The Dover Lane Music Conference and The Dover Lane Music Academy presented their annual three-day festival of Indian classical dance at the Satyajit Ray Auditorium, ICCR, Kolkata with the usual grandeur.
Every evening of this much-awaited event opened with the toppers of the talent search contests in various disciplines and it was Bharatanatyam by Rishuv Kumar Poddar on the opening evening. His Alarippu and “Natanam Adinar” proved his training but the abhinaya “Usha Parinayam” needs to be mature. Kuchipudi exponent Dr. Madhuri Majumdar, and her dancers of Kuchipudi Kalamadhuri, presented an assortment of her group choreographies. “Gaja Vandana” in raga Sri Ranjini, Adi tala was followed by “Murugan” with six-heads dominating six human vices. A group of five performing a well-co-ordinated Tarangam on a brass plate in raga- tala-malika was interesting and so was the Dasavataram. The first day closed with some traditional Manipuri dance items like Dhol Cholam, Pung Cholam, Thang-ta and Vasanta Ras from “Mani Chintani” by Anjika Manipuri Dance group under the guidance of well-known Manipuri danseuse Priti Patel led by Karuna Devi. Karuna Devi presented a fine solo “Dasavatar”. Ras-leela is always lively and a pleasure to watch, the appeal to the general audience being more so for the beautiful costumes, the sparkle of the glittering kumins (skirts) and the joyous theme.
Meghna Das, the Odissi topper, has a fine presence in the still positions. She opened the second evening with Mangalacharan, Ashtapadi “Sritakamala Kuchamandala” and proved her rhythmic control in jugmadanda Pallavi in raga Bageshri, ektali choreographed by Ratikant Mohapatra with Pandit Raghiunath Panigrahi’s music.
To watch Dr. Neena Prasad’s Mohiniattam was to feel what this art form really meant in its totality. The invocatory cholekettu in raga Hamsadhwani, Khandajati and talam Triputa followed by the offering to the guru from Taittiriya Upanishad showed her prowess in rhythm.
The spiral movement of the torso with the syllables, “Drakuta Jhanutadrim drim..”, were artistically beautiful circular patterns and sways, paying obeisance to the Guru “Brahmanandam Paramasukhadam Kevalam Jnana Moortim Sadsguru Tyam Namami”. Her sense of amplitude and expanse in the Swati Tirunal Kriti, “Sankara Sri Giri Natha Prabhu”, in raga Hamsanandi on the opening of Shiva’s Third eye in Chidambaram Chitrasabha was stunning. Lasya in all its forms, the poetic interpretation of the lyrics, accompanied by music showed the connection between the artistic import and its religious significance.
With animated eyes, pronounced andolika and grace abounding, Neena concluded with the Kalamandalam Sugandhi composition“Kandarpabijeta Suravinodini Mohini”in Shuddha Dhanasree, Misra Chapu and the Tillana in raga Tilang, Rupak tala. The excellent vocalist Changanasseri Madhavan Nampoothiri, violinist Syam Kalyan and Chandra Kumar on the mridangam deserve special mention.
Uncommon Teentaal
Amidst great applause, Vishal Krishna took a dramatic entry with the Ganesh Vandana “Vignaharan Gajabadana,Gajanana”. Capitalising on his legacy, training and energy, he went on to present some uncommon traditional Teentaal compositions like “Tabley ka bol”, “Dha Thakathunga” of his father, a glorious, rare “Dupalli”, in vilambit and double, which he learnt from Gopi Krishna, tihai, chakradhar, a captivating “sam chodhney ka alaag andaz”, and gems of the Benaras gharana. His deport, stylised jumps and gait and “Gat Krishna ki” landing on the floor after a swift glide reminds one of Gopi Krishna. He switched over to padhant and a vigorous taatkar manipulating the cadence of his ankle bells unleashing a crescendo to the tintinnabulation of a single bell.
He was supported on tabla by his brother Kushal Mishra, vocals by Pratik Banerjee and Sandip Niyogi (sitar).
Versatile performer
The concluding evening witnessed some rewarding performances starting with the Kathak topper Shubradip Show. A strong dancer, Shubhradip’s entered with chakkar in the Shiva Vandana, “Om damaru baajey”. Subsequently, he presented the elements of Kathak in teen taal displaying fine technical competence.
After a bhajan, he concluded with an astounding display of tenacity with 108 chakkars (36,36,36.)!
“Chitra lohita”, depicting the Navarasa through the colour “red” by the acclaimed Kuchipudi dancer Vyjayanti Kashi and her daughter Prateeksha, was an awe inspiring experience.
