Dance Heroines Came Out Of the Walls in Khajuraho and Became A Reality on the Stage

Day 6 of Khajuraho Dance Festival

Bhopal, February 25.Art lovers are getting to see the sublime and wonderful form of Indian arts at the 48th dance festival in the tourist city of Khajuraho. On the evening bright with the colour of Phagun on the sixth day of the festival the dance performances enthralled everyone in the broad theater built in the middle of the aura of Kandariya Mahadev and Jagdambi temples. When the dancers descended on the stage with full decoration, it seemed that the dancers engraved on the walls of the Khajuraho temples were freed from the captivity of the walls and began dancing. All the performances were amazing from Devika to Rudraksh Foundation and Nayanika Ghosh.

The evening of Khajuraho Dance Festival started with Kathak dance by transgender dancer Devika Devendra S Mangalamukhi. Belonging to the Jaipur gharana, Devika went a little out of fashion and performed Kathak in the Mughalian style. In the presentation titled “Sham e Raks”, she gave a soulful rendition of the famous Sufi singer Khusro’s Kalam “Ya Re Man Baya Baya”. After this she performed Salaam in Sargam Ke Ang. Salaam has been a special part of Kathak performed in the Mughal courts. This was in the Tistra Jati. In the next presentation, Devika performed the traditional pure dance in Teentals. She presented Tatkaar like Uthan, Thath, Vividh Parne and answering questions. She concluded the dance with a dance performance on the famous thumri “Yad Piya Ki Aaye” by Bade Ghulam Ali Sahab. On the rhythm of Kaharwa getting Dhrut from Vilambit, she filled and scattered many colours with a dance spirit. She was accompanied by Janab Amiruddin Khan on Sarangi, Mohit Dubey on Tabla, Shabhanu Kumar Rao on vocal singing and Rekha Khatri on Sitar, making the performances memorable.

In the second presentation of the evening, the artists of Rudraksh Foundation, Bhubaneswar gave a glimpse of the splendour of Odissi dance. Yagyadatt Pradhan, who is among the disciples of famous Odissi dancer Bichitrananda Swain, Dishanan Sahu, Vichitra Behera, Santosh Ram, Samir Panigrahi, Surendra Pradhan, Sanjeev Kumar Jain and Rasmaranjan gave a spectacular performance of group dance. In the first presentation, presenting Krishna and Kali in dance emotions, the dancers told that there is no difference between Krishna and Kali, they are one. The next presentation in this sequence was from the Mahabharata. In this presentation named Chakravyuh, Abhimanyu’s bravery and devious moves of Kauravas were presented in dance. The music in these productions, composed in Raga and Taal Malika, was by Ramhari and the rhythm was by Dhaneshwar.

The programme ended with Kathak dance by Nayanika Ghosh. She started her dance with the worship of Shiva. On the notes of Raga Yoga and the bandish of Aada Chautal, “Shivshankar kar damru baje”, she presented both the physical and the formless forms of Shiva with dance expressions. She dedicated this composition to Kathak Maharaj Late Birju Maharaj. The next performance was pure dance. In this, the presentation of Uthan, Paran, Paran Aamad, Tode, Tukde Paramelu was given in Tritala. She gave an expressive performance on Khamaj Ki Thumri – “Eri Sakhi Ka Se Kahun” and Sufiana Thumri “Eri Sakhi Mose” written and composed by Birju Maharaj. Finally, she concluded the dance with a Tarana. Anshul Pratap Singh accompanied on Tabla, Ashish Gangani on Pakhawaj, Ambrish Gangrade on Sitar, Salman Khan on Sarangi and Suhail Hassan on vocal.

Hindustan Samvad