#Bharatanatyam song about playing ball full#
Kh …." and a Lithuanian poet Oni Baaliukone "Tarp Kitke"- from different parts of the world expressing the same theme of life being largely full of sorrow, though through this, one sees moments which give happiness. The concluding interpretative item, interwove poetry of Mahadevi Varma "mei Neerabhari du Shovana's Lithuanian disciple Doloneena Vilnius was the highlight of the festival, her Dhamar tala nritta and bold "Durgayai namah" invocation with thata having Durga reminiscent freezes, with her footwork having a good mix of rhythmic syllables combined in silent and accented patterns showing command over the Kathak form. Ragini's involved presentation moved the audience. But she triumphed in the Mythili Sharan Gupt poetry as abhinaya in Yashodhara - "Sakhi ve mujhe kehkar jaate" - Buddha's wife Yashodhara bemoaning the fact of the husband leaving her in the stealth of darkness, not realizing that she, if taken into confidence, would have sent him off with a tilak on his forehead for the success of his mission. Performing in the capital after a twelve year gap, her nritta while correct, lacked sparkle. Ragini Madan, Shovana's disciple, living and working in London, and continuing with her Kathak needs to be applauded.
Particularly impressive was the singer Amrita singing the one line, like an endless refrain (one of the most demanding tasks for a vocalist) not allowing the raga or verbal clarity of sahitya to flag. Shallu Jindal's Kuchipudi comprised well tried items from the repertoire with her training under Gurus Raja/Radha Reddy. Abhinaya requires a degree of classical restraint in the music. And the music with vocalist Madhav Prasad overdid the special effects becoming more theatre than dance. Power in the bearing of Rama and also in the Swayamvara glimpses and differences in the bearing of Sita and Mandodari.
The narrative based on the Ramayana, required more of the 'Paurusha' aspect of mascue The abhinaya aspect of the young dancer however needs to evolve. After the Ganesh Kavit and the bandish demonstrating ball play, the nritta finale unfortunately got botched, thanks to Mahaveer Gangani the Pakhawaj player who missing the ending of the bandish and avartan played on after the dancer had stopped. The dancer was at her best in the Pancham Savari nritta in 15 matras - the footwork clarity even in the drut laya, as also in the brief parhant impressive. Her invocation to Goddess Durga alternated fleeting glimpses of the powerful and the gracious qualities of the Devi. Shovana's student Mrinalini, entered with all the right social graces greeting all and thanking her Guru. Deep spirituality pervaded the philosophies of both Mahatma Gandhi and Rukmini Devi - Gandhiji's political vision of non violence and cultural inclusivity sprang from deep rooted spirituality, and Rukmini Devi’s belief was that art sans spirituality had no meaning.Īs customary, the start at the well filled Stein auditorium, was honouring those selected for the LalitArpan award - Pandit Birju Maharaj, Ustad Iqbal Ahmed Khan the Hindustani classical vocal artist and Akla Raghuvamshi the art curator and writer. And yet both in their respective spheres were karma Yogis, who worked all their lives for causes dear to them without desiring the loaves of office, Rukmini Devi turning down the offer to be the President of India (she was nominated) for she felt that her work demanding all her time and energy was at Kalakshetra. And yet both in their respective spheres were karma yogis.Īt first glance, comparison between Mahatma Gandhi, the apostle of Satyagraha, non violence and rejection of consumerist culture with an aesthete like Rukmini Devi, acknowledged as the high priestess of India's post 1930 cultural renaissance, seems rather far fetched. Comparison between Mahatma Gandhi, the apostle of Satyagraha, non violence and rejection of consumerist culture with an aesthete like Rukmini Devi,acknowledged as the high priestess of India’s post 1930 cultural renaissance, seems rather far fetched.