Manduka Shabdam.. A Frog’s Song
A Kuchipudi ballet in Telugu
Came across this beautiful dance in a Kuchipudi debut performance. Manduka Shabdam.. The song of a frog.. And this song quite intrigued me.
Have heard about the profound Manduka Upanishad.. and the curled up Mandooka Asana Frog Pose.. And the croaks of Frogs, ardently waiting for the Clouds, celebrating the thunder and arrival of the rains.
Even the cell phone folks have been smitten by the mandukas. For each frog has a unique voice in a certain territory. Much like how each phone, uses a different codeword to talk to the cell tower. So much about the frogs.. What was this Manduka Shabdam?
A Kuchipudi dance ballet, enacting the story of Gajendra Moksham.
A beautiful sprawling lake, filled with the fragrances of the mogras and jasmines.. The peacocks and the deers are dancing in enchantment.. The frogs are croaking a joyful song in their language, and making mandooka shabdamu..
nagana nagana nagana..
gagaga gagaga gaga
and sounds of deep ghoshana..
Garra garraga.. garra daa-kuku..
daku daku daku.. deeku dinkuku
Gajendra, the King Elephant, comes here with his herd, looking for a Lotus. Alas! The terrible curse of Indra.. A mighty crocodile catches him by the leg, and Gajendra is in great pain. He seeks out to Vishnu for liberation.
O Shri-raghu-rama.. O kodanda-rama.. My salaam to you..
