Talattu – The Bhavan, London

Talattu addresses two very strong bonds of love that we share in our lives. The bond between father and son and the bond with a lover. The two bonds are very different and these two very important people in our lives see us differently. Talattu, take the examples of Yashoda and Radha and their love for Krishna. He traces their personal journeys of joys and sorrows and how they deal with Krishna’s departure in very different ways. Parents give a part of themselves from the moment a child is born. Both men and women assume as their own the joys, sorrows, victories and defeats of their children. The role of a father is immense in a child’s growth and the emotional bond that parents have with their offspring is incomparable. This caretaker and child relationship is immortalized as Yashoda and Krishna in Indian mythology. Their relationship is nuanced by the complexity of Yashoda being Krishna’s adoptive father. Yashoda’s sense of ownership is questioned when he realizes that Krishna is not his own son. Talattu addresses the complexity of this relationship and the love that pervades this confusion. The second relationship explored in Talattu is that of a lover. The bond of romantic love is one of the strongest bonds one shares in life. A link that is exalted and written repeatedly in poetry and literature. The romantic relationship offers comfort and togetherness. The ability to sacrifice for another within this relationship parallels the idea of ​​spiritual surrender. This relationship between lovers is immortalized in the form of Radha and Krishna. Krishna leaves Vrindavan and Radha knows that she must go. She also knows that she will never love another again. Her love will remain no matter where she goes. He will always be hers. When Krishna leaves, he is just a child to Yashoda, and to Radha, he is his pillar of strength.

Talattu premiered in Bangalore at the Gudiya Sambhrama festival in 2019 and subsequently toured many cities around the world, including the Temple of Fine Arts, Malaysia; Milapfest Liverpool; Navatman Dance, New York; Yale University; Korzo Theater, The Hague and the Jagriti Theater Interrupt festival, among many other places. The production has been appreciated by diverse audiences in many countries.