Kathak Dance Tradition was held at Mahagami Gurukul, Aurangabad

A special program on Kathak dance tradition was held at MAHAGAMI GURUKUL on October 10, 2015 evening at Sharangadev Sadan that brought a spectrum of expressions through Kathak presentations by MAHAGAMI Artists. The concert being held under "PARAMPARA" series of MAHAGAMI began with an intense invocation to Durga that depicted the sublime and terrific forms of the Devi. A pure dance composition that followed brought to life the intricate rhythmic and melodic motifs through crisp gliding movements, spins and footwork rendered with finesse by the disciples of Guru Parwati Dutta.

A timeless Dhrupad by Tansen describing the rainy season was basis of the next composition which displayed the esoteric power-packed technique of Kathak which was followed by an expressional piece 'Khelat shyam' that made the audience spellbound with the expressional journey of Krishna's playful ways and mischiefs interweaving it with complex dance sequences. The last presentation of the evening was yet another masterpiece that spoke volumes about the creativity of Parwati Dutta; the piece named 'Nirjharini' was conceived as a dance-tribute to the waterfall near 'Sita-ki-Nanhi' at Ellora caves. 

Starting with melodic passages depicting the purity and stillness of water and the imagination of Sita, the dance-compositions moves interestingly towards exploration of the sound, visual beauty and grandeur of the waterfall and mystically connecting it with the image of Sita.

The program was followed by an open session in which the audience interacted with Parwati Dutta and asked many insightful questions on Indian Heritage. It may be recalled that the academic year 2015-16 is the 20th year of MAHAGAMI GURUKUL ("Vishrabdha Vinshi" - 20 years of faith) and many concerts, interactive sessions and workshops are conducted to make the year vibrant with rich cultural experiences.

The performance was greatly appreciated by the audience. Among dignitaries, the Deputy High Commissioner of Italy Mr. Ganlula Grandi from Italy was present in the program which was conceived and directed by Parwati Dutta.

Source: Abhinay Deshpande, click4college Specialist