BY JYOTHSNA HEGDE
Photos by Bytegraph
Atlanta, GA, October 25, 2024: On September 8, 2024, the halls of Gas South Theatre resonated with spiritual fervor as Madurai R. Muralidaran’s Vayu Putra, a grand tribute to Lord Hanuman, unfolded on stage. This monumental spectacle celebrated Hanuman’s life and teachings through awe-inspiring performances, celestial music, and a symphony of emotions, captivating the audience in reverence and admiration.
With already sold-out shows across the US since its debut in 2023, the stage was set for an evening of transcendence as the curtains rose and the air thrummed with anticipation. Padmaja Kelam, artistic director of Kalaivani Dance Academy, served as Assistant Director and host of Vayu Putra in Atlanta, with Sidharth Kelam as Production Manager. Nine eminent local dance schools and Gurus collaborated with the production. Consul General of India in Atlanta, Hon. Ramesh Babu Lakhmanan, presided as the guest of honor.
“Just as sweet water dug from beneath the sand becomes stagnant if not used, but is replenished when used, so is knowledge. The more you share, the fresher ideas will come to you. Otherwise, the mind becomes stagnant,” said Madurai R. Muralidharan (MRM), a multifaceted artist who excels as a dancer, musician, composer, Nattuvangam, and director, in his exclusive interview with NRI Pulse.
The celebrated artist, known for freely sharing his compositions, was in Atlanta to present his magnum opus. He is traveling across 11 cities in the US and Canada to stage various shows.
VAYU PUTRA
Vayu Putra, MRM’s 27th production, is a dance musical that transports viewers through the Treta Yuga, Dwapara Yuga, and Kali Yuga, as Hanuman, he believes, is an “immortal (Chiranjeevi) – Kaliyuga Deivam.” Expounding further, he shared a surreal experience while writing the title song for Vayu Putra at a hotel in Hyderabad. While waiting by the pool due to construction, he completed the title song, looked up, and saw a monkey watching him. “It was a blessing. I can proudly say Hanuman is blessing me with Jayam (victory).” The production has run successfully since its debut in July 2023 in Littleton, MA, drawing packed audiences and sold-out shows in its 2024 tour, with the Boston show alone collecting over $2.7 million.
Vayu Putra, woven around the vibrant tapestry of Hanuman’s life, elevates storytelling to an ethereal realm. Beyond a simple narrative, the show offers a transcendental experience, exploring devotion, bravery, and selflessness, the core attributes of Hanuman’s persona. Muralidharan’s production also included lesser-known moments from the Mahabharata and Ramayana, such as conversations with Bhima and Hanuman, the Shashishwara story, and exchanges between Arjuna and Hanuman.
The event opened with the national anthems by Sahithya Shriram and Shamitha John. The cast featured some of Atlanta’s finest dancers, whose performances embodied the emotional depth of Hanuman’s timeless tale. Performers included Soujanya Madhusudan as Bhima, Sobiya Sudeep as Arjuna, Devidas Chathoth as Sugreeva, Praveen Thampi as Vali, Bineesh Raghavan as Karna, Preetha Subramanyan as Sita, Suhasini Muthukrishnan as Rama, Aishwarya Sridharan as Lakshmana, Syam Yellamraju as Ravana,
Rakhi Menon as Krishna Sridevi Ranjith as Vayu, Manohar Harale as Shiva, Anupa Guha Thakurta as Parvathy, Priyanka Kasula as Anjani, and Vasanta Chivukula as Kesari and Shani, all of whom brought the ancient characters to life with authenticity. Participating academies included Kalaivani Academy, Samyuktam Natya Academy, Deeksha School of Performing Arts, Nritya Sankalpa, Nataraja Natyanjali Kuchipudi Dance Academy and Noopura School of Dance
Kelam credited excellent photography, video, and A/V to Bytegraph, behind-the-scenes documentation to Colourbus Media, and lobby decor to Madhavi Kollipara.
The show opened with a vibrant invocation celebrating Hanuman as an incarnation of Lord Shiva and the most ardent devotee of Lord Rama. Each act was a brushstroke of devotion, depicting Hanuman through various yugas. The audience gasped as Madurai R. Muralidaran graced the stage as Hanuman, reflecting the deity’s profound humility and indomitable spirit. The narrative began with the meeting of both sons of Vayu – Hanuman and Bhima. When the powerful Bhima is unable to move the tail of an elderly monkey blocking his path, he realizes the monkey is Hanuman. This moment opens the story of Hanuman’s birth and adventures, which he relates to his half-brother Bhima. “A couple of weeks after our Vayuputra show, I was recognized as Bhima by young dancers, thanks to Padmaja Akka for casting me and the brilliant guidance of Muralidharan Sir,” said Soujanya Madhusudan.
