Angulimala

This drama is based on a powerful confrontation between a dacoit chief Angulimala who cuts off the fingers of the victims he robs and the noble queen Khema. Stressing the contrast and intensifying the encounter, Angulimala is represented as awesome and boastful, in masculine Kathakali style and the queen is portrayed as poised and majestic, in Bharatanatyam style.

On hearing that the queen will be passing through his territory, Angulimala is enraged and vows to destroy her guards. When the queen arrives Angulimala chases away her guards and mocks her. She retorts that she is well protected by Buddha's Dhamma and flings her necklace daring him to take it. Angulimala sees a hissing serpent when he tries to take it. Taking pity on him the queen asks him about his origins. He explains how as a young prince, unable to bear the cruelty of his stepmother, he ran away to form his gang. Khema then preaches Buddha's ethic of non-attachment and universal brotherhood. Converted, he offers to cut his own thumb as an offering when she stops him. Singing Buddha's glory he leaves in an ecstatic mood.

Angulimala has been performed by Sadanam Balakrishnan of the International Kathakali Centre in Delhi, by Professor V. K. Chari in Ottawa and Professor C.V. Chandrasekhar in Chennai. Queen Khema has been portrayed by Anandi Sridas of Toronto.

The music for Angulimala has been recorded as a cd by Amal Raj Fernando of Toronto.