Maradhyana : A dance-drama based on a sub-story within Balakanda, Ramayana, centered around the character of the ‘Demoness’ Thadaka, who was killed by Rama.
Created for Gender Bender 2017 by Madhushree Basu, produced by Sandbox Collective and Goethe-Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan Bangalore. Further supported by Urur Olcott Kuppam Vizha, Maatru Nadaga Iyakkam, Thirupattur and Arul Anandar College, Madurai.
Malayalam poet Vayalar Ramavarma wrote his poem ‘Thadaka’, depicting the same woman as a valiant Dravidian princess. The princess feels amorous at Rama and attempts to befriend him, but without forgetting the welfare of her own kingdom and their land rights. While Rama tends to reciprocate positively toward her romantic as well as political proposals, his guardian sage Vishwamitra intervenes and intimidates him into killing her—alone and weaponless.
Given the politics behind ‘demonification’ of certain races or castes, given the rampant massacre of Indian women and most of all the rapid proliferation of the violent Hindutva forces all across India, one feels compelled to engage with Vayalar’s poem at many levels.
The work has gone through several iterations. The original production was a solo performance along with a video projection.
Later versions have been choreographed with children from Urur Olcott Kuppam in Chennai, children participants in the Maatru Nadaga Iyakkam festival 2018 in Thirupattur and young women students at Arul Anandar College, Madurai.
Credits
Cast : Anoushka, Madhushree, Bhagirathy, Devika, Akila, children from Urur Olcott Kuppam in Chennai, children participants in the Maatru Nadaga Iyakkam festival 2018 in Thirupattur and students at Arul Anandar College, Madurai.
Tech and design : Pranav, Vijay, Sharan, Manoj
Choreography : Madhushree, Anoushka, Bhagirathy, Akila, Satakshi, Prabu
Music - Maarten, Akila, Chitrasenan
Script : Madhushree, Veronica, Bhagirathy, Devika
