Kooni (MandharA) and Kaikeyi | Narthaki Nataraj | Kamba Ramayanam | Bharatanatyam

'Padma Shri' Dr. Narthaki Nataraj presents an excerpt from her characterisation of Kooni (Manthra) from Kamba Ramayanam. Kamban (11th century), in his legendary Tamil retelling of the Ramayana, portrays Kooni (Manthra) as an aged, wicked, hunchback woman. As a child, when Rama was practicing archery with toy bows and arrows (with the pointed heads of the arrows covered with clay), he mistakenly shot an arrow at Kooni. She thinks that Rama intentionally wanted to make fun of her hunchback and carries this grudge against him right from his childhood and decides to take revenge on him at an opportune moment. Years later, when Kooni hears about the coronation ceremony of Rama, she is deeply agitated. She talks to Kaikeyi and successfully convinces her against Rama's coronation. Kaikeyi, though not the biological mother of Rama, was in fact very loving of him. She was the one who raised Rama from his childhood, yet with the venomous words of Kooni, her mind changes instantly. Kaikeyi decides to use the two wishes granted to her long ago by her husband, the great King Dasharatha. With one wish, she asks for her son Bharata to be crowned as King and with the second, she wants Rama to be sent away from the kingdom to the forests...
This was performed at the Kamban Kazhagam, Chennai. "Kamban Kazhagam" was started in 1939 and was a literary movement intended to popularize the Tamil retelling of Ramayana by Kambar. It has active branches spread across Tamil Nadu. The most knowledgeable scholars of Tamil have been members of this organisation and have presented lectures and debates on Kamba Ramayanam. Dr Narthaki, happens to be the only dancer who was honoured by the Kazhagam for her scholarship over Kambar, and was recognised by the great panel of scholarly committee members as a dancer worthy to handle the detailed nuances of Kambar's literature. A great achievement for a dancer indeed!
Vocal support: Smt. Padma Swaminadhan (Madurai)
Conceptualisation: Ms. Shakthi Bhaska
#narthaki #narthakinataraj #bharatanatyam #natyam #dancer #madurai #thanjavur #kittappa #pillai #kooni #kambar #ramayanam

[@durgasrimemez6799]

Amazing performanCe👌👌👌👌👌👌👌

[@pooventhiranathannadarajah1557]

இராமனை காட்டுக்கு அனுப்புவதற்காக கூனி தீட்டிய சதித்திட்டத்தை சிறந்த முறையில் நடனமூலம் வெளிக்கொணர்ந்த சகோதரிக்கு நல்வாழ்த்துகள்.
தங்கள் கலைப்பயணம் மென்மேலும் வெற்றிபெற வாழ்த்துகிறோம்

[@jamunaselvaraju6827]

Saw the article about ur performance this morning in Hindu tamil and straight I came here to watch ur performance. This is beyond my expectations. Bharathanatyam is in good hands. The way portraits kooni was amazing 🙏👏👏🎉

[@umamaheswariseenivasan9363]

அம்மா அருமை

[@santhir3864]

Wonderful dance narthaki god bless you always

[@beularajakumari8328]

What a wonderful performance 🤩 It's just that only you can do it. Beautifully done by a beautiful woman.

[@seshakalyanataman2794]

God bless you dear what a wonderful performance. You are a born dancer. Am feeling so proud of you. My blessings to you for a bright future in the world of dance and music. Nobody to beat you today in dancing. May you be bestowed with all the awards which are just waiting to be with you. Am sharing with all. BLESSINGS SESHA MAMI

[@aaranyaalli]

அபாரம்.

[@rsheeba6025]

Splendid😊😊😊

[@jayanavya]

அருமை அக்கா மிக அருமை

[@dasp.k720]

you are a miracle in this country... Wonderful performance...

[@saranyamadhu3983]

Super action and dance mam

[@ashokssssnadanalaya3798]

Guruve saranam😭😭😭🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@vidyavasan9012]

Wonderful Nartaki ji

[@narayanasankar6876]

Awesomeness,,

[@Divinecitizen]

👏👏👏👏

[@nramachandraniyer2798]

Can you please share patna tamil sangam number or tamil people

[@sakthinagarajan7208]

Omg 🙄

[@gayathrianushank9399]

Madam

[@kishorer3347]

Kittappapillai. Sahavillai. Narthahin. Nattiyathil. Uirodu. Erukkirar