- This event is over. However, time travel possible through our Audio & Video! See upcoming events
Magdalana Mariam
Mary Magdalene’s Story Through Bharatanatyam
Performer
What awakens within us when temptation gives way to truth?
This performance in chaste Malayalam brings to life Mahakavi Vallathol Menon’s lyrical poem Magdalana Mariam through the timeless vocabulary of Bharatanatyam. The poem narrates the story of Mariam, a woman who rises from poverty to wealth, only to find herself ensnared by pride and desire. One night, a moment of stark realization shatters her illusions, revealing the emptiness of her existence.
Her encounter with Christ transforms this despair into redemption, and it is this very arc from vanity to awakening, that unfolds on stage. Through evocative abhinaya, intricate rhythm, and the expressive power of Bharatanatyam, the performance turns Vallathol’s poetry into a moving meditation on the possibility of renewal.
A story of loss, grace, and transformation, waiting to be felt through movement and verse!
Credits:
Music: Dr. O.S. Arun
Concept & Choreography: Anjana Anand
Lighting Design: Sneha Sheejith
Supported by:
Performer
Anjana Anand
Anjana Anand is a full-time dancer whose career spans performance, research, and teaching. An alumna of Kalakshetra College of Fine Arts, Chennai—where she was awarded Best Outgoing Student (1998)—she has performed widely in India and abroad as an independent solo artiste. A graded Doordarshan artiste and empaneled with ICCR, she continues to refine her practice under the mentorship of Sheejith Krishna. Her PhD in Bharatanatyam reflects her commitment to scholarship, while her original solo and group choreographies showcase her vision of blending tradition with contemporary sensibilities.
