Devi Neeye Thunai - Jennifer White - Leela March 2014
Channel: Mahesh White-Radhakrishnan
Date: 30/06/2014

This piece was performed as part of 'Leela: A showing of Indian classical dance and beyond...' on 29th March 2014 at Canberra Dance Theatre. 'Leela' was directed by dancer Jennifer White and singer Mahesh Radhakrishnan with music by the band Tapestries of Sound of which both are a part. The showing was performed as a thank you to Canberra Dance Theatre for hosting us as Artists in Residence during 2013.

The piece, 'Devi Neeye Thunai' is a South Indian Carnatic classical composition by one of the most revered Tamil composers -- Papanasam Sivan. The raga or melodic framework of this piece, Keervani, evokes the Goddess and here she appears as Meenakshi, the fish-eyed warrior Queen. It is unusual for a Goddess to preside as the main deity of a temple, however in the Madurai-Meenakshi temple in Tamil Nadu, the Goddess reigns. Our version of 'Devi Neeye Thunai' is a celebration of the Goddess as well as her legendary temple. In this piece we evoke the pillars of the temple as support, the brave exploits of Meenakshi, who, among other things, is the Goddess of Mutthamizh, the Tamil language manifest as a holistic threefold concept of literature, music and dance.

Performers: Jennifer White (dancer), music by Tapestries of Sound (http://tapestriesofsound.wordpress.com/) - Mahesh Radhakrishnan (vocals/tambura), Nitya Bernard Parker (saxophone), Andrew Purdam (pakhawaj), Robin Dixon (cello).

Choreography by Jennifer White.
Musical arrangement by Mahesh Radhakrishnan and Andrew Purdam with vocal guidance from Dr M.S. Ramanathan.
Videography by Christine Boulan-Smit.
Lighting by David Keany.
Stage design and setup by Amanda Coleman.

Thanks to Canberra Dance Theatre, Liz Lea, Andrea McCuaig, Amanda and Edith Coleman, David Keany, Christine Boulan-Smit, Raji and Dr M.S. Ramanathan, Sridhar and Santhoshi Chander, Helen Purdam, Libby Elm, the Radhakrishnan and White families, Aimée and Shakthidharan, Iqbal and Koki, and all our supporters.