K. Sarveshan explores human-earth relationship through dance in ‘Prithvi’

Chennai: Dancer K. Sarveshan opened the 28th annual Pancha Bhootha Bharatham festival with Prithvi, a performance that examined humanity’s complex bond with the earth — both as provider and resource to be exploited.

The opening evening of the five-day thematic festival, hosted by Natyarangam, the dance wing of Narada Gana Sabha Trust, was held on Monday. Each day of the festival is devoted to one of the Pancha Bhootas — Akasha, Vayu, Agni, Apah and Prithvi.

For Prithvi, Sarveshan collaborated with vocalist Amritha Murali. The piece posed a central question: what does it mean to call the earth our mother when human civilisation is built on extracting from her? The tension between dependence and exploitation formed the conceptual core of the performance, using movement and music to reflect on reverence, consumption, and responsibility toward the natural world.

Pancha Bhootha Bharatham will continue over the next four days with works dedicated to the remaining elements.