Celebration Of Indian Independence: A Cultural Tribute In Kathak Tradition
By Tennyson Rodrigo –September 8, 2016
Tennyson Rodrigo
The Indian Cultural Centre in Colombo (ICC) celebrated India’s 70th Independence Anniversary with a dazzling recital of Kathak dance at the Bishop’s College Auditorium on Saturday 13th August 2016.
Though attendance at the occasion was by invitation, ICC was gracious enough to give free tickets on request.
Renowned Kathak exponent Pragati Sood Anand was the principal recitalist; her troupe comprised four other female danseuses and a musical ensemble.
Ms Anand studied dancing for 12 years at New Delhi’s Kathak Kendra and has performed all over Europe as well as in the UK, Australia and America. Among her gurus is today’s most celebrated Pandit Birju Maharaj who has enthralled American audiences at New York’s Carnegie Hall along with tabla wizard Ustad Zakir Hussain.
India’s ancient classical dance forms have continued to evolve and flourish to this day with their original unique characteristics essentially retained. Each such form of dance represents a distinguishing set of ethnic, cultural and artistic identities; Kathakali andMohiniyattam of Kerala, Kathak of Uttar Pradesh,Manipuri of Manipur, Bharata Natyam of Tamilnadu andOdissi of Orissa are regarded as the main forms of classical dance.
Traditionally, Kathak dancers are experts in music, dance and story-telling. The word ‘Kathak’ is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Katha’ (story). It embodies a quaint synthesis of folk arts and Hindu and Muslim traditions evolved over centuries from temple ritual to colourful courtly entertainment. Today this dance genre has global appeal and many accomplished exponents of the art live and perform in places such as Toronto and San Francisco Bay area.
It was a pity that there was no printed program containing synopses of the stories portrayed in the dances. After a brief invocation Ms Anand proceeded to charm the audience with a profusion of enthralling dance items as virtuosic solos or with her quartet of all-female Kathak specialists.
