PETals

Playing Ganesha

Umesh Shanker



As we all know we just finished our show Krishnaarpanam, and I had danced as Ganesha. This was actually not my first time dancing as Ganesha - it is my third. My first was in Sharavanabhava, for the Vinayagar Chathurti celebration in TFA few years ago, where I was the main character. But this time in Krishnaarpanam, it was quite different from the other two.

In Sharavanabhava, I just stood as Ganesha for 2 minutes, circling Hari, who was Muruga, then went backstage and became a ''human'' again. Then, during the Vinayagar Chathurti which was called Gam Gam Ganapathy, it was more of a drama kind of thing - just walk here and there and act out some stuff - so it was ok. Not to say it was so easy - I still had 2 wear the mask for both of them... but it was much easier than Krishnaarpanam.

For Krishnaarpanam, I literally had to dance. When Shankar anna first asked me to dance for the show, I said I could not. Actually I did not want to because I had so many things going on and wanted a break, but he managed to persuade me and now I do not regret at all dancing for this extravagant show. I learnt almost the whole dance in one day! And it was like ''Wow!! this is like a varnam''. But then later on, when I had learnt the item properly and was sure about the steps, it did not feel so long. Only it was quite tiring but which dance is not??

But I do not know why - I never thought about wearing the mask then. Only a few weeks before the show Shankar anna told me I should start practising with the mask. Even after I knew about the mask, I was not worried. I never actually thought about the fact that I would be dancing so fast with that heavy mask, whether it will move or fall or whatever. But all the thought about the show came to a pause when the show got postponed.

Only beginning of this year did we resume the practice. I still could remember all my steps. Just had to polish up the dance with the other dancers. So anyway practice went on for quite some time…and the biggest challenge I had was to hold up and balance my leg for the poses in the beginning. But eventually I managed to overcome that problem towards the show…

Until I got the mask that is! That whole practice was a mess because I was concentrating so much on the mask: it was moving so much, which made it even harder for me to see, in addition to the size and position of the eyes on the mask itself!! I tried stuff like stuffing the sides to prevent it from moving which was not that successful though… and not to forget… it was really hot and difficult to breathe!!! So that made the whole thing worse. I always came out panting like mad and was in a rush to take off my mask after every time I danced with it…

Finally Latha teacher and Saro akka found a solution and fixed strings to the mask and tied it to my head which was really effective… although sometimes the face of the mask got so close to my face that the eye of the mask was touching the eyeball of my eye… making it tear…like on the first day!! But that was a small matter.

The show day finally came… I felt really nervous… I got ready and was waiting backstage. I was waiting eagerly every minute for the show to start… but while waiting, I felt really weird and just not right. Geetha teacher, Sumathi teacher, Gowri teacher, Sandhya akka and few other people touched my feet and asked for my blessings because I was ‘’Ganesha’’ - even if I was just wearing His mask, dressed up like Him and all. I felt myself merely acting his part. I did not have his powers or what… I was just dancing as Him for the show. They are all older, more experienced than me… my guru’s, but they wanted my blessings… I did not feel right. But I forgot about it and continued with the show…

I felt I did not do so well in the first show - it was in super speed and I could not hold up my leg!!! That was the worst part of all that made me feel really disappointed. I did not want to blame anything much so for the second day I really focused on it and tried my best - and I managed to do it!! I was so happy once that part was over.

I felt generally the whole show was really good - my hair stood up for the end of Eppadi Thaan and Madhava Panchakam. I was actually singing the Madhava Panchakam backstage while it was going on as I had learnt the song from Dashani because I love it so much….

Overall, I really enjoyed this show and, of course, playing Ganesha, which is my main thing in the show. I think this is the best show that I have ever danced in… or rather seen. This experience is one of the best I have ever had and will always remember it but all is not over - we still have the Singapore show to look forward to, and if possible, stage it in Penang, Chennai and New Jersey as well. But for now, I just want to meet everybody and start practice again for the show! Krishnarpanamastu OM

posted by Umesh Shanker @ 9:07 PM