With Delhi’s foggy winter making driving hazardous, Kathak festivals which go on till after 11p.m. are out of bounds for art lovers commuting long distances. Why the Vasantnrityotsav, clashing with other Kathak festivals, mounted at the India Habitat Centre by Vaasuki Natyashala should have settled for three artists each evening of the two-day festival of homage to late Durga Lal, is best known to the organisers. Auditorium hopping, one arrived after Pratibha Prahlad’s Bharatanatyam, to see Anita Sharma’s Sattriya Nritya, her rendition of the graceful Rajaghariya Chali Nach, followed by a sensitive portrayal of young Krishna being coaxed out of bed by Yashoda. “Utho mere Lal”, Yashoda says, for the other cowherd boys are already with the grazing cows. When the child joins the others, she watches in motherly delight. The finale, “Daksha Yagna” with Shiva’s anguished anger quelled by Vishnu (from the 4th chapter of the Srimad Bhagavat), with Rhakhowa Khoi’s singing and Bhaskar Jyoti Ojha’s khol for accompaniment, made for a forceful ending.
Starting at near 9.45 p.m. with hardly any audience, was hardly fair on Jayant Kastuar presenting Kathak. The nritta part after Ganesh Vandana “Prathama Sumira Sri Ganesh” showcased rare uthan bandishes of infinite variety, an inheritance from Guru Durga Lal, which went on for long. Knitting the Saraswati hymn “Kundendu tushara hara dhawala....” on to the Meera bhajan “Chalo man Ganga Jamuna teer”, the dancer aimed at the interpretation acquiring the expansive feel of the mingled Ganga/Jamuna and Saraswati culture which shaped literature and art of the times, with the dance visualisation also portraying flora and fauna of the region. Unless rehearsed with perfect sur and microtonal tallying, it is perhaps a better idea to leave the singing to the vocalist. The late hour meant seeing only part of the recital.
Kavita Dwibedi’s growing Odissi maturity was palpable right from the “Manikka Veena” Saraswati sruti in mangalacharan. In the nine moods strung round Parvati, based on Shankara’s “Sringaaraadra...” hymn, the abhinaya visualisation showed an understanding of both mood and its contained expression. But more work is needed on Sukant Kundu’s Sanskrit pronunciation of what is very frequently used poetry. And the music could evolve into a more evocative statement, working on the ragamalika and mood and changeover points.
With Imran Khan’s vocal accompaniment, Nandini showed herself to be, even today, one of the most accomplished of the Jaipur gharana dancers in terms of nritta, abhinaya and exquisite grace. It is a pity that she has not looked after her body, ensuring for herself another ten years of active performing.
On the ascendant
Vani Madhav’s Odissi recital at the India International Centre showed that training under Gajendra Panda has certainly made for greater sophistication. The mangalacharan with Shiva stuti, given a more articulated chauka and a bhramari (pirouette) taken with the body steady in the half-seated position, would have been more effective. This same drawback was seen in the otherwise neatly rendered Kalavati pallavi in Ektali wherein Vani’s broadly correct laya requires more assertive footwork clarity in fractional intervals between beats. In the abhinaya items too, the dancer showed herself to be more communicative, though in the Oriya song “Ki elo Sajani keli kadamba mule” more of the mood of wonderment at the encounters with Krishna would have enhanced rasa. And in places, footwork was smudged. More of the tandav energy was needed in Shivashtakam. The Jayadeva ashtapadi “Dheera sameere Yamuna teere” met with an involved rendition. For more polish, the abhinaya should clearly indicate, in small gestures, who is addressing whom, about whom.
