Radha-Krishna: Radha-Krishna love story, Sanskrit dance drama | News from Pune
Pune: On Sunday, the eve of Janmashtami, students and teachers of Shri Shri Radha Madhav Classical Fine Arts and NupurNaad Music and Dance Academy jointly performed a dance drama titled ‘Dan Keli Kaumudi’ at Tilak Smarak Mandir.
This unique Sanskrit production, based on the famous work of Acharya Rupa Goswami, blends the traditions of South Indian and Hindustani music with the mesmerizing art of Bharatanatyam. Audiences were transported to the realm of divine love as they witnessed the timeless story of Radha and Krishna in a captivating and entertaining format.
“The story highlights the playful aspect of Krishna and Radha’s relationship – the mischief and teasing. It is a light-hearted, endearing comedy,” said Dr Swati Daithankar, a noted Bharatanatyam exponent who adapted the project from the 15th century book. “I spent months figuring out how to transform 500 pages of Sanskrit literature into a 1.45 hour long play. This included a trip to Vrindavan where I met many Goswamis – religious teachers – to discuss the plot and get feedback. I also spoke to researchers and critics who gave me insights and sourced other Sanskrit literature on the subject to work on our adaptation,” said Daithankar.
While the play contains some of the original Sanskrit verses from Rupa Goswami’s book, it has been enriched with English passages to ensure that the content resonates with the audience.
The music was composed by Dr. Dhananjay Daithankar and coordinated by Devadutt Manisha Baji, with vocal performances by Nandini Rao Gujar and Meher Parlikar. Dancers Nupur Daithankar and Kohinoor Darda enthralled the audience in the roles of Radha and Krishna.
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