Sukumara Natana Thathwa

About the Book

Sukumara Natana Thathwa, began with random thoughts, observations, reactions, being noted down for me alone, and then, very soon, it took on an existence of its own, dragging me along with it, tightly chained, so that I was pulled back to the subject in spite of the numerous deviations, where I was forced to play various roles, that of a wife, a mother, a teacher, even a performer! In every role I played , I felt insufficient, incomplete, except a few ‘moments on stage, that stands out as the sole meaningful events that justify one’s existence. It is perhaps these shining moments that has convinced me of the worth of this work. It is also the continuous, eternal search for these same moments, where life is transformed and all conflicts are momentarily resolved, when all seems well and alright in this world, that has led me on, into stage experiments with contents, as well as, stylistics of Mohiniattom, involving in-depth interpretations of characters represented on stage, attempting amalgamations of themes, combining fictions with ancient lore, also trying to bring universal relevance in thematic presentations.

About the Author

Uma Thapasyananda, hailing from a peaceful green State, in the South of India, is known for her pioneering performance patterns in Mohiniattom, with original perspectives in literary contents and with the most apt musical combinations, highlighting the ‘Rasa-Raaga’ compatibilities of her visual recitals. The uniqueness in the characteristic of Uma Thapasyananda as an artist has been the intensity of her vision, in understanding, absorbing the essence of her themes, taken up for artistic representation through Mohiniattom. So complete is her identification with the roles, that even the lyrics, which best suits the expressions, are penned by Uma herself. Her stage presentations of Sita, of Ramayana, called ‘Aranyakam’ , and Draupadi, of Mahabharatha, called Parshathee Pranaya Parvam’, exhibit the originality of self written lyrics as well as the originality of re-interpretations of historic figures. A post graduate in English Literature, Uma spent two full decades in research, with the aim of identifying the theoratical foundation and classical base of her chosen medium of expression. The result of this research came out in two forms, as visual creations on stage and the literary contribution called ‘Sukumara Natana Thathwa’. She is at present the founder of a centre for Mohiniattom called ‘Mukthi’ and resides in Thiruvananthapuram, in the State of Kerala, with her husband Swami Thapasyananda and ten year old daughter Vedasmrithi.