"Oor Aadal Kathai"-An Evening of Dance Drama

By Dushiyanthini Kanagasabapathipillai

“We dance for laughter, we dance for tears, we dance for madness, we dance for fears, we dance for hopes, we dance for screams, we are the dancers, we create the dreams!” –Authour Unknown



Kolam made of coloured rice welcomes the dance lovers


“Oor Aadal Kathai”- Dance Drama was a New Year treat to the dance lovers of Colombo. The performance was beautifully choreographed by the reputed dancer Vel Ananthan. Beautifully drawn different sets were used for different scenes to depict the situation. The dance drama was based on “Thiruvilaiyaadalpuraanam ”.

“Oor Aadal Kathai”- Dance Drama was performed by the students of Ramanathan Hindu Ladies’ College in Bambalapitty. The performance took place at Kathiresan Hall in Bambalapitty on April 18th 2010 at dusk. Two shows have taken place on the same day amidst hot weather during the first show and heavy downpour during the second show. The event was organized by the School Development Society.

This legend was first written by Perumbatrapuliyur Nambi in 1400 AD. Later, the epic was written in Tamil by a Tamil scholar Paranjothi Munivar in 16th Century.

Thurvilaiyaadalpuraanam reigns supreme in popular imagination and religious discourses. This Puraanam is one unique, which is of a different calibre. It is also known as the national Puraanam of Paandiya Naadu in India. He was a native of Vethaaranyam in Thanjavur district. He earlier wrote the Vethaaranyam Puraanam in Tamil, which was originated from Sanskrit.People of Madurai liked him very much and humbly requested Paranajothi Munivar to compose a Puraanam depicting 64 divine sports by Lord Siva. He sang 3363 songs.

The school was founded on 19th of January 1981. It used to function at Hindu College premises before the school got its own premises in 1981.It was raised o the National school on 09th of December 1994. Ramanathan Hindu ladies’ College is the only National school for Hindu girls in Western Province.The school currently has 1,900 students and 79 teachers. The funds collected through the ballet will go towards repairing and upgrading the Pulendran Hall of Ramanathan Hindu Ladies’ College.


The Principal of Ramanathan Ladies' College Kothai Nagularajah lights the oil lamp

Niraikudam, Kuththu Vilakka and Colourful Twin Peacock Kolam at the main entrance of the venue


The gracious dance of the God filled the hearts of the sages and those who ardently seek Him






Glorious dance by Lord Siva and his wife Meenaakshi

The saints hear and see the dance of the Lord by invoking the Kundalini shakti



Saint during the the show



Lord Siva dances during the creation, protection and destruction of the worlds, though the kind of His dance varies with respect to the action


Great performance by Mayuri Vimalachandran


Excellent expression by Lakshana Mahendran


Lakshana Mahendran

Thirisoolam and Udukku in Mount Kailash

Thiruvilaiyaadalpuraanam has beautiful verses

Lord Siva in Mountain Kailash

Lord Siva has rare forms

A baby is being taken care of

Vivid performance by the students

Fishermen in the sea

Wife mourns, when she heard the news her husband was killed by a shark

There are 18 major Puraanams in Hinduism

Challenge is being given

Challenge is given to fish the shark

Challenge is being met

Eternal bliss is being shared

Certain chapters involve the history of Saint Maanikkavaasagar

Fishermen are seen mending the net

Paranjothi Munivar was a multi-faceted person

Lord Siva and his wife Meenakshi Amma again on stage

Performance by the fishermen

Blessings are being showered

Fisherfolk worship the Lord Siva and his wife Meenakshi Amma

All performers on stage

Sunday, April 18, 2010

The Thiruvilaiyaadalpuraanam covers the following 64 chapters:

Madurai Kaandam

1.Curing the curse of Indran
2. Curing the curse of white elephant
3.Making of Madurai city
4.Birth of Goddess Meenaakshi
5.Chokkar weds Meenaakshi
6.The dance in the silver hall
7.Feeding Gundoran
8.Bringing food trench and Vaigai river
9.Calling out the seven oceans
10.Invocation of Malayadhwajan
11.Birth of Ukkirakumaran
12.Ukkirakumaran receiving spear, ring and stick
13.Drying the ocean with the spear
14.Throwing the ring on Indran's crown
15.Whipping the mount Meru with the stick
16.Explaining the Vedas
17.Selling gems
18.Drying the ocean sent by Varunan

Koodal Kaandam

19.Becoming an Anmadakkoodal
20.Omni potent sidha
21.Giving sugar cane to stone elephant
22.Falling from the elephant
23.Appearing as old, youth and child
24. Dancing with the other foot
25.Fearing the blame
26.Purifying the worst sin
27.Cutting the body to pieces
28.Piercing the snake
29. Torturing the witch cow
30.The parade
31.Never shrinking bag of gold
32.Selling the bangles
33. Intuiting eight great powers
34. Sealing with bull symbol
35.Putting water shelter
36.Alchemist
37.Falling Chozha in the lake
38.Never reducing grain-stack
39.Uncle comes to court
40. Showing the Sivalogam to Varagunapaandiyan
41.Selling firewood
42.Letter from the Lord
43.Stool for sweet music
44.Wining the battle of music
45.Feeding the piglets
46. Making the piglets the ministers
47.Intuiting black-sparrow
48.Liberating the crane

Thirvaalavaay Kaandam

49.Becoming Thirvaalavaay
50.Launching the magnificent Sunthara arrow
51.Stool for scholars
52.Presenting the bag of gold to Tharumi
53.Rescuing kIran
54.Teaching grammar to the Thamizh scholar
55.Settling the issue among the scholars
56.Reconciling Idakkadar
57.Fishing the shark
58.Intuiting Maanikkavaasagar
59.Transforming foxes to horses
60.Transforming horses to foxes
61.Carrying sand for puttu
62.Curing the fever of the king
63.Prosecution of the wrong-doers
64.Producing the tree, well and Lingam
at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)