Kathak literally means story telling. And what better story than Aesop’s Fables! Three popular stories credited to Aesop, story teller of ancient Greece: Cap seller and the monkeys, Hare and the Tortoise and The Boy who cried Wolf, were presented in Kathak format by the disciples of Pooja Pant in a mega event hosted by Kalki Foundation of Shalini Thackeray and Pooja Pant Dance Company at the Nehru Centre, Worli.
Titled ‘Rivaayat,’ the first segment had besides Aesop's Fables, Mobile Games, exploration of seven beats and a Tarana by the late Ravi Shankar.
“With changing times, mobile games have gained tremendous popularity among children and adults. For the first time mobile games like Candy Crush and Subway Surfer were showcased in a blend of traditional and popular culture in an attempt to bring two generations together,” says Pooja.
Pooja’s solo work ‘Tehreek’ started with a Shiv Vandana, followed by a traditional presentation of teentaal showcasing intricate footwork, fast-paced energetic movements, 40 spins and jugalbandi with sarangi.
Trained under esteemed gurus such as Rajashree Shirke and Pt. Arjun Mishra, Pooja is known for her technical finesse and versatile abhinaya.
‘Tehreek’ had nritta and abhinaya, negotiated the past and the present creating a collage of traditional and new compositions. Teentaal was an exploration of 16 beats comprising intricate footwork, complex rhythm patterns, a vast vocabulary of movements and spins through Toda, Tukda, Paran and Tihai.
A Thumri by Pt. Bindadeen Maharaj depicted a chapter on the mischievous Krishna. He pulls the nayika’s dupatta teasingly coercing her into an embrace. After a verbal clash, the nayika decides to teach him a lesson. Aided by her friends she dresses Krishna in woman’s clothes only to be stunned to see the the transformation of Krishna into a beautiful and alluring woman.
Music, an unusual blend
‘Delight’, the concluding piece was a tarana composed by Aditya Oke. Conceptualised and choreographed by Pooja, this piece was first performed at a theatre festival in Manchester. While the choreography explored an interesting combination of Kathak and the art of Magic, the music was a unique blend of Indian instruments and beat boxing.
Shruti Bhave (vocals), Ojas Adhiya and Vivek Mishra (tabla), Sandeep Mishra (sarangi), Prasad Rahane (sitar), Atul Phadke (harmonium) and Avinash Tewari (Beat Boxing) comprised the orchestra.
Lights by Sheetal Talpade and sound by Sanjay Saha added to the neat presentation choreographed by Rajashree Shirke and Pooja Pant.
Aditi Mangaldas, renowned Kathak exponent, presented ‘Seeking the Beloved,’ a solo work exploring philosophic poems by Meerabai, Amir Khusro and Kabir. It is a constant search for what lies beyond known realms, beyond what our mind can perceive and what lies hidden in the deep recesses of our heart.
The passion of Meera where people think she is out of her senses and the descriptions in Amir Khusro and Kabir marvelling at the fragile tapestry of the Lord’s creation were conveyed skilfully.
Extensively trained under leading gurus of Kathak, Kumudini Lakhia and Pt Birju Maharaj, Aditi is distinguished for her impeccable technique, eloquent movements, effortless craftsmanship and characteristic energy that mark her every performance. Aditi has broken new ground by using her knowledge and experience of Kathak as a springboard to evolve a contemporary dance vocabulary.
Aditi is the brain behind the concept, choreography and costume.
Vocals for the Meera section were by Shubha Mudgal and Aneesh Pradhan, while music composition for the Amir Khusro and Kabir pieces was by Drishtikon repertory.
Tabla by Mohit Gangani, vocal and harmonium by Faraz Ahmed, pakhawaj by Ashish Gangani and flute by Rohit Prasanna produced brilliant music, adding value to the enjoyable performance.
