"The idea germinated two and a half years ago when I read an article on the Kanjivaram saree. I knew this was a theme that I had to dance to," says noted Bharatanatyam dancer Malavika Sarukkai. The result is Thari - The Loom, a performance that will be presented by crafts organisation Paramparik Karigar. Sarukkai and her troupe will explore the similarities between handlooms and Bharatanatyam in a 75-minute performance. True to her style of merging contemporary sensibilities, the piece will also feature poetry by filmmaker Sumantra Ghosal. The music for the first choreography (by Sai Shravanam) is set to the sound of the handloom, where Sarukkai uses parivattam (spindle) in her dance. For her research, Sarukkai also interacted with a master weaver in Kanchipuram.

Thari - The Loom, a Bharatanatyam performance by Malavika Sarukkai. Pics courtesy/Shalini Jain