Shobana Balachandra’s ‘Aham Pravahini’ at Kalakshetra traces river’s journey through dance

Chennai: Shobana Balachandra conceptualised and choreographed ‘Aham Pravahini’ at Kalakshetra, Chennai, drawing inspiration from Khalil Gibran’s poem Fear. The poem begins with the line, “It is said that before entering the sea, a river trembles with fear.” The journey of the river and its emotions expressed in the poem shaped the production.

While Preeti Anand co-produced the show, the musical soundscape was conceived and scored by Embar Kannan.The presentation opened with the journey of a river flowing from the mountains. This was depicted through the out-stretched hands of two dancers. Then a group of eight became the river, tracing its passage through various terrains and reflecting the cultural practices it nourishes during its course.

The popular Bengali song ‘Ekla chalo re’ not only established the landscape of Kolkata but also the river’s solitary journey. Familiar scenes such as the Ganga arathi with lit lamps lining the ghats at Benares and folk dances celebrating a bountiful harvest were woven into the narrative.