North meets South - Kathak and Bharatanatyam - Jugalbandi - February 2015

North Meets South..Kathak and Bharatnatyam Jugalbandi

Presented by Jyotsna Shourie Dance society.

Sunday 15th February 2015

Chinmaya Auditorium,Lodhi Road

Program Note and Pics from the performance::

The idea was to showcase both the styles of dance. Some as danced together in the ardhanareeshwara piece and in the tilanna and then the individual solo items. Nandita did arjuna's dilemma as he prepares for the Kurekshetra war in the bharatanatyam style and Rashmi did the Khandita nayika or angry woman deceived by her lover.

Rashmi Uppal, our Kathak exponent for the evening has been dancing for over 15 years. She started training under the guidance of Smt Bharti Gupta, disciple of Shambhu Maharaj and later with the renowned Kathak artiste, Aditi Mangaldas. Rashmi has performed extensively in India and abroad where she has been appreciated for her skill and expertise in this art form.

Nandita Kalaan Mehra, an exponent in the Bharatanatayam style has been dancing from a very young age and is a disciple of Jyotsna Shourie. She too has performed extensively both nationally and internationally, and has been hailed by the press as a graceful and compelling dancer.

Performance commences with Ardhanareeshwara, set to Ragamalika and Adhi Talam. According to the Skanda Purana, Parvati requested Lord Shiva to allow her to reside within him, embracing limb to limb. Thus the iconography of Ardhanareeshwara, or half male and half female arose. Though separated by an intervening axis they are constantly drawn to each other and fuse, though they display contrasting attributes.

Lord Shiva’s body is described as white as camphor, from the ash of the funeral pyres, while Parvati’s body has a golden glow. Her bountiful hair is neatly braided, while his, fly like sparks of lightening. Her gentle feet are adorned with soft sounding anklets, while his are covered with deadly snakes. Her eyes are as soft as the blue lotus, while his are like the petals of the lotus that grows in muddy waters. Parvati, the Mother, displays feminine grace or lasya, while Shiva the Father, is the embodiment of power and vigor with his tandav dance.

The music for Ardhanareeshwara has been composed by Sudha Raghuman and choreography is by Jyotsna Shourie

2. The next item is a solo presentation by Rashmi Uppal based on the Khandita Nayika, one of the Ashta Nayikas , the 8 types of women described in dance treatise, Natyashastra. It is an extract from a larger production SVABHAV- expressions in love. Hurt and enraged, the nayika, rebukes her lover for his infidelity.

Choreography, Rashmi Uppal, mentored by Aditi Mangaldas. This item is set to Taal Dhamaar

3. As Arjuna arrives at the battlefield of Kurukshetra , with Krishna as his charioteer, he is at once distraught at seeing Bhishma Pitama, Dronacharya and all his relatives arrayed in battle before him. What possible pleasure can be derived by killing our own people? he pleads with Krishna

Krishna offers judicious advice. As a Kshatriya it is Arjuna’s moral duty to fight a righteous war. All mortals born in this world eventually face death, for nothing is permanent, with the exception of the Soul. Fire cannot burn the soul, water cannot wet it and air cannot dry it. Despite Krishna’s cajoling, Arjuna’s dilemma continues. It is only when Krishna assumes the Vishwa Roopam , the gigantic form to encompass the 3 worlds, that Arjuna relents and surrenders. Krishna is no mere mortal but the Lord Vishnu himself whom he must obey. With renewed vigor Arjuna picks up his bow and prepares for battle.

Nandita presents Arjuna’s Dilemma.

Music Composition Sudha Raghuraman, Choreography Jyotsna Shourie

4. The final item in this evening’s program. The Tilanna wherein all members of the group, dancers and musicians combine to reach an exciting crescendo

The artists accompanying them today are well respected in their individual capacity and include

* Sudha Raghuraman Music Composition and Vocals,

* Jyotsna Shourie, Choreography and Nattuvangam

* R Kesavan Mridangam

* G .Raghuraman Flute.

The accompanying artists for Kathak include.

* Yogesh Gangani on the Tabla,

* Mahaveer Gangani on the Phakawaj

* Sami Ullah Khan vocals and harmonium

* And on the Lights we have Govind Yadav.

Pics Credit- Rakesh Sahai

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