Ramana Natya is a body of more than 100 dance dramas or dance theatre presentations inspired by the life and teachings of Sri Ramana Maharshi. As the teachings of Ramana are universal in nature and transcend all boundaries including those of creed, age and gender, these productions carry the viewer seamlessly into the realm of the Self-knowledge by exploring the deepest truths in a most engaging manner through the medium of Natya. The Centre’s productions are equally relevant and appealing to people in all walks and all strata of life. They dwell on themes like ‘Who am I?’ ‘One Consciousness’ ‘Transcending Boundaries’ ‘Surging Joy’ ‘The Voice of Truth’ ‘Beyond Time’. The Centre has productions in various languages including Kannada, English, Tamil, Hindi and Telugu. Some of these have been produced in collaboration with a sister organization specializing in research, Bhagawan Sri Ramana Maharshi Research Centre.
Unique and engaging approaches to concepts that are of supreme relevance to everyone in today’s world, scintillating music from eminent music directors, heart warming choreography, aesthetic coordinated costuming with the right touch of stage arrangements and top quality dance and drama make every Ramana Natya production an unforgettable and often life transforming experience. Many of the productions have the additional appeal of the integration of multi-media as well.
Natya is a holistic term used by Bharata Muni in his treatise ‘Natya Shastra’ which includes all aspects of theatre. And this is what RMCL’s productions are – Natya in its entirety – which consists of Nritya or dance, Nataka or drama, Sangita or music, and Aaharya or stage craft including make up, costuming, stage and so on. Ramana Natya – The Essential Dance Theatre includes all these four aspects in the best manner while the focus is unfailingly on imbibing and spreading the essence of Natya Shastra. This essence is to be found in Bharata Muni’s dictum that the purpose of Natya is not just to entertain but to ennoble, to form a path to the highest purpose of human existence.
The Ramana Natya troupe of Ramana Maharshi Centre for Learning has performed in about 300 shows all over India and received many accolades. The senior artistes of the troupe, apart from performing lead roles in the productions, also assist in concept, script, choreography, audio recordings, stage, costumes and stage properties.
Team Experts
Concept, Script and Direction
Dr.Sarada (President, RMCL, Bengaluru)
Music
Sri K.S.Raghunathan (Formerly of HMV),
Dr.Ambika Kameshwar (Director, RASA),
Dr.Raj Kumar Bharathi (Sangeeth Natak Academy Awardee)
Stage and Lighting Design
Dr.B.V.Rajaram (Former Director, Natak Academy, Karnataka)
Choreography
Dr.Ambika Kameshwar (Kalaimaamani Awardee)
A Few of Our Popular Dance Ballets:
RAMANEEYA BHARATA (India’s Intangible Heritage - Mythology, History, Literature and Culture
Tripura Rahasyam (120 minutes)
Hamsadhwani & Hamsanandi - The Epitome of Indian Heritage (A two part ballet 120 minutes)
Ardhanareeshwara (30 minutes)
Ramaneeya Bharata - Festivals of India (60/90 minutes)
Siva Shakti Leelai – Ramana’s Aksharamanamalai (120 minutes)
Shanmata Darshanam - Six Faces of Truth (100 minutes)
Who Am I ? (120 minutes)
ATMA RAMANA DHWANI (Quest for the Self)
- Who am I? (Paripoorna Ramana) (120 minutes)
- Surging Joy (Paramananda Ramana) (110 minutes)
- Mirror! Mirror! ( Mangala Ramana) (110 minutes)
- Voice of the Self (Atma Ramana Dhwani) (80 minutes)
- Beyond Choices (Mukta Ramana) (110 minutes)
- Transcending Time (Vartamana Ramana) (100 minutes)
- Ramana My Master (Ramanan En Aasaan) (90 minutes)
- Yoga: The Supreme Union (Poorana Manam) (20 minutes)
Who Am I ? (120 minutes)
SRI RAMANA LEELA (Life of Sri Ramana Maharshi)
- One Consciousness - Ananya Ramana (Composed by Dr.Raj Kumar Bharathi) (90 minutes)
- Purushottama Ramana (A Centenary of Enlightenment Production) (75 minutes)
- Ramana Prabha (Penned by Pu.Thi.Narasimhachar) (90 minutes)
- Jnana Neri Anaittuyirin Mozhi (90 minutes)
- Arunachala Vani (Voice of Arunachala) (90 minutes)
- Ramana Vijaya (120 minutes)
SIVANANDA GANGA (A mega dance ballet on the life and teachings of Swami Sivananda)
A 125th Birth Year offering – premiered at Divine Life Society, Rishikesh.
GARDEN TEA PARTY (For and by children and some with puppet theatre)
- Mother Earth’s Birthday Party
- Compassion
- Garden Tea Party
- Jananeem Prithveem
- Quantum Leap - Hanuma Ramana
- Blue Velvet Rabbit
Book a Performance
The Ramana Natya troupe of Ramana Maharshi Centre for Learning has performed in about 300 shows all over India and received many accolades
Reviews
The troupe has travelled and performed in Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Madurai, Tiruvannamalai, Kurnool, Rajapalyam, Kumta, Honnavara, Shivamoga, Rishikesh and other parts of India.
They have participated in various National and International dance festivals. To name a few:
- National and International Seminars and cultural festivals of Ramana Maharshi Centre for Learning and Bhagawan Sri Ramana Maharshi Research Centre, Bangalore.
- Ramana Maharshi Advent Centenary Celebrations, Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai Ramotsava at Ram Mandir, Rajajinagar.
- 125th Birth Year Celebrations of Swami Sivanananda at Divine Life Society, Bangalore and Rishikesh
- Enlightenment Cultural Fest, ‘Gnananjali’ at Narada Gana Sabha, Chennai
- RASA Arpita dance fest, Bapalal Bhavan, Chennai
- Karthik Fine Arts festival, Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan, Chennai
- Sivarathri Festival, Kapaleeshwar Temple, Mylapore, Chennai
- National Seminars at Chimaya Auditorium, Chennai and Delhi
- Lakshmi Sundaram Hall, Madurai
- Natyanjali at Tanjore and Chidambaram.
- Ramakrishna Matt, Bellary
- Short + Sweet 2013, Bangalore.
The artistes of RMCL have fine tuned their dramatic skills and played important roles in the TV serial titled “Sri Ramana Leela” produced by RMCL and telecast in Kannada, Telugu, Tamil and Hindi Doordarshan Channels. They also anchored the popular 75 episode tele-contest on Natya on Sri Sankara TV entitled ‘Ramanotsavam’ in which nearly 2000 amateur artistes participated.
Currently the popular dance ballets of RMCL are being telecast on Sri Sankara TV under the title ‘Sri Ramana Leela’ which has run t0 100 episodes covering 20 of the Centre’s dance ballets till date each in Tamil and Kannada.
The artistes are also engaged in training and directing stage productions by nearly a 1000 children every year many of whom come from underprivileged backgrounds.
