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 e-mail: khokar1960@gmail.com The Shivaaraghya Fest 2025 Photos: Rahul Singh February 27, 2025 Ganesa Natyalaya of Delhi, all of 51-year-old now (that's a shagun in North), the go-to place to learn Bharatanatyam, has used the Swarna Saroja occasion - foundation day - as platform to project the purush ang (male dancer). This segment in Indian dance by definition and circumstances, societal and commercial aspects has been marginalised. Male dancing has been in the minority, increasingly with women power taking over. Even in all male forms like Kuchipudi, Sattriya or Kathakali, gender equality has tried to set in! Or got skewed with more women than men as in Kuchipudi. Thankfully Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Manipuri and contemporary have fair share of both genders. Of late, one sees role reversal when Mohiniattam is getting a few male proponents. Anyone try in Vilasini Natyam? Rama Vaidyanathan, the star performer today of Bharatanatyam, has shown the way in Delhi to support, nurture, mentor and platform many a talented one, other than her own students which many do anyway in India. Merit is not always the consideration when a teacher/institution or guru presents talents in a festival. It's more of self projection or own students. Rama Vaidyanathan has gone beyond to serve the field and share hidden gems. Last year it was Washim Raja, Shobhit Ramesh, Tekchandani and Shyam Singh, so this year were Vidhun Kumar, Akash Mallick, Ajeesh Menon and Tribhuvan Maharaj. Ashok Jain, a Spic Macay follower-turned-promoter in Kota, expounded on realities of solo traditions and used anecdotal experiences with Birju Maharaj's genius in making any stage worthy of art especially when pure dance becomes a language. Next he shared the story of Mani Madhava Chakyar whose depiction of Putana was so deep that in one eye he could show vatsalya bhava and in the other raudra! Pt. Durgalal's adage of "small stage, big stage", where any space could be made worthy was yet another gem. Rama Vaidyanathan's own case of how to judge in a class of 40, who is serious and a long distance runner was best reflected when a class break took place! While everyone ran to do something else, those 20% who stayed back and the 10% who used time effectively and efficiently were the real shishyas. S. Vasudevan got the first slot. He wears many hats: teacher, singer, conductor, dancer. His deeply researched item on Kundalini energy in slow motion, shining hair, was sinuous - looked like a snake crawling. Which is what yogis describe as Kundalini energy rising. Music pace was vilambit too. Well choreographed. But looking at children sitting there (by then only a handful of adults had come) one wondered what they made of it. While art is about an experience, creating awareness to do such a heavy subject right at the opening was bit wasted. A later slot for Vasu would have helped appreciation more like when the second last dancer of the long day (2-9pm) performed and put all to sleep by doing a very passable Kuchipudi. Vasu's face is elastic but too busy. This work will do very well in a setting where audience is mature and responsible. For essentially school and college going in the hall then what's kundalini itself is a big context to understand. Akash Dwivedi next, disciple of sincere and serious acharya Jai Kishan Maharaj, acquitted well. His total androgynous look made one wonder who was performing but his breathing with closed mouth showed his tayari. Kerala sari costume for Kathak was alluring. There is no rule only one type of textile can be used and Kathak is pan Indian now. Damaru har har baje was a good item but there was no clarity of hastas when showing bhasma. Dancers need to learn variety. Same limited hastas in Kathak is a bane, in addition to its casual construct. The Krishna kavit was good although the recorded music gave no real connect with the audience for technical portions. Ang shudhi was good and music excellent.  Ajeesh Menon Ajeesh Menon's sollukettu made one sit up to see a very ordinary looking boy transform not merely to a Mohini but a totally balanced human /dancer. He was the big surprise before tea time, contained and content. Methil Devika's student, he did her proud. Based on Soundarya Lahiri, the depiction was flawless. Seeing him dance it was evident he has ample confidence matched with a cute countenance. Kotichettan next dovetailed to Ardhanarishwara in an excellent finish. Eesha vandana by Dr Bhabananda Barbayan, an SNA yuva awardee to boot, showed why the form has not succeeded much in mainstream sensibility and appreciation. Repetitive pretty polly stuff in terms of aharya, but no variety after ten minutes. Perhaps in fifty years, this Sattriya form will get established and accessible like other southern forms in Delhi or North took to register in a setting outside its comfort zone. Bharat Gangadhar Devanpalli was like a dark horse who trotted on stage effortlessly. Excellent finish and detailed in both abhinaya and nritta, he was a delight; this talent was from Anand Sachchidanand stable in Mumbai.  Tribhuwan Maharaj Tribhuwan Maharaj next in khandani Kathak strode in with khandani confidence which he lived up to. Family and fan following were in abundance. Here is a good example of a legacy continuing. In Mahadeva Shiva Shambho he showed typical flourishes of his Lucknow gharana and was a winner. He is borderline between confidence and arrogance of inheritance. Dakshina Vaidyanathan's announcements were inaudible, lost due to technical issues. On the whole, sound levels were loud for that small hall. Post tea break, Dakshina and father Kamesh on tech deck, found solutions making it easier for senior citizens to hear what was being announced. Father and son and holy most of Ganapati, were Binesh Mahadevan and Poojith Menon. Symmetry of movement was their hallmark. They looked more like brothers. Jatis (mnemonic syllables) were well etched. Dr Karan Singh, the chief guest, found them interesting.  Binesh Mahadevan & Poojith Menon Nilava Sen next was in element and enjoyed dancing. His Shambho... was magnificent because he got into the role and in Ippo varuvaro he flourished. The anklet bells being minimal is a good cover up for faulty steps or weak rhythm which he didn't suffer from then why have token bells? The sound of ghungroos is not mere pleasantness but an accoutrement in Bharatanatyam. Nilava jumped and floated, flourished and flew with fine execution. He played to the gallery that hooted and clapped for him. Vinay Tiwari next looked neat and solid in Mohamana varnam. Many dancers open items with their backs to the audience. Why? Especially when the posterior is neither aesthetically appropriate nor auchitya. The varnam was dedicated to Guru Saroja Vaidyanathan. Red handed he was and well finished. Alas, the basic sound system stuck thrice gaining him sympathy but wasting precious time of all assembled. That he could not pick up from any point also shows how frail the foundation is. Upcoming talents like Tiwari should not mistake virtual followers on insta as real constituency. The real test is real audience and there are still some knowledgeable ones left. Piyal Bhattacharya's reconstruction of the tenets of Natyashastra have resulted into training and grooming a number of wards in Kolkata. His form truly takes one back in time and shows pan Asian connect in movements and drama. Genius material Piyal Bhattacharya has recreated but not fit for solo because how much of sameness of movement can one see on one patra? With more characters there's drama, variety. Aakash Mallick did justice to his guru's art - Asamana Vardhamanvidhi is deep.  Sinam Basu Singh Sinam Basu's maturer Manipuri was seen. Was he floating? What beauty of movement and delivery was like elfin or butterfly. Lilting grace with modern music tinge. It was so soothing. In the concluding Ardhanarishwara, the concept didn't get established well. Music sounded cool, almost modern.  Vidhun Kumar Vidhun Kumar from Trivandrum was a finely chiselled, full bodied Bharatanatyam dancer rarely seen in recent times. Ode to Chidambaram was well etched and even the Ninda stuti undertaken well. Here's a dancer to watch. By giving space and stage to such talents, Rama does a great service to art. Vishavdeep Sharma was next. Shyam bajai aisi muraliya had good rapport with the audience. Ