Kathak Kendra holds a significant position in the world of dance. This Delhi-based national academy of Kathak, a constituent unit of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, has been imparting training in Kathak and promoting the dance form.
Its annual Kathak Mahotsav, once a sought-after event that featured eminent artistes and informative seminars, was revived this year after almost a decade.
The 36th edition was held under the guidance of veteran Uma Dogra, chairperson of the advisory committee, and Pranaami Bhagawati, director, Kathak Kendra, with the patronage of the Sangeet Natak Akademi.
Kamalini and Uma Dogra at the seminar organised as part of the Kathak Mahotsav in Delhi. | Photo Credit: Rahul Naag
The well-conceived festival was dedicated to famed gurus such as Pt. Birju Maharaj, Munna Shukla, Kundan Lal Gangani, Pt. Durga Lal, Tirath Ram Azad and Jitendra Maharaj of Lucknow, Jaipur, and Banaras gharanas. Through talks, exhibitions and solo and group choreographies, the festival also focused on how the dance form has evolved over the years.
Prime disciples of legendary gurus shared their experiences. Saswati Sen spoke on Pt. Birju Maharaj, Sushmita Ghosh on Munna Shukla, Prerana Shrimali on Kundan Lal Gangani, Mangala Bhatt on Pt. Durga Lal, Nalini-Kamalini on Jitendra Maharaj and Ravi Sharma on Tirath Ram Azad by Ravi Sharma.
Saswati Sen speaking on Pt. Birju Maharaj at the seminar. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Kumkum Dhar from Lucknow presented a well-researched paper on ‘Anga-Saundarya’, the beauty of body movements (especially in Lucknow gharana) on the first day. Prerana Shrimali, Urmila Nagar and Geetanjali Lal discussed compositions of Jaipur gharana on the second day while ‘Kathak mein navinikaran’ (innovation in Kathak) had PowerPoint presentation by Madhu Natraj from Bengaluru. Maulik Shah & Ishira Parikh from Ahmedabad showed video clips of their innovative works on the final day.
While photographs that took visitors through the history of the dance form were on display at Vivekananda Sabhagar (Kathak Kendra), costumes, ghungroos and instruments of legendary performers were showcased at the Kamani Auditorium.
Sangeeta Chatterjee performing at the Kathak Mahotsav in Delhi. | Photo Credit: Rahul Naag
Mornings were reserved for thought-provoking discussions and evenings were meant for performances. Sangeeta Chatterjee, who opened her recital with an ode to Ganesha, felt it was a great opportunity to be part of a festival with a hoary past and to share the stage with established dancers. She presented the challenging ‘Pancham Sawari’ taal of 15 beats time cycle with amazing dexterity. She chose the famous Bhairavi thumri by Wajid Ali Shah, ‘Babul mora naihar chhuto ri jaye’, which he composed while leaving Lucknow, for her abhinaya segment, and treated it in two contrasting imageries of the worldly and the spiritual.
Monisa Nayak opened her solo performance with a dhrupad invoking Ganesha, composed by Pt. Vinay Chandra Maudgalya in raag Bhimpalasi and followed it with the 14-beat cycle of Dhamar taal for nritta with elan. One only wished that instead of Bhairavi she had taken another raga for Lehra, the musical refrain, because she was not the last dancer. Abhimanyu Lal opened with the invocatory dhrupad ‘Mahadeva Shankar’ set to Chautaal and then shifted to the medium tempo of Teentala with his usual assertive self.
Veteran dancer Shovana Narayan looking at the photographs on display. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Maulik Shah and Ishira Parikh offered a pleasant surprise by dancing simultaneously on two different taals. While Ishira danced to Jhaptaal (10 beats) played on the tabla, Maulik danced to the Rudra taal of 11 matras played on the pakhawaj. This lent a new dimension to their jugalbandi.
Hari and Chetna from Bengaluru opened their performance with ‘Purva-ranga’, consecrating the stage, and invoking the ‘Ashta-disha’ followed by ‘Kasturi tilakam’, before presenting Teentaal. The Swathi Tirunal composition ‘Chaliye kunjan mo’ for their abhinaya segment concluded with a Shivanjali.
Students of Abhinava Dance Company performing at the Kathak Mahotsav. | Photo Credit: Rahul Naag
The festival drew to a close with the group choreographies of Nirupama-Rajendra and dancers of their Abhinava Dance Company. Opening with Shivastuti, composed by Ustad Faiyaz Khan of Agra gharana in raag Hindol set to taal Dhamar, they presented the abhinaya segment on ‘Ayi Murali’ based on Krishna Karnamritam in raag Bihag.
Dance lovers, who had witnessed the grandeur of Kathak Mahotsav showcasing performances by stalwarts, had high hopes about its revival. Though well-conceived, the presentations were not backed by enough well-researched content and didn’t feature serious deliberations on different aspects of Kathak. The festival needs more thinking and better planning, essential for the dance form’s growth and its ability to absorb changes.
