At the Nelum Pokuna theatre on July 27…The third bell rings. The spotlights are on. The hall is full and there is dead silence. The spectators are mesmerized by the enchanting stage. I have never witnessed such a spellbound crowd before. The final applause given by them is enough to realize the kind of enjoyment they had experienced. The curiosity can be understood with regard to this art work which gladdens spectators with various perspectives and tastes. It was none other than Prof. Ariyaratne Kaluarachchi’s Thun Biya, the ballet. It was sponsored by the Department of Cultural Affairs.
It is beyond doubt that this ballet becomes the ideal art work in an era,which marks the decadence of the art of local ballets. A ballet is a portrayal of a single incident or series of incidents, in an emotional manner, using a combination of background settings, costumes, lighting and music. Being nonverbal is its significant quality.
The period 1950-1970 is considered as the Golden Era which originated in the mid-1930s, having been influenced by the Indian Ballet. Chithrasena’s Karadiya, Naladamayanthi, Premakumara’s Saelalihiniya, ThiththaBatha, Wasantha Kumara’s Hiroshima, Kumburu Panatha and Panibharatha’s Sathpaththini can be identified as greatt masterpieces which enchanted the minds of the audience.
Experiment
Creating a ballet is an arduous task. Due to high cost, effort and time, most artists are discouraged. Apart from Pitigala Jayasena, Ravibandu Vidyapathi, Ariyarathne Kaluarachchi and Namal Weweldeniya, nobody has pioneered to experiment on this. In such an era, Prof. Kaluarachchi’s ballet, Thun Biya is such a herculean creation. Prof. Kaluarchchi does not need any introduction.
His creativity was presented to the audience through the art works of BaeriSil, Nishachara, Wasawarthi, Yakadurage Diyaniya, and ThunBiya. Thun Biya is based on the original story related to the low country Daha Ata Sanni ritual. The underneath social philosophy could have been the reason for Prof. Kaluarachchi to have selected this story for this marvellous creation. According to the story, King Sankapala of theVishala Kingdom, departs with his army to fight against the enemy king. During this time the king was unaware of his wife, Asupala Devi’s pregnancy. In the king’s absence she had a craving to eat mangoes. Since no one was there, the queen summoned the Chief Minister. The minister could somehow fetch a mango from a faraway country.
A slave woman who resided in that area pleaded with the queen to give her the mango. The queen angrily chased her away and ate it alone. The hatred towards the queen made the slave woman to twist a story and she told the king that the Chief Minister and the queen had a clandestine affair and as a result the queen conceived. The angry king ordered to assassinate the queen without any inquiry. She was hanged in a Kaebaella tree and her body was torn into two parts. In the stormy night the tree collapsed, bringing the severed body parts together and the child was born. The child, born out of the dead mother, fed on breast milk and dead bodies. He ultimately came to be known as Rajamulu Sanni Yakkshaya. This demon wanted to avenge the mother’s death; therefore, he created eighteen demons with the help of eighteen poisonous pills. These demons, known as Sanni Yaksha, were escorted to the Vishala Kingdom and together they ruined the city. The entire city was horrified with three fears: Amanushya Biya (Fear of evil spirits), Roga Biya (Fear of diseases) and Marana Biya (Fear of death). Then a famine occurred.
This situation was caught by the sixth sense of the Buddha. He was accompanied by several other Maha Rahath theras to the kingdom and they chanted RathanaSutta. Consequently, the demons were sent beyond the Sakwala Gala. Thus, they overcame the tri-fears. The creator of the ballet modified the original story while preserving its originality.
Different
A prologue has been added to the ballet: the preparation for the coronation ceremony of prince Sankapala are being made by the king and queen; ministers and advisers are gathered; Brahmins who have excelled in different arts are doing the rituals. The entire city has a festive outlook. The artist had an interesting approach to entertain the audience.
During the festivities, the king received the message about the enemy attack. The festival stopped and the audience was held in suspense. The sounds of war drums and horse galloping are heard. At that moment, the audience realized the unexpected message. The king’s departure to the battle is enchanting. This scene has been portrayed, having been influenced by Poi kalkudirai, which is a traditional Indian folk dance.
According to legend a slave woman carries the tale to the king; however, the artist presents the scene logically. Due to morning sickness the queen faints. The Chief Minister holds her without letting her collapse. This is misinterpreted by one of the court dancers, who is also having an affair with the Chief Minister. She feels jealous and she is the one who carries the tale to the king. These scenes are amazingly imaginative.
The most dramatic scenes are the assassination of the queen, the birth of Rajamulu Sanni Yaksha, and the creation of 18 demons.
The language of ballet is dancing. The artist succeeds in the attempt of expressing emotions and communicating with the audience.
The music composition of Prof. Kolitha Bhanu Dissanayake has contributed much to this ballet. The art director Aruna Priyantha Dharmapala should also be appreciated. The background settings are outstanding. The lighting and make up were by Ajith Rohana Kumara and Jagath Padmasiri respectively, and other backstage artists have also contributed much to the drama.The attempt of the dancers on the stage was also praiseworthy.
The secret of success behind this ballet is the contribution made by each minor and major character involved. This ballet, Thun Biya by Prof. Kaluarachchi is the best ballet which was ever produced. The director and other artists are hereby kindly requested to stage this performance again and again for the benefit of the future generation.