Devi Diaries 2021 | EP 07 | MAATANGI / KALPAGAAMBA

ANIRUDDHA KNIGHT
(Bharatanatyam)
Instagram- @aniruddhaknight

MAATANGI / KALPAGAAMBA


Worship of Devi, The Goddess, has been something that has been so tightly woven within the fabric of my family, that the thought of Her and Her familiar presence pervades all that takes place within the household. Nine generations ago, we were a part of the Bangaru Kamakshi temple in Thanjavur, given the responsibility of plucking flowers and stringing garlands for Her worship morning, afternoon and evening. Her childlike demand of Her devotees’ relentless attention, ensured that we are Hers and She, ours. Nothing much has changed since then.



The irony is that with such a vast repertoire of compositions about Devi within the family, there is very little that is danced in praise of Her. I chose two pieces - one from the family repertoire, ‘Kalpagaamba’ (shabhdam, about Goddess Kalpagaamba in Mylapore) and one that is new to the repertoire - the Shyamala Dhandakam (about the Goddess Maatangi). Both pieces adhere to the family style of manodharma, that is, stylised improvisation. I have added subtitles to follow not just the literal translation of the poetry, but also the interpretation through improvisation in the dance.

Language: Sanskrit