Raga: In Search of Femininity claims to explore the tantalising subject of erotica

The best of both worlds: Raga clothes homo-erotic appeal in classical concepts like ArdhanareeshvaraLast week, Chandralekha premiered what is bound to be at once her most damned and her most celebrated production yet.Raga: In Search of Femininity claims to explore the tantalising subject of "erotica ... and desires where the surge of the body defies the restraints of mind" and "seeks to touch human sexuality, transcending the gender divides through subtle shifts that vibrate, vacillate, jerk, thrust, between seams of pleasure and pain." Ahem! Fine, actually. Only, she tries to link it - rather unnecessarily - to classical Indian concepts of Ardhanareeshvara (half-man half-woman form of Shiva) and the stree-bhava in the bhakti tradition.What went on stage was over 50 minutes of extended and repetitive homosexual coitus between two puppet-like, expressionless men. This after-a-point boring exposition of Kamasutric positions was punctuated by entries, exits and formations of five women in varying combinations. Yes, all the standard Chandra signatures were there: the clever patterns formed by the dancers, the symmetry and the mirror image device, the de-contextualised Bharatnatyam steps and mnemonics, the yogic asanas and the martial Kalari, the lighting by Sadanand Menon and stage design by Dashrath Patel. But yawn!The problems lies both with her choreographic self-indulgence and her over-stating the theme. By portraying tenderness and vulnerability as "feminine" and aggression and malevolence as "masculine", she falls into stereotypes herself. Besides, two men exploring sex does not constitute stree bhava either. As for "in betweeness" we'll need a theorist of gender issues to clarify that. As a veteran critic put it, "Chandra very cunningly picks up strong classical concepts only to bowdlerise them."However, as this show is primarily targeted at the West, beginning with the New Wave festival, New York, all its exotic elements are sure to keep Chandra touring the festival circuit for some time..preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}Published By: AtMigration Published On: Nov 9, 1998--- ENDS ---

Download App

Subscribe to India Today Print + Digital. Your First Month Is On Us. ₹299/month thereafter. Cancel anytime.

Raga: In Search of Femininity claims to explore the tantalising subject of erotica

Last week, Chandralekha premiered what is bound to be at once her most damned and her most celebrated production yet.

PUBLICATIONS

TELEVISION

EVENTS

RADIO

GAMING

USEFUL LINKS

PRINTING

WELFARE

DISTRIBUTION

SYNDICATIONS

WEBSITES

EDUCATION