In keeping with the latest trend of exploring traditional epics in an unconventional and non-conservative manner, one of the country’s leading young Bharatnatyam exponent Mythili Prakash, is all set to give a new twist to Ramayana, in her production Sthree Katha-The Three Heroines of Ramayana.

Mythili plans to break free of the norm while presenting, the heroic epic of Lord Rama, which has been deciphered, probed and performed time and again by artistes. “The idea about Sthree Katha struck me at the time of Ramanavami, when I was asked to create a piece marking the festival. While I was writing the piece, I felt that it would be nice to focus on the women in an epic that is commonly known for the life of the valorous Prince Rama,” Mythili says.
Ramayana is essentially a male centric story with female characters, who are pushed to the sidelines. Explaining the reason for portraying just three women in Sthree Katha, which literally means story of women, Mythili says, “I had short listed around five characters whom I found interesting, and whose stories I wanted to tell. However, due to time constraints, I decided it was better to stick to Keikeyi, Shurpanaka and of course Sita.”
“I see them all as equally strong characters (strength plays out in each woman in a different way), whose actions form the backbone of the narrative. Everyone who is familiar the Ramayana knows of these characters, so there is no need to tell their stories ‘from scratch.’ In addition, each character is conventionally seen through the tinted spectacles of the narrative, so my intention is to bring depth and nuance into the portrayal of these women and their decisions,” Mythili elaborates.
For example, King Dasharath’s second wife Keikeyi is the sole reason why Rama is sent into exile, thus becoming the key factor in changing the course of the epic. She is portrayed as a woman led by hunger for power. Shurpanaka, Ravan’s sister on the other hand was the cause for the epic battle between Lord Rama and the King of Lanka.
When asked if these characters will be depicted in a more positive light, Mythili says, “I can’t really say that I would be creating new identities for these women. My exploration or the desire to explore, rather, is a personal prerogative. It has always struck me how black and white things tend to become in society, perhaps in the attempt to preserve the culture. I think by seeing the grey area or maybe even adding some colour, we will able to find more empathy and understanding to prevent narrow-mindedness. These women were human beings, and their struggles in deciding to what extent they would allow society to dictate their own sense of self, are struggles that are familiar to us today.”
Further intensifying the feminist approach to the epic, Sthree Katha would be interspersed with American poet Maya Angelou’s poetry. “I was not really searching for a poem or poet. When I thought of Shurpanaka as I sought to portray her, Angelou’s poem, Phenomenal Woman immediately came to my mind. The poem always spoke to me. It did not matter whether the poet was Indian or of any other nationality, as the sentiments are cross-cultural. I have translated the verses into Kannada, which is the language of Shurpanaka’s section.”
Mythili, who is known for her impeccable technique, clean, sharp movements and strong command over the Bharatnatyam vocabulary, will not stick to her traditional repertoire. “In this performance, I have stepped out of the Margam repertoire structure. (It consists of independent dances arranged in a specific order to perfectly display all the components of the dance form). I have created my own structure as I see fit for the production. There are, however, pieces which are based on traditional items, such as Allaripu and Thillana,” Mythili says.
Speaking about the response Sthree Katha received during her performances abroad, the Bharatnatyam exponent says, “It has been very well received. The accessibility of the interpretation seems to appeal, especially to young Indians, living away from their native culture. However, I personally feel that this performance is best suited to an audience that is already familiar with the Ramayana, since it is — in a sense — a retelling. While performing it in the West, I incorporated additional elements that help provide narrative context to an unfamiliar audience.”
Mythili’s depiction of the phenomenal women — Keikeyi, Shurpanaka and Sita in Sthree Katha — is certainly something the dance-starved, culture-crazy NCPA audience can look forward to.