Nalanda's National Seminar a Grand Success
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NEWS & NOTES 70 YEARS OF INDIAN CLASSICAL DANCES Nalanda’s national seminar a grand success alanda Dance Research with enhanced adherence to the Centre, Mumbai, is technique and aesthetics of the style celebrating the silver jubilee being highlighted. In Bharatanatyam, Nof its recognition as a research Nalanda is fortunate in possessing a organisation by the Ministry of vintage recording of Kamala (in the Science and Technology. Founded mid 1950s) with Vazhuvoor Ramiah in 1966, it has grown into a three- Pillai conducting the recital. From tiered institution imparting training Kamala, the documentary progressed in classical dances to pre-university to S. Kanaka and then on to Chitra students, academic education in Visweswaran of the same Vazhuvoor the form of Bachelors, Master’s bani. The changes were there for and Ph.D. in Dance degrees of the all to see. In Kuchipudi, Nalanda University of Mumbai at its college of possesses vintage recordings of classical dances Nalanda Nritya Kala Bhama Kalapam featuring a younger Mahavidyalaya and post doctoral Vedantam Satyanarayana Sarma research. One of its most important – a very traditional presentation with wings is the Department for the invocatory Ganapati and the Developing Teaching Methodology Sootradhara. The next presentation in Dance. Nalanda has planned a year- Kanak Rele of a Siva-Parvati duet by Raja and long calendar of events to celebrate Radha Reddy demonstrated the Years of Dance was an eyeopener and this achievement. radical changes brought about both in a very apt beginning. Compiled by technique as well as presentation. For The national seminar titled ‘70 Ashish Khokar from the fabulous Odissi, Nalanda has some outstanding years of Indian Classical Dances’, collection of his father Mohan recordings of Guru Kelucharan was an important event conducted Khokar, it conveyed the vibrancy of Mohapatra performing Jayadeva’s at Nalanda in Mumbai last year. our tradition in a short span of 20 ashtapadi-s. His presentation was The idea for the seminar came up minutes. The next was my compilation followed by a recording of Sanjukta during the deliberations of the from the archival recordings of Panigrahi performing a pallavi and special committee appointed by the Nalanda from 1972 till date. I had also, Kumkum Mohanty presenting an Planning Commission for mid-term at our disposal, some of the archival abhinaya item – both being his own assessment of the XI Five Year Plan, recordings of Doordarshan. Starting students – reflecting his own changes. of which I was an expert member. with a breathtaking presentation of In Manipuri, a very traditional All the seven recognised dance styles Koodiyattam by the late Ammanoor presentation where vachika or traditions acquired their present- Madhava Chakyar, the documentary predominated, was followed by a day form of presentation during moved on to Kathakali training more sophisticated presentation by the last 70 years. The process still featuring Ramankutty Nair, Krishnan Darshana Jhaveri. The Kathak section continues, but not at the frenetic pace Nair, and me – which effectively had a vintage Nalanda recording of of earlier times. Each presentation illustrated some of the changes that Sitara Devi, followed by a presentation at the seminar was an invaluable have taken place in the presentation of of Saswati Sen and Prerana contribution towards the preservation Kathakali. In Mohini Attam, Nalanda Shrimali. The screenings helped the and rejuvenation of India’s priceless has the only extant recordings of large audience to understand the heritage. Kunjukutty Amma done in 1972. Her proceedings of the seminar. rendering of the padam Prananayaka The seminar opened on the 17th of penned by Irayiman Thampi was On 18th September, the first session September with the screening of two juxtaposed with my rendering of began with Bharatanatyam presented documentaries. The first A Hundred the same padam – more refined, by Prof. C.V. Chandrasekhar. A l SRUTI February 2011 NEWS & NOTES direct disciple of Rukmini Devi, abhinaya of an ashtapadi and an his own aesthetic sensibilities Oriya pada. What shone out was the are equally powerful, resulting absolute necessity of a very strict and in tradition bound renditions of correct teaching-learning process pristine purity. His dance was all that which alone can impart excellence to can be said about the virtues of strict an exponent’s art. training imparted and imbibed; After Kumkum came Raja and yet he is a man of the present in Radha Reddy who set the stage on tune with the requirements of the fire with their mastery of rhythm. contemporary cultural ethos. His Raja, at the outset elucidated the accompanists also maintained the deep rooted sastraic tradition that same high level. forms the foundation on which Next was my presentation of Mohini the edifice of this art is created. A Attam, ably supported by my senior very revealing presentation was of students Madhuri Deshmukh and the gaits of animals based on the Megha Mohad. When I took to karana-s and chari-s. Since they are Mohini Attam in 1967-68, barely Birju Maharaj a dancing duo, the delineation of four items had survived, and there tandava and lasya in Kuchipudi was Sen. If the seminar hoped to highlight were about seven adavu-s in practice. very clear. Though their training was the concept of the bridge between the In 1972, I recorded the three in the traditional natya mould, today past and the present, Birju Maharaj surviving ladies who, in their heyday, they have successfully turned it into very effectively demonstrated it. were star performers. Today these a solo or duet act while retaining the th are the only records of Mohini On the 19 morning Kumkum past aura and flavour. Mohanty very beautifully projected Attam as it was performed at the The last presentation was om th her guru Kelucharan Mohapatra’s beginning of the 20 century. I Manipuri by Darshana Jhaveri and style with a pallavi followed by analysed their dances and have her students. We associate Manipuri identified movements, adavu-s and Raja and Radha Reddy with the gorgeous costumes and the other technical facets and have Vasanta and Maha Rasa depicting been successful in creating a Krishna and Radha surrounded proper academic syllabus for the by the gopi-s. It was Darshana’s University of Mumbai. Today, guru Bipin Singh who introduced in collaboration with Kavalam other themes like the depiction Narayana Panikar, I have of nayika-s in solo performance. choreographed more than 60 Darshana assiduously retains items – some which are revivals the original devotional flavour of an old forgotten tradition. of Manipuri and yet relates to contemporary requirements. The last slot was for Pandit Birju Maharaj for Kathak. A Each maestro stubbornly adhered priceless jewel in the artistic to the intrinsic soul of his or her crown of India, he enthralled the chosen idiom, maintaining its jam packed hall by his pristine aesthetics, yet relating it to the presentation. Though he had just contemporary ambience. The recovered from an eye operation, seminar was hailed as a great nothing could stop him when he success. recounted some hilarious episodes Dr. KANAK RELE from his illustrious career. His own choreography reflecting the (Veteran Kathakali and Mohini current trends was ably presented Attam exponent, scholar, and founder - Nalanda Dance Research Centre, by his leading student Saswati Mumbai) l SRUTI February 2011 NEWS & NOTES PANDIT JASRAJ AND NAGAMANI SRINATH HONOURED Lively debate at AoM Bengaluru meet on cultural policy he Academy of Music, Chiranjeev Singh, former Bengaluru housed Additional Chief Secretary, in the prestigious Govt. of Karnataka. Chowdiah Hall, the unique T Introducing the topic, Suma violin shaped landmark Sudhindra referred to the building, conducted a five- th outdated nature of the pattern day music festival from 24 th of government support for the to 28 November 2010. The arts and stressed the need for event included concerts by rethinking on innovative lines established seniors and junior in the context of the vastly talent, morning academic changed situation, hence the sessions comprising lecdems MANNA SRINIVASAN relevance of such initiatives. and a programme entitled N. Murali pointed to the complexity ‘Colloquium on Cultural Policy’. Ravikiran; ‘The role of Bansuri in and challenge in the formulation Jugalbandi and World Music’, by The main concerts featured Sanjay of a policy for culture. Giving some Praveen Godkhindi; ‘Navavarana Subrahmanyan, ‘Chitravina’ Ravikiran instances of enlightened royal Compositions of Dikshitar’, by with Haridwaramangalam Palanivel patronage at different periods of Dr. Pappu Venugopala Rao; and (tavil), Nagamani Srinath and history in different regions of India, ‘Creativity of Music in Dance’, by Shruti Sadolikar-Katkar (Carnatic/ he referred to the paradigm shift Chitra Visweswaran. Hindustani vocal jugalbandi), since independence in this regard. Ranjani-Gayatri and T.M. Krishna. The organisation of the event was Though some institutions were set On the concluding evening, there marked by commendable competence up by the governments at the centre and in the states, there had been no was a function to confer the ‘Sri and finesse. The hall was packed for indication of an integrated policy. K.K. Murthy Memorial Chowdiah the evening concerts. In tune with the Focusing on performing arts as the Award - 2010’ on Pandit Jasraj and expanding role of the AoM, it was common thread and unifying force Nagamani Srinath (see photo). announced that a music college and for the fabric of the country, Murali It was presided over by research centre were being set up. mentioned the increasing corporate M.N. Venkatachaliah, former Chief Pandit Jasraj was among the absorbed sponsorship in the promotion of Justice of the Supreme Court, whose listeners at T.M. Krishna’s concert. classical music and dance in recent speech reflected intellectual calibre While conveying his appreciation, times, mainly in the big cities. Even of a high order.