"Pon Pulari"

It is midnight, August 15, 1947. When the world lay asleep, India awoke to a new dawn, to freedom. As the dawn of independence spread over the nation, the darkness of injustice and slavery dissipated, and India rejoiced.

"Pon Pulari", malayalam for 'brilliant dawn', draws its spirit from this joyous occasion, when the motherland welcomed the new world with open arms. This land of amazing diversity had become one country. It is a dawn of gaiety, but also of responsibility. To bring dharma to the lives of the countrymen, and extol the rule of law and justice; to defeat the dark forces of evil, which had spread its wings across the face of India...

Dr Neena introduces the theme with a distinctive approach, with a personification of 'thamas' the dark force, and judicious use of the 'chenda', an unusual accompaniment for Mohiniyattam. The lyrics have been selected from the works of the incomparable Malayalam poet, Changampuzha, and sung with rare bhava by Changanassery Madhavan Nampoothiri.