About Shubhada Varadkar
An exponent of Odissi style of Indian classical dance, Shubhada is a disciple of Padmavubhushan late Guru. Shri. Kelucharan Mohapatra. Shubhada was the receiver of the prestigious Mahari Award 2011 of Odisha, and recipient of senior fellowship by Ministry of culture Govt. of India for 2011-2013. Shubhada is an A graded artist of Doordarshan (television) and an empanelled artist for Odissi dance of Indian Council for Cultural Relations. She has been awarded titles such as ‘Singar Mani’, ‘Priyadarshini,’ and ‘Maharashtra Gaurav’. Shubhada has also choreographed, participated and performed at numerous prestigious dance festivals in India and abroad. Her recent productions ‘Journey to Divinity’, “Chitrangada”, “Miracles of Splendour” “Prakriti Nartan” “Kanupriya”and “Amrutghanu” are well appreciated by art lovers.
A postgraduate in Economics, Shubhada was a newscaster with Indian Television in Mumbai, and was a Lecturer in Economics in R.R.Ruia College, Mumbai. However, the calls of tinkling anklets made her give up all other careers and devote all her time and energy to Odissi. Shubhada is also an author of her own ebook ‘The Glimpse of Indian Classical Dance’, which is available on Amazon, Kindle and Google Play for a worldwide audience. She has also penned her autobiographical account in Marathi book titled “Mayurpankh.” Both these books are published by Krimiga Books. In fact, “Mayurpankh” is the first Marathi book to be published simultaneously in print, audio book, and e-book format.
Synopsis of the demonstration
“Kanupriya” attempts to describe and define the relationship of Radha and Krishna from the point of view of Radha. Radha in this presentation is a symbol of love and without love there is only war and destruction in Krishna’s life. Radha sees Krishna in the Nature around her – this is the yearning of the soul to become One with God/ Brahman. The Spiritual Union is projected as the extension of the physical consummation of Radha’s and Krishna’s Love, the soul yearning for dissolution in the Brahman.
Baffled by the questions of everyone around, Radha attempts to define, to give a name to her relationship with Krishna. She sometimes feels Kanu is her eternal playmate, at other times he is her protector/ guardian. Sometimes she feels maternal towards him as if he were an infant in need of protection and yet at other times, she senses that Kanu and herself are one entity – the Omniscient, Omnipotent, The All Pervading Reality. Then there were those instances, when he taunted and harassed her that she felt alienated from him when created history in Mahabharata war. She is proud to see him protecting Droupadi after the game of dice. At certain times, she realized that he was Purusha and She was Prakrithi / Shakthi/ Yogamaya. Radha realizes that she is Kanu’s Eternal Bride, His Cosmic Consort who has been traveling with Him from the beginning of time.
Radha wonders if she was but a bridge to cross over for Krishna on the way to create history, just a game to play to while away childhood- her dreams and desires trampled underfoot. Radha recalls the Aam tree that stood witness to their meetings, where she went to meet him overcoming all the obstacles on the way. The war is over, but at what cost? Who has won, who has lost? Radha tells Kanu that she saw the Ocean in her dream…she saw Kanu exhausted, sad, desolate and lonely. History staggers onward on crutches and Kanu has finally remembered her-he is seeking her for solace, for comfort; finally he has abandoned history like old clothing, and depressed he yearns to go to Radha for comfort- And Kanupriya /Radha has been waiting to join her Kanu!
