How G. Venu’s ‘Navarasa Sadhana’ trained participants in exploring the nine kinds of eye expressions

G. Venu’s course ‘Navarasa Sadhana’ has been attracting performing artistes from across the country ever since it was introduced in 2016. That 102 batches have already completed this course is an index of the efficacy of this singular mode of training in enriching the histrionic talents of the artistes. The last batch completed Phase Four that highlighted Venu’s penchant for delving deep into the tenets of Natya Sastra.

This phase anchored on the use of eyeballs as enshrined in chapter eight of Natya Sastra namely ‘Uthamangabhinaya’ (gestures of minor limbs). While the previous phases were based on the exploration of the Vyabhicharibhavas (transitory), the possibilities of eyeballs have been hitherto unexplored by scholars and thespians, Venu said. Though ‘Kannu sadhakam’ (Eye exercises) forms the core of abhinaya in Koodiyattam, the method has been traditional and not strictly as per the nine feats given in this chapter.

Nine gestures

As explained in the above chapter, eyeballs have nine gestures. They are Brahmana (turning round the eyeballs at random), Valana (moving the eyeballs obliquely), Paatana (relaxing the eyeballs), Chalana (tremor of eyeballs), Sampravesana (drawing the eyeballs in), Vivartana (turning the eyeballs in a sidelong glance), Samudrutta (raising up the eyeballs) Nishkramana (going out of eyeballs) and Prakruta (eyeballs in the natural glance).

As for their application in bhavas, Brahmana, Valana, Samudrutta and Nishkramana are employed in delineating veera and rowdra rasas. For Bhayanaka, Nishkramana is used. Hasya and Bheematsa are depicted using Sampravesana, Adbhutha by Nishkramana and Shringara by Vivartana. For other bhavas, Prakruta alone is used.

Interesting combinations

Seated on the floor, the five participants of the batch evoked these nine gestures in group. Interestingly outstanding was the combination of the glance, shades of face (mukha raga) and voice for the exposition. Further it was a paradigm of the dedication with which they have been following the instructions by Venu all these days.

Later they showcased the Sthayibhavas individually, in their order: Rati, Hasam, Sokam, Krodham, Utsaham, Bhayam, Juguptsa, Vismayam and Santham.

Rati and Bhayam staged by Chetna Dhyani, Hasam by Isha Talwar, Sokam by Sai Brinda Ramachnadran, Krodham and Vitsmayam by Shereen Saif, Utsaham and Juguptsa by Nataraj Kumar Anand, was an exhibition of their profound creativity. For, each one had visualised an anecdote according to his/her imagination. All of them had undergone training in the previous courses.

Improvisation was at its best using the corresponding vibhavas (determinants) and anubhavas (consequent). Moreover, how the training by Venu – giving only few suggestions – had equipped them to evoke lokdharmi (realistic) and natyadharmi (stylised) abhinayas was glaringly visible. Further this enabled them to apply these in any art form that demanded abhinaya.

Venu pointed out that the training was beneficial to performing artistes as they could practice alone sitting in a limited space anytime, anywhere.