IN SEARCH OF THE GODDESS MALLIKA SARABHAI

Mallika Sarabhaiis one of India’s leading choreographers and dancers. She led the Darpana Dance Company for 30 years, focused on the Kuchipudi and Bharatanatyam forms of Indian classical dance. She is also a writer, publisher, actor and producer: all her varied forms of artistic engagement are wrapped around a deep social conscience.

An internationally renowned dancer, Mallika first rose to fame when she played the role of Draupadi in Peter Brook’s The Mahabharata, in French and then English, performing in France, North America, Australia, Japan and Scotland.

Always an activist for societal education and women’s empowerment, she began using her work for change. In 1989 she created the first of her hard-hitting solo theatrical works, Shakti: The Power of Women. Since then Mallika has created numerous stage productions which have raised awareness, highlighted critical women's issues and advocated change. Several of the productions have toured internationally as well as throughout India.

The Mother Goddess has always had a central role in Hindu mythology and belief. In a philosophy that accepts the primary beings as Ardhanarishwara, a being half female - half male, Devi or Shakti is the primal kinetic energy without whom the male remains passive and immobile.

In this performance piece, Mallika Sarabhai explores the perception of Shakti through classical dance, theatre, storytelling and mime.

Taking some traditional pieces from the repertoire of Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi, she juxtaposes these with her own contemporary interpretations of the Mother Goddess, using her own writing and that of other modern writers.