Five stellar performances were spread over three days at the recent Nakshatra Festival hosted by NCPA Mumbai.
Kathak students of Mahagami Gurukul led by Guru Parwati Dutta presented ‘Iti.’ “ It is an attempt to revisit Kathak traditions in the light of modern aesthetics ,” explained Parwati Dutta. ‘Namah Shivaya,’ a ‘stuti-paran’ in praise of Shiva and Jyotirlinga shrines, one of which is in Aurangabad, where Mahagami is located, was the opening piece. ‘Devi’, a poetic homage by Tulsidas set to Raag Shree and Chautaal, was an attempt to “showcase the dhrupad-pakhawaj idiom. Taal Vasant in nine matras explored the beauty of Vasant, articulated in ‘Ovi’ (a poetic meter in Marathi poems) by Sant Dnyaneshwar.
Students of Parwati Dutta’s Mahagami Gurukul
Shiva Vasant by Tulsidas in dhrupad format set to Taal Sool depicted Shiva as Nature and Parvati as Vasant ritu. The cosmic dancer is struck by Cupid’s arrow and nature is transformed to spring. Imageries of Shiva’s lotus feet, agility like a tiger, movements like a graceful swan and majestic elephant were visualised well.
Two dhrupads of Tansen, the first in Raag Soha addressed ‘Dilli-pati’, the emperor of Delhi whose court is being decorated for the music sabha.
The second in Raag Gurjari Todi, addressed both the royal patron and God.
“The presentations, a confluence of Hinduism and Islam, are an attempt to revive the ancient ‘chaal’ and ‘gat’ like ‘ibaadat-ki-gat’ and ‘dua-ki-gat’ of the Mughal period and the ‘tribhangi sthaanak’ of Natwari nritya,” informed Parwati. The anarkali costume created a Mughal darbar mood while for Natwari, the dancers wore lehenga cholis.
‘Raas Panchadhyayi’ from Shrimad Bhagavata Mahapurana, was a vivid narrative. In ‘Badariya barase,’ Parwati portrayed a young maiden thrilled to see the silvery streak in the sky. The melodious music and intricate rhythmic pieces were delightful. ‘Prabal Dal Saaj’ by Tansen conjured imageries of the monsoon. Rain drops provide happiness and sustenance; the narration moves to Govardhan Leela when Krishna saves the lives of the village folk.
Padhant, utterances of mnemonic syllables, was energetic. In the finale, ‘Jai Govind,’ Parwati moved from one end to another reciting and dancing with ease. Parwati is known as a thinking dancer and this was evident in her choice of pieces, technical virtuosity and eye-catching costumes. With graceful and expressive movements, she and her disciples moved in and out, sharing space with precision.
Using slides
Aruna Mohanty and Orissa Dance Company presented ‘Jatra’ a panoramic journey of the art form over 2,000 years, its resurgence from Jagannath temple to the stage through narration, slides and symbolic images.
Students of Aruna Mohanty’s Orissa Dance Academy
In a broad canvas, the genesis of managalacharan, pallavi, sthayi, abhinaya and moksha, the superstructure of Odissi springing from the sub structure of allied and folk art forms, Mahari, Gotipua and Sakhi nata were explored.
The opening patriotic number ‘Bharat Dharani’ with narration about Odisha as a land of timeless beauty and grace, had slide projections of the Indian flag. Mangalacharan detailed the procession of the Lord in the rath. Young boys who danced the gotipua pallavi, balancing one on top of the other without faltering in rhythm, stole the show.
In ‘Ya Devi’ on Shakti, divine ambience was evoked by the dancer. Four dancers demonstrated the colourfully covered boat. Two boys moved in synchronised sitting positions to portray the rath yatra. The opulence of the procession with one dancer holding the resplendent decorative head gear known as Tahiya from behind and the other dancing as god, gave it a ceremonial feel. Inspired by Chhau, Sambalpur and Geetinatya (musical theatre), all of which enhanced the sequences. Stances such as chauka and tribhangi, linear hand movements, all rendered gracefully were delightful.
The end piece ‘Samsara’ was the history of a soul’s journey from childhood to old age. The choreography showcased the guru’s compositional experience. The beautiful imageries conveyed the joyful and artistic spirit of Odisha.
Sublime love
‘Meera, the Soul Divine’ was staged by senior Bharatanatyam artiste Chitra Visweswaran and her disciples. Beginning in a flashback mode, where Meera recalls her journey starting from her marriage when still a child, it moved on to important incidences of her life.
Disciples of Chitra Visweswaran
The sublime love for Krishna playfully sown into the child’s psyche by her mother and Meera’s resultant focus on the Krishna idol even as her mother is dressing her up as the bride, was well depicted by Shruthe Raammohan. The groom comes on a horse, and the toran, doli and the marriage paraphernalia were defined by a group of (Bharatanatyam) dancers in vibrant Rajasthani dress.
The second segment was portrayed with clarity by Uma Nambudiripad Sathyanarayana highlighting Meera’s single-minded devotion. Nandini Ganesan exhibited empathy as Meera’s friend and as Radhe dancing with Krishna. ‘Jhoolat Radha’ was a joyful portrayal while Kalinga nartana was packed with energy. Chitra Visweswaran was in her element in the abhinaya-oriented segment that featured familiar bhajans such as ‘Pag ghungroo’, ‘Aisi lagi lagan’ and ‘Baso mere’. Her expressions conveyed well the nine rasas.
Effective use of lights and the musical framework of Bombay Jayashri made an impact. The team succeeded in touching a chord in the viewers. The final entry of the dancers, reaffirming the glory of Krishna and Krishnabhakti, was interesting and a deviation from the usual format of the guru calling them on stage for the curtain call. (To be continued )
