Dancer Parvathy Ravi Ghantasala organised the annual Music and Dance festival, under her banner - Kala Pradarshini Trust, and in this year’s festival, which took place recently, she had organised the Kathak recital of Uma Dogra, senior disciple of late Pt. Durga Lal. Uma’s performance began with a Siva Panchakshara Stuti – ‘Nagendra Haaraaya’ in Raag Malkauns and her portrayal of the varied attributes of lord Siva - with the snake coiled around his neck, the tiger skin attire and the flowing curly locks as he dances with vigour - revealed her heightened skill in the art of abhinaya.
The rhythmic section, which is an intrinsic part of kathak, unfolded with a composition in Teen taal set to a cycle of sixteen beats and here in the varied picturisations such as the play of the Ghoongat, the Ched-Chaad between two romantics, the sringara bhava was captured with quick gestures to the rhythmic variations. Paran, which was set to a beat from sama to sama tala and another rhythmic vibrant number in different tala pattern brought in the feel of rain and thunder.
It was then a downpour of vatsalya bhava when the dancer walked in from the side-wings carrying little Krishna while emoting to the Mira bhajan ‘Basro Morae Nainaname.’
Absorbing sequenceThe mother sits down and lovingly applies oil to the child, tests the temperature of the hot water, splashes the water gently and playfully on the child, wrapping him up in a towel and then slowly adorning him with garments and jewels – all these were the vignettes of her sancharis, wherein the complete sequence of bathing and adorning a child came alive in her abhinaya. This long sequence came as a prelude to the song.
The Ashtapadi ‘Dheerasameere Yamuna theere’ continued the focus on Krishna, the portrayal of the breeze gently caressing the surface of water to create ripples and the beauty of the bees hovering around the landscape were memorable.
As a tribute to her guru, Uma performed a few rhythmic numbers, synchronising footwork to the tabla sounds before concluding with the sloka ‘Guru Brahma.’ Manoj Desai, whose melodious voice and soulful rendering enhanced the mood of the evening programme, was supported by Vinayak Neike (tabla), Srinivasan (flute) and Sarita (cymbals).
