This Valentine’s Day, the stage is set in Singapore for a groundbreaking performance that delves into the timeless energy of one of Hinduism’s most revered deities, as Odissi exponent Soumee De gears up to present Kali – The Timeless Goddess.
The dance-theatre production, to be staged at AVAI at Apsaras Arts, explores the powerful and complex persona of Ma Kali, a symbol of creation, destruction, and transformation.
AVAI is a much revered and well-known place among the proponents and students of Indian performing arts. Often, it is graced by greats. Recently, students got blessings from Padma Vibushan, Dr Padma Subrahmanyam.
The production is a culmination of months of preparation, featuring both dance and theatre elements, and is the result of a creative process supported by Singapore’s National Arts Council. This innovative piece brings together classical Odissi dance and theatrical elements to reimagine the divine energy of Kali, offering audiences a fresh perspective on this iconic figure.
Ahead of the performance, Connected to India’s Sudipto Maity caught up with Soumee De for a free-wheeling chat wherein they discussed several aspects of the upcoming show.
“Way back in 2000, I had performed in a street-theatre as Kali, at St Xavier’s College Kolkata, my alma mater. While the play was a theatre-collage written by various writers, the opening was based on the philosophy of Kali-darshan or vision of Kali, an unconventional narrative that remained as a powerful memory in me. I am thankful to my Prof Ashis Siddhant (director of the play) for inspiring me recently, to expand on the concept. This dance-theatre is inspired from that vision of Kali and expands to reimagine life’s creation, maintenance and dissolution- Srishti Sthithi Vinashanam by the divine female energy, Kali,” she shares.
The production seeks to offer a deeper connection to the divine feminine force that Kali embodies, while also making a statement on how her significance transcends time and resonates with contemporary issues.
Drawing on the teachings of Swami Vivekananda, the production brings to life the idea that Kali is a divine energy that encapsulates both creation and destruction within her transformative form.
“Kali-darshan’s reference is found in Swami Vivekananda’s poems, letters and essays. It is believed that Kali-darshan was a belief that prevailed in pre-vedic era, hence the narrative is hard to research through documents that are accessible to us today. According to Swami Vivekananda, Ma Kali is the essence of contradictory principles of creation and destruction, love and terror, life and death within her single transformative form. In this production, you will also hear Shyama Sangeet, a genre of Bengali regional songs, in devotion of Ma Kali,” Soumee says.
The inclusion of Shyama Sangeet — Bengali devotional songs dedicated to Kali — further enriches the emotional depth of the performance. The evocative melodies and lyrics help to express the complexity of Kali’s energy, creating a musical backdrop that complements the intricate movements of Odissi dance.
According to Soumee, what sets Kali – The Timeless Goddess apart is the seamless integration of dance and theatre, making it a dynamic and multi-layered artistic presentation. The performance employs acting segments, including spoken words and breath work, to heighten the storytelling aspect of the narrative.
“Drishti-bheda, our eyes in Indian classical dances and theatre is one of the most powerful tools. There is a direct application of the drishti-gamanam in depicting Kali’s vision, as Mother Kali ‘opens her eyes’. Navarasa Sadhana also comes to life in the production- Roudram, Adbhutam, Bibhatsam, Bhayanakam, Shantam among other transitory bhavas. I will also be performing a traditional pallavi and a masterpiece Odissi choreography by Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra on the subject,” she explains.
Talking about the musical composition for this production, the dancer says, “I have leveraged on the music repertoire from Odissi music composed by my Guru Ratikant Mohapatra and Debashish Sarkar. You will also hear Shyama Sangeet composed by Sri Kalika Prasad Bhattacharya. The sound of ‘Dhak’ drums has been used as a background score and the mantra of Srishti Stitihi Vinashanam as a refrain in stitching the storytelling segments together.”
At its core, Kali – The Timeless Goddess is not just a historical or mythological retelling, but an urgent reminder of Kali’s relevance in the contemporary world. The production reflects on the timeless role of Kali in responding to injustice and imbalance, symbolising the dissolution of outdated structures to make way for new creation.
The narrative features a symbolic human character, Tilottama, who faces a tragic situation and sends a powerful message about the necessity of change and the inevitability of transformation.
“The key message is not to terrify the audience but serve as a thought-provoking reminder of the immense power of the divine that can be transformative and destructive. To respect the beautiful creation, the earth, to transcend the limitations of ego and to realize the interconnectedness of our existence,” she explains.
When asked about the popularity of traditional Indian art form in Singapore, Soumee says it’s heartening to see the response in the city-state.
“We are fortunate in Singapore with the popularity of Bharatnatyam that transcends beyond the Indian community. This definitely helps the audience be open to watching other forms like Kathak and Odissi, even if they may not understand the Odiya, Hindi or Sanskrit languages that accompany our recitals. While the student numbers are still not comparable, I am heartened to see that parents today are inquiring for admissions directly into Odissi department, thanks to the collective efforts of my peers and seniors over the last two decades,” she says.
“Over the last two decades, it is heartening to have seen the growth both quantitatively and qualitatively. The number and standards at arangetrams or manchpravesh, the variety of performances by experienced artistes all year round, support of the National Arts Council and the access to Gurus in India for continuous learning, has made Singapore, a key center for growth of Indian classical and traditional arts practices for the diaspora,” Soumee adds.
Apart from performing, Soumee is also credited for the concept, direction and choreography of the upcoming event. Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra and Guru Ratikant Mohapatra have also been credited as choreographers for Kali – The Timeless Goddess.
The script is written by Professor Ashis Siddhant and Soumee De, while the music is from Guru Ratikant Mohapatra, Debashish Sarkar, and Kalika Prasad Bhattacharya.
