Organised in memory of Rajarshi Bhagyachandra, the 18th century Saint King of Manipur, the 10 Bhagyachandra National Festival of Classical Dance saw some of the best dancers of the country at Imphal’s historic Kangla Fort. The event was curated and coordinated by Ratan Thiyam.
A precursor to the festival was the ritualistic Natasankirtan with pung cholam (Manipuri mridangam) and kartaal cholam by the artists of Jawaharlal Nehru Manipur Dance Academy and a spectacular Maharaas by the Government College, Imphal, at the Shree Shree Gopinathji temple in Ningthoukhong, Bishnupur district.
Children in dazzling costumes of Radha and Krishna were a part of a scintillating dance, on Kartik Purnima night (a day for Maharaas).
The Festival was inaugurated by Chief Minister O. Ibobi Singh at the make-shift amphitheatre with a huge statue of King Bhagyachandra at the entrance.
The moonlight washed open-air stage overlooking a lily pond, with a backdrop of pillars and the lighted Govindaji temple, was ethereal.
The eldest female Manipuri dancer Rajkumari Savitrisana Devi began the evening with a subtle, graceful rendition of the Ashtapadi, ‘Sritakamala Kuchamandala,’ concluding in double speed, followed by ‘Duti-Sambad’ expressing karuna and sringara rasa in the agony and pain of Radha and Krishna.
The piece combined ‘Nindatichandanamin’ of the 4th Canto with ‘Dheera Sameerey’ of the 5th Canto of Gita Govinda into a soulful composition of song and dance.
After the Mangalacharan, ‘Vishnu Vandana,’ the acclaimed Odissi dancer Sujata Mohapatra mesmerised with her ‘Jugmadanda’ pallavi in Bageshree, Ek taali, exploring the manifold relationships between dance, music and percussion instruments.
In ‘Jatayu Moksha’ from Ramayana, choreographed by Guru Kelucharan Mohapatra with music by Pandit Bhubaneswar Mishra, Sujata’s versatile abhinaya of the multiple roles of Rama, Sita, Marich, Jatayu, and Ravana embellished with magnificent nritta proved she was a dancer of distinction.
The evening concluded with a fine ‘tanum’ in seven beats, a tandava performed as an integral part in ‘Nitya raas’ by the seasoned Manipuri dancer T. Roneld Meetei. He excelled with a sensitive abhinaya of ‘Abhisarika Nayika’ from Nupapala, in Kokilpriya taal (36 beats) and Tanchep, aroibi.
Manipuri dancer P. Lilabati Devi opened the second evening effectively with the Ashtapadi, ‘Haririha Mugadha,’ followed by an uncommon composition of a different flavour praising Rajarshi Bhagyachandra as the devotee of Govindaji.
‘Ramkatha’ by Bharatanatyam dancer Satyanarayan Raju from Bangalore showcased the different relationships of Rama in significant episodes from Ramayan, beginning with Kaushalya and Ram’s childhood with the song ‘Thumaka Chalata,’ reflecting vatsalya rasa. Raju is a strong dancer and excelled in abhinaya as Manthara and as Dasarath at the coronation of Rama set to a delightful song ‘Pattabhishekatallu’. His entry with a tillana as Ravana on the raised platform was impactful. Equally appealing was the Shabari and Choodamani Pradan episode. But the piece was too long.
Mohiniyattom dancer Methil Devika’s ‘Cholkettu’ concluded with an impressive invocation adapted from ‘Soundaryalahari’ followed by ‘Krishnajanama,’ a poignant abhinaya on Mata Devaki set to Brahmaniatapatha. She ended with a fine Krishna tarangam, ‘Bhuo Bhuo Radhey’ by Swami Narayana Tirtha.
C. Ajay Kumar of Vijayawada stunned the audience with his spellbinding Kuchipudi, impersonating a female dancer.
In ‘Puja,’ his mastery over pure dance was as delightful as his abhinaya in ‘Ashtaveda Nayika’ executed with unbelievable ‘feminine’ grace and charm throughout. Subbaiyar’s ‘Maragatha Manimaya Chela’ was rewarding.
‘Khuramjaba Gouranga’ and ‘Varakvatemba’ by Sobita Devi were soaked in vatsalya rasa and beautifully choreographed in the language of the poong concluding with ‘Bansi Khonjil’, a fine creative Manipuri recital showing the eagerness and anxiety of Radha on hearing the ‘bansi’ (flute) of Krishna.
On the closing evening, Meernanda Borthakur’s Sattriya rendition of ‘Vishnu Bandana’ and pure dance ‘Ramdani’, a ‘Melanach’ in Thukani and Suta taal displayed her training. ‘Daivaki Khed Barnan’ beginning with ‘Barang Barang Wapanam Udarey’ (lyrics by Mukund Madhav Sharma) was the poignant tale of Daivaki’s loss of her seven children, portrayed with maturity by Meernanda.
While the Manipuri recitals by Sarjubala Devi and Bigyaneshwar Singh were ordinary, Kathak dancer Vishal Krishna enlivened the proceedings with his magical presence, flowing hair, skilful movements of the Benares Gharana, gatbhav and the fascinating slide in the Gopikrishna style with a peacock feather on his crown.
