Subhaashitham: Parables from India

Subhaashitam: Parables from India is a unique Bharatanatyam dance-drama production that explores universal values such as friendship, honesty, thoughtfulness, respect, and unity through stories from ancient Indian literature. The literary sources for this work include Jataka Tales, Panchatantra and Thirukkural. These entertaining, moving and universally appealing stories have been set to music and choreographed by Sri M.V. Narasimhachari.

This family-friendly program is suitable for both children and adults, and includes explanations in English to help non-Indian audiences understand the lyrics. This work is a collaboration between Kala Nivedanam and the Global Education Center of Nashville, TN and has been funded in part by a Creation grant from the Metro Nashville Arts Commission.

This work features a cast of three dancers. It can be performed in two ways: 1) as an 85 minute program without an intermission, containing only the five parables from ancient Indian literature, or 2) as a full-lenth work of 2 hours and 10 minutes in two parts; the first part containing three traditional Bharatantyam items on the theme of 'subhaashitam,' and the second part containing the five parables.

Choreography - Sri M.V. Narasimhachari and Smt. M. Vasanthalakshmi
Premiere - Seattle, WA Utsav Festival - October 14, 2006