The concept was laudable. Here is a dancer who has not only imbibed the traditional dance grammar of Kuchipudi but brought it to blend with Urdu ghazals of yore and flow into the Telugu devotionals of Saint Annamacharya.
Halim Khan who impersonated a woman enthralled the audience with his chiselled expressions and an equally impressive costume to match. He first essayed a Qutb Shahi era poetry in ghazal format. A prayer to Allah culminating in a very popular bandish (Jago mohan pyare…) a composition by Jasraj, was a secular piece with the three dancers paying obeisance to a universal God.
Mohammad Quli Qutb Shah's two romantic ghazals
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Ghazals are not tuned to classical dance whose rhythmic patterns are set to
Then, as the second part, the audience was treated to more classical form of dance with Annamacharya's new sankeertanas . The opening Maharashtrian devotional on Ganapati (Eka dantaaya, Gowri tanayaya…) marked the beginning of a delectable treat. Ativaro … in Nata, Vorapu, merupu, vayyaramu… in Hamsanandi and Rammanave vaani… in Desh were more of the erotic yet Halim did justice to the spiritual and madura bhakti that is said to be the essence of Annamayya's compositions. His varied expressions and body kinetics in tune with the lyrics were excellent and if at all the dance fell short of something it was the need for more clarity in adavus .
There weren't any
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