How the Meenachil river tells stories of oppression and resilience

Abheesh Sasidharan sits with his back to the audience — a hooded silhouette against a giant screen, silent, as if in meditation. The intimate performance space is dark and one feels a sense of anticipation building. Abheesh then begins to talk, loudly and clearly, about Meenachilaar, a river which can well be called the lifeline of Kottayam, and his own. He soon creates a world where river, humans and history meet in curious ways.