CHENNAI: Shraddha, the theatre people with a difference, recently presented four limited shows titled Vadavooran, based on the chief minister of the Pandya kingdom. Vadavooran is believed to be instrumental in having brought out the Thiruvasagam. Vadavooran (later known as Manickavasagar) combined in himself a fearless warrior, devoted husband, sincere father and a beloved friend who was loved and revered by all.This epic tale of a man, a gripping amalgamation of history and bhakthi, was brought out by Shraddha, a team founded by an eclectic group of veterans and contemporaries from the world of Tamil Theatre. Shraddha is believed to be the first Tamil theatre troupe to present the story of Manickavasagar on stage.The legend has it that chief minister Vadavooran was handpicked and deputed by king Varagunapandian to bring war horses, but Vadavooran changed his mind on the way and, instead, chose to spend the gold to renovate the Shiva temple at Thiruppendurai. The play explores the events that surround ‘Vadavooran’s’ extraordinary transformation that is believed to have led to the creation of Thiruvasagam, the lyrics of which, evoke in us a sense of bliss that transcends the mundane.It was certainly an extraordinary production, created by a rare type of producers of Tamil theatre like Shivaji Chaturvedi TD Sundararajan, and kudos to Swaminathaganesan for the brilliant marathon performance as Vadavooran and for his fascinating display of action and emotion. A special mention should be made of sets and special effects by Ramesh executed by Mallikarjuna Rao. It is my wish that this magnificent production, with historical and spiritual background marked by sophistication and subtlety reaches a global audience with the patronage of art connoisseurs.
Comments
0 comment