Painting and dancing between worlds: Mesma Belsare’s art of transformation

On August 23, Mesma Belsaré will step into the spotlight at New Brunswick Performing Arts Center in New Jersey to perform as Jatayu in a dance-theater piece at a festival of short plays. Under the direction of Maya Kulkarni, this work blends the precision of bharatanatyam with the emotional depth of theatre, bringing to life a character that is both bird and hero.

Belsaré said that this role feels like a return to her roots. As a child, she pored over her mother’s handwritten Marathi plays, absorbing the magic of storytelling. Those moments shaped her. Now, as she prepares to embody Jatayu, she invites audiences into a world where myth, movement and transformation collide, a world she has spent her career building.

In the Ramayana, Jatayu is a figure of profound sacrifice. An ageing vulture, he witnesses Ravana kidnapping Sita, the wife of Rama. Despite his frailty, Jatayu confronts the demon king in a desperate attempt to save her. His wings are severed, and he falls, mortally wounded. Yet, before he dies, Jatayu tells Rama of Sita’s fate, offering a vital clue to her rescue.

His act of courage, defying his own limitations, makes him a rare symbol in literature – a creature whose nobility transcends his...

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