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 e-mail: khokar1960@gmail.com Pug ghungroo bandh in Pune May 6, 2024 Pune is a unique city for dance. It is like Madras. Near perfect. People in dance field are pucca about their work, professional in attitude and perfect in interpersonal skills. They don't go overboard with emotion like North India or go ballistic, as in East! For 20 years now, one has been going to that city. First, as the national director of America based Ngo in cultural education called the AFS. We helped start the Pune chapter and also steered it for three years. It was the most differently abled chapter in AFS network. Parents were demanding and kids were nicer! Well behaved, disciplined and kept to the course. That was 2004/5. A full 20 years ago. It was so nice to meet one such alumnus of AFS Yes program Valerie Apte, who was compering the Anuvedh festival on occasion of the World Dance Day celebrated with pomp and show by one of the biggest Kathak dance centres of Pune called Maneesha Nrityalaya. About ten years ago a refined, cultured lady called Shama Bhate, guru of Kathak, bahu of Rohini Bhate the great, hosted my first immersive dance history film-based lecture that proved successful and led to many future invites and interactions with gurus Sucheta Chapekar, star dancer Rujuta Soman, FTII, India House, even Osho ashram. Pune grows on one. Like slow wine, though I've an enzyme-breaking problem in my DNA, so I drink mostly milk, fruit juices, lassi, chhas, Electral in this heat, or water. Water, water everywhere, not a drop to drink. Pune is like that. Rich in art, all forms - music, film, theatre and dance. Add literature. Such a city ought to be the cultural capital of India, not a dusty place like Delhi. It also lacks serious corporate support. Not one company readily supports art, especially dance. Pune is also the new epic centre of Kathak. In fact the quality of Kathak is so huge and good here it puts all other cities to shame. Delhi is like kindergarten now and Bombay like high school graduates. Bombay had huge icons of Kathak like Lachchu Maharaj, Kundanlal Gangani (before father brought him to Delhi Kathak Kendra), Damayanti Joshi (she was the first to see me in hospital in Baroda when I was born on an odd day like leap year of 1960), Sitara Devi (my bhua or father's drinking buddy!), Roshan Kumari, serious and sincere and many more. Today Kathak in Bombay means Guru Uma Dogra, who has established a good platform for Pt.Durgalal brand of Kathak. Her Raindrop and Samved festivals are benchmarks. There were others before like the Sarang sisters, Sunaina Hazarilal and many film talents like Pt.Gopi Krishna. His prime disciple is Guru Maneesha Sathe, who has taken his legacy forward. And how! Last week, on international day for dance, she unleashed 130 dancers on stage, each one with tayari and layakari. One has rarely seen such a grand SHOLAY PRODUCTION in Kathak! 'Anuvedh' 2024 organised by Pandita Maneesha Sathe was a wonderful array of 16 Kathak choreographies especially performed to celebrate the International Dance Day. To plan 16 items or offerings, each different from other so audience is not bored was not a challenge for someone so gifted as Guru Maneesha Tai.  Maneesha Sathe The invocatory composition Ek shloki Ramayana was presented by none other than Maneesha Sathe herself. One has rarely seen the whole Ramayana in under five minutes, done so crisply. She shows what gurudom is about: command of stage, control of each aspect of dance and continuity of a tradition while partaking contemporary trends.  Jhaptaal by Tejaswini Sathe  Eager rasikas who paid their way Jhaptaal next by Tejaswini Sathe and team was a spiffy rendition that awed the audience. Tejaswani is bahu of Guru Maneesha Sathe too so the expectations are more and the pressure on her to maintain set standards kyunki saas bhi kabhi bahu thi. The overall ambiance was full of families and generations of art lovers together in one hall. 500 people who paid tickets and stood in line was rarely seen in other cities where audiences have to be cajoled to come. Gauri Swakul and her team performed Raas vilas which was a combination of nritya and nritta elements of Natawari Nritya. Natawari pertains to Krishna lore. Shiva Shambhavi Chatrang vividly depicted the Anand Tandav of Shiva-Parvati, composed and choreographed by Manasee Gado and she is like a possessed person, totally