Commission Counterflows 2021

Lal̩itam Varn̩n̩am Asuram ലളിതം വർണ്ണം അസുരം

Nakul Krishnamurthy

Composer/singer Nakul Krishnamurthy presents a new project that undertakes a contemporary reimagination of the tale of Śoorpan̩akha, a mythological figure from the Indian epic Rāmāyan̩a.

Working closely with dancer Nrithya Pillai, the music/dance piece radically reimagines Carnatic music and Bharathanat̩yam to explore new possibilities for the art forms while being sensitive to their histories of marginalisation and oppression. The accompanying podcast delves into the issues they face while navigating complex caste- and class-based structures in the making of the work, and explores how projects like these can play a prominent role in challenging and dismantling hegemonic structures of caste within Indian society.

Lal̩itam Varn̩n̩am Asuram ലളിതം വർണ്ണം അസുരം

Verse and Translations

കാമാതുരാ മധുര കോമള വാക്കിനാലെ
Kāmāturā Madhura Kōmal̩a Vākkināle
With lustfully sweet and tender words

കാമം സ്തുതിച്ചു തരസാ തമുവാച ധീരം
Kāmam Stuticcu Tarasā Tamuvāca Dhīram
(She) praised lust (itself) and spoke boldly thus:

വല്ലഭയിലും അധികം നല്ലവൾ ഞാനല്ലയോ?
Vallabhayilum Adhikam Nallaval̩ Ñānallayo?
Am I not better than your wife (Sīta)?

Kāmātura: Filled with lust
Madhura: Sweet
Kōmal̩a: Soft, tender
Vākkināle: With words

Kāmam: Lust
Stuticcu: Praised
Tarasā: Boldly
Tamuvāca: Spoke thus
Dhīram: Bravely
Vallabha: Wife, ideal woman, referring to Sīta in this context
Vallabhayilum: Than the wife
Adhikam: More
Nallaval̩: A better person
Ñānallayo?: Am I not?

Verses from Kharavadham by Kottarakkara Thampuran (1653–1694).

Reimagining Ramayana

“I am from a Brahminical background. Nrithya comes from a marginalised community. So, how do we work out those politics?”. Composer/singer Nakul Krishnamurthy embarks on an ambitious project with dancer/activist Nrithya Pillai. Can they successfully navigate caste politics and class-based structures, reimagine an Indian epic, and subvert “classical” art forms – at a physical distance of over six thousand miles? This podcast goes behind-the-scenes of their remarkable collaboration for Counterflows At Home, Lal̩itam Varn̩n̩am Asuram.

The podcast was produced by: Steve Urquhart & Alannah Chance


Warning: Attempt to read property "ID" on bool in /www/counterflows_990/public/wp-content/themes/counterflows/templates/post/commissions/blocks/content-block-writing.php on line 12
Lal̩itam Varn̩n̩am Asuram ലളിതം വർണ്ണം അസുരം


Warning: Attempt to read property "ID" on bool in /www/counterflows_990/public/wp-content/themes/counterflows/templates/post/commissions/blocks/content-block-writing.php on line 14
Composer/singer Nakul Krishnamurthy presents a new project that undertakes a contemporary reimagination of the tale of Śoorpan̩akha, a mythological figure from the Indian epic Rāmāyan̩a. Working closely with dancer Nrithya Pillai, the music/dance piece radically reimagines Carnatic music and Bharathanat̩yam to explore new possibilities for the art forms while being sensitive to their histories of […]


Warning: Attempt to read property "ID" on bool in /www/counterflows_990/public/wp-content/themes/counterflows/templates/post/commissions/blocks/content-block-writing.php on line 12
Lal̩itam Varn̩n̩am Asuram ലളിതം വർണ്ണം അസുരം


Warning: Attempt to read property "ID" on bool in /www/counterflows_990/public/wp-content/themes/counterflows/templates/post/commissions/blocks/content-block-writing.php on line 14
Composer/singer Nakul Krishnamurthy presents a new project that undertakes a contemporary reimagination of the tale of Śoorpan̩akha, a mythological figure from the Indian epic Rāmāyan̩a. Working closely with dancer Nrithya Pillai, the music/dance piece radically reimagines Carnatic music and Bharathanat̩yam to explore new possibilities for the art forms while being sensitive to their histories of […]