The veteran dancing sisters from Delhi, Nalini and Kamalini Asthana, represent the Benaras Gharana of Kathak, believed to be the oldest of the three schools. This is a pre-Mughal style that was established by Pt. Janakiprasad from Rajasthan.
The duo’s teacher and guide, Guru Jitendra Maharaj revived the temple style of Kathak. It is distinguished from the other styles in many ways — exclusive use of nritta bols such as ‘dha dhalaang dha dhumkita dhumkita’ (akash chari bol), not tabla or pakhawaj bols as is the usual practice; use of stuthis with tihai, sloka, bandish as opening pieces in the repertoire instead of the ‘Aamad-tukda-toda-paran’ format, and the use of bhajans instead of ghazals; the greater use of the heel as against the greater use of the balls of the feet in footwork; the absence of ‘bait ki bhav,’ seated performances, as in the darbar shaili, et al.
Nalini and Kamalini commenced with an elaborate Siva Stuthi (chautaal-12 beats) in Dhrupad style with slokas on Siva, ‘Angikam Bhuvanam’ (Sankara) and ‘Kripa Samudram’ (Bhupali) and a bandish (‘Chandra Mani,’ Malkauns) interspersed with pure dance sequences using Siva Stuthi bols and ending with a sawal-jawab sequence between Parvathi and Parameshwara using specially created damaru bols.
Perfect timing
The senior dancers did not have much to prove soaked as they were in the moment, unmindful of the thinning audience at the ‘Swathi Nruthyolsavam’ dance festival organised by Dasyam Trust and Mohiniyattom dancer Gopika Varma. They presented vilambit laya (teen taal) and madhya laya (teen taal) with perfectly-timed footwork to the recorded voice of Guru Jitendra’s padant. The beginning of bhav, expressions, was the subtle gat nikaas of ghunghat (veil) and kalai (wrist), simple themes that were embedded within the vilambit laya composition.
The madhya laya piece had a gat nikaas of Radha’s sringaar followed by an enjoyable kavit, ‘Lasat Lasat Prabhu’, which portrayed a beautiful storyline of Radha setting the taal and Krishna dancing to it. The finale was their show-stopper Holi thumri, ‘Mat maaro kanak pichkari’ (Kafi, Deepchandi taal), a vibrant musical piece with big movements and chakkars across the stage as Radha and Krishna celebrate the festival of colours, ‘Mat maro kanak pichkaari O Shyam, mori bheegi chunnariya saari O Shyam, main tho mar gayi laaj ki maari O Shyam..’ (Please do not spray with the golden water gun O Shyam, my scarf is soaked O Shyam, I am overcome with shyness O Shyam…’) Evocative lyrics presented with restraint and class, reflected the spiritual take by the guru and his students.