involved with the art. Next, an ode to the Goddess Ambejogai was offered by Isha Kathawate and her disciples through a traditional Abhang. This was to cater to the region and cross cultural interpolation. The cameos were neatly rendered. Padmashri Joshi and Sadhana Nrityalaya team portrayed the nuances of footwork, Padanyaas the speciality of Kathak. When one is named Padmashri then parents must believe in their ward's talent from birth. She proved her worth. Jao jao na mai bolu tose, a bandish expressing the emotions of a Nayika was presented by Aditi Kulkarni and team. It was a bit literal but young dancers need more stage experience to evolve to the inner nuances of the poetry.  Sanyuj by Maneesha Nrityalaya Sanyuj, the group choreography by Maneesha Sathe, showcased group synergy at its best. The music piece Bolero composed by French musician Ravel was presented in its soulful Indian version. Bolero grows like sound of a battalion marching from far and as it gets nearer, the volume of instruments increases. This item by definition is travel worthy, internationally. The second half of the concert commenced with Saraswati Vandana performed by Dr. Madhuri Apte and her troupe. She is a thorough artiste from the minute she enters the stage. That she enjoys dancing also shows. This item could have come in the beginning. What are we artistes without the grace of Saraswati? Taal Gajajhampa, the cycle of 15 beats (Pune has taal pandits Suresh Talwalkar and Vijay Ghate and so many more that even dancers are far more equipped than their counterparts in other cities) unfolded through striking compositions by Manjiri Karulkar and her disciples. Shilpa Datar along with her performing unit presented a unique composition Chanrayaan powada composed by Charudatta Aphale to salute the fantastic feat of Indian space research. This was bit of a school production appeal, though novel. A bandish on Abhisarika nayika by Amir Khusro was choreographed by Mithila Bhide and performed along with her troupe. It brought out the flavour of this tenth century poet. My first role in a professional ballet production when I was 16 (I'm still 16, if one counts by leap year birthdays) was that of Abul Hassan Yamin-ud-din better known as Amir Khusro. President of India then, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, bowed to me on stage and I was super thrilled. For doing this production I missed many days in college - St.Stephen's - so my attendance was very low and they threw me out. I took my poetic revenge many years later by naming our yearbook attenDance! The latest issue is on Pune! What a turn of cycle of events. That's life.  Special Pune launch of AttenDance  Raas Chaturang The Kathak Djembe fusion by Payal Gokhale and team left the audience in cheerful mood and they could see mock drum beating in between. The item energised all. It had spark. Purva Shah's performing unit presented Krishna raas Chaturang composed by Dr. Chaitanya Kunte. Good team work was its strength and substance. Next, the composition Shyam chhabi ati bani by the legendary Pandit Bindadin Maharaj that was embellished with taal compositions and tatkaar by Taalyogi Suresh Talwalkar was choreographed by Shambhavi Dandekar and wonderfully performed by her senior disciples like Neha Muthiyan who shone. Even if the guru Shambhavi could not come from USA all the way, her able team acquitted well.  Tarana The Tarana in end, composed by Kedar Pandit and choreographed by Guru Maneesha Sathe won the appreciation of connoisseurs who gave a standing ovation. The 14 senior disciples of the star guru looked fulfilled as did the guru. It was a memorable evening of variety of Kathak as manifested in tradition, folk and films. In a way, the chief architect Pt.Gopi Krishna was seen sweetly smiling from the photo kept on the dais. Nataraja danced on.  Critic, connoisseur, historian, author, artivist, archivist, administrator and more - editor, columnist and mentor Ashish Khokar remains true to his muse. More on attendance-india.com Response * A review with micro lens. Worth preserving for all the information that it provides. - Shila Mehta (May 7, 2024) * Amazingly captured the Pune dance scenario!!! - Rujuta Soman (7 May 2024) Post your comments Please provide your name and email id when you use the Anonymous/blog profile to post a comment. All appropriate comments posted with name and email id in the blog will also be featured in the site. |