The birth of Hanuman vividly portrayed him as an incarnation of Lord Shiva. “My students and I were part of the massive production Vayuputra, which was a great learning experience for all of us. Sir is a perfectionist in every way, and it was truly an honor to work under his guidance,” shared Anupa Guha Thakurta.
The story of Vayu’s connection to Lord Rama, even before their births, also unfolds. Vayu, the Lord of the Wind, carries a sacred payasam from a puja performed by King Dasharatha to Anjana (Hanuman’s mother). “Playing the role of Vayu in Vayuputra felt special. It was such a privilege to work with Muralidharan Sir. This memory will stay with me forever,” expressed Sridevi Ranjit.
Endearing stories of Hanuman’s childhood, like his attempt to eat the sun, his meeting with Sugreeva, and his iconic meeting with Lord Rama, came alive in epic proportions. A confluence of traditional and modern tunes, MRM’s music enhanced the emotional depth of the tale, while the storytelling structure amplified the theatrical experience.
The battle in Lanka, featuring Hanuman carrying a mountain to find the Sanjeevani herb for an unconscious Lakshmana, was breathtaking. The show continued with scenes of Hanuman’s role in the Mahabharata, where Arjuna heads to the Kurukshetra war with Hanuman on his chariot flag for protection. “I feel extremely blessed to have this divine experience as ‘Krishna’ in this dance musical with MRM. There was a divine presence in the whole show, and the audience chanted ‘Sri Rama’ and ‘Hanuman’s name,’” said Rakhi Rajeev.
The show concluded on a high note with the dancers performing a group rendition of MRM’s iconic Jeya Maruthi Kavithuvam in praise of Lord Hanuman. The meticulously crafted set design and costumes painted a vivid picture of ancient times. The visual palette and soul-stirring music delivered each scene as a picturesque melody, with lighting and choreography elevating the narrative’s emotional essence, creating a celestial ambiance that lingered long after the curtains fell. The eloquent Tamil dialogue flowed like poetry, offering profound philosophical messages.
Collaboration with Kalaivani Dance Academy
“His music reached me before I even met him,” said Padmaja Kelam, who has collaborated with MRM for 25 years. “The idea behind bringing Vayu Putra to Atlanta was to unite local artists annually, presenting a unified front.” She also aimed to provide a better learning experience for students, reduce unhealthy competition, and encourage mutual respect among different dance forms. “The amazing thing about Sir (MRM) is that he allows freedom in presentation. This can only come from an artist of his caliber,” said Kelam.
How It Works
MRM sends videos of his choreography to local teachers, who then train their students. He arrives 7-10 days before the show to guide the dancers. “He doesn’t just send videos but works from 10 am to 4 pm consistently to fine-tune the production,” said Kelam.
An in-depth look into the life and works of Madurai R Muralidharan
Describing his foray into dancing as an “accident”, MRM said he was spotted by his sister’s dance teacher, Guru Kalaimamani Chamundeeswari, who asked him to join the dance classes along with her, at age 7. Evolving from reluctance to passion, encouraged by his parents, particularly his mother who always knew he had something “special”, his interest blossomed, especially after a joint positive foreign audience reception of a presentation by him and his sister. MRM also noted that his Guru often picked him to showcase steps to the rest of the group, which further encouraged his interests. “I used to practice 7-8 hours per day.”
“I had to stand still as I was a soldier in one of the productions. I was not allowed to move ven once during the entire show,” MRM said recounting his earlier performances. Experiences such as these instilled discipline in him which helps him even to this day. Some of his earlier productions, he noted, were not exactly “world standard”. A visit to New York in 2000 and the Broadway show Cinderella, he notes, changed his perspective about productions. “Cinderella is bedtime story. They are making it into a massive production with perfection in lighting, costume and music. And people are paying upto $500 per ticket. We have epics such as Ramayana and Mahabharata and each of the short sub stories can be a production.” Inspired, he began to work on his production as soon as he landed in Chennai. In November 2009, he debuted Silapathigaram, a production based on the classic Sangam Tamil epic by Ilango Adigal, and which has since been performed worldwide from the US to New Zealand. He was the first to depict Amarar Kalki’s historic thriller Sivakamiyin Sabadam on stage in his 2013 large-scale production lauded by The Hindu as a “zero-error show”.
Recognitions and Records Galore!
Muralidharan holds three Guinness records. The first is for teaching Alarippu in the longest Tala ( Sankeerna Jathi Druvam) to 320 students within a short span of 2 hours in April 2018. The second is for rising to the ‘60 Jathis Challenge’ in April 2021. The event witnessed the participation of 140 dancers from all over the globe executing 60 Jathis nonstop. The third is for “Most people (900) performing a choreographed dance online simultaneously” on August 1, 2021.
