photo Credit: Sudeep Bhattacharya
Translation of Earth & Water poems into Tamil: Anuradha Anand
Research Sangam Poem: Karuna V. Sagari
Graphic Design: Aurobind Patel
Stock images courtesy: POND5
Ghungroo: Gangadharan
Office Assistants: K.P. Sasikala & K.N. Savita

About Malavika

Malavika Sarukkai

Dancer