Ragamalika, the Indian classical music and dance club of BITS Pilani, presented their semester production for the first time in two years. The club performed their 27th Sangamam, a dance-drama choreographed and composed by the club members, on April 20, 2022. The show was titled “Trigamanam—The three journeys of Jaya and Vijaya, Vishnu’s gatekeepers”, and was held in the Main Auditorium.
The show began at 8:30 PM after a delay of thirty minutes with the lower level of the auditorium being almost entirely packed. The narrator started with an introduction of the club. Six modules, each showcasing a different mythological story, were presented during the show. The club members playing the tabla, mridangam, flute, ghatam, violin, and the keyboard, and the singers were seated along either edge of the stage, leaving the center to the dancers. There were four dancers who portrayed various characters which were introduced before each module. The dancers switched between roles throughout the showcase.
The show began with the story of Jaya and Vijaya, the doorkeepers at Vaikunth, Vishnu’s abode, followed by the legends of Hiranyakshipu, Prahalad, and Brahma. The bell-like tones of the tabla and the violin set up the stage for the dancers.
The second half included abstracts of sita-haran from the Ramayana and the renowned tales of Shishupala, Rukumani, and Krishna. These performances portrayed various emotions, ranging from anger and sadness to pleasure. The audience applauded when the villains of each act were defeated.
The lighting was handled well, complimenting the themes and adding to the dramatic ambiance that the performers wished to create. There were some issues with the sound setup during the first half of the performance, but they were soon resolved. The show was completed without any major setbacks.
The club ended the event by giving a vote of thanks. They expressed their gratitude to the faculty members who were present there, the Departments of Sounds, Lights, Backstage, and the club’s ‘father’—Sashank Krishna Sriram.