MRM holds the Asia Book of World Records for The Largest Bharatanatyam Dance Lesson, Maximum Participants Performing Bharatanatyam jatis (50 jatis) on a Virtual Platform, 25 Varnams Composed in 25 Days, and Bharatanatyam Jathis performed online by dancers for the longest duration.
Amongst his many awards, the top three of the most notable titles garnered by MRM for his excellence in the arts and theater include Kalaimamani Award (2019) – from Tamil Nadu state government, Kala Seva Bharathi (2018-2019) – from Bharath Kalachar and Kartik Award of Excellence (2021) – from Kartik Fine Awards. He was honored by the president of Canada for Bharathamile, IOOO dancers in honor of 150th Canada Day. He is the recipient of many prestigious awards and titles like Bharatha Kala Thapasvi, Natya Perarasu, Natya Siromani, Pothya Paramapara Award, Kala Seva Bharathi from the prestigious Bharath Kalachar, Muthirai Pathitha Vithagar, Bharatha Kala Vithagar, Natya Thendral from Doordarshan Kendra etc. He is also an Indian book of records and Asia book of records holder.
He has been identified as the present generation composer after the Tanjore Quartet by scholars and stalwarts in the field of Bharathanatyam. His compositions are noted for his beautiful Tamil Lyrics as he takes Subramania Bharathiyar as his Manasiga Guru. His unique compositions include a dance depicting daily life to the soundtrack of a heartbeat, a varnam on the Sun God (Surya), a shabdam on Jesus, a depiction of Krishna’s dance upon the five-headed snake Kalinga, kauthuvams on Mother and Father, a keerthanam on the Indian Independence movement and pieces on women’s empowerment.
Known for his modern compositions for Bharatanatyam dancers and elaborate musical productions, MRM’s artistry is characterized by the presentation of complex musical forms simply and comprehensively, captivating audiences worldwide, from the common man to connoisseurs. As an acclaimed Mridangam artist, he has mastered intricate margams set to seldom-used talas, including the longest, Sankeerna jathi Dhruva tala, having 29 beats.
He mastered the nuances in Mrindangam and Laya with Kalaimamani Sri.Madurai.Srinivasan (Chenna Kutti) and learned vocal with his brother Kalaimamani.Sri.Madurai. Sethuraman. As a composer, he penned his first composition a varnam (Simhavahini ) in 1993. Also a composer, and lyricist, MRM has released more than 125 audio CDs, the songs of which are widely used by the dance gurus across the world. His mammoth effort in composing full Bharatanatyam Margams in all 35 Talas adds to his credit. He released a book “Nrithya Lahari” with his compositions of Jathishwarams in 72 Melakartha Ragams. As Artistic Director of Nrithyakshethra Dance Academy he has mentored and trained aspiring students across India and many foreign countries spanning over a period of 40 years.
What sets MRM’s work apart?
Muralidharan represents someone who has made Bharatanatyam accessible in every nook and corner of the globe. Muralidharan’s compositions are used frequently by Bharatha Natyam dancers of different styles and from diverse regions.
Why are his compositions so popular? Kelam recounted the days when recording for dance pieces were handed out in poorly recorded cassettes (that need to be used using a player). But apart from that, she noted that only the pieces that students learned from Gurus were given to them. For the rest, a royalty had to be paid. The art, she noted was controlled. “I personally remember if I ever asked a certain item to be taught for me, oh, that’s not meant for you, because I was a poor person. So either you have to be a politician’s child, or you have to have money, or you have to be somebody. And I didn’t fall into any of those categories. So it is very difficult for a person like me to get any music,” Kelam explained. But MRM’s compositions changed all that. “\ So when I heard Sir’s (MRM) music, the choreography which I didn’t know I had in me, opened up. It is amazing feeling. He has given so many people like me that opportunity, and it’s not restricted to any one particular God or one particular theme either.”
The quality of music, Kelam said was outstanding and most important of all, is not restrictive in any way. “I don’t have to call him and get his permission. In most of the teachers’ cases, if there is music, you still have to get their permission. But in his case, it’s like, why are you asking me? It is out there for you to use it, and very rarely you see that. He also guides us himself if we have any questions!”
“His compositions are easy to access for Arangetrams thereby avoiding the huge fees demanded by dance musicians. These are available for everyone for no cost. It is a blessing,” Kelam expressed.
Several of MRM’s productions in support of Boston-based Vision-Aid, such as Krishna, Justice of the Anklet, Slaying of the Demons, The Dancer’s Pledge Invincible Spear and Vayu Putra have raised millions of dollars for the charity. MRM also donated 10 lakhs to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin for the COVID relief efforts.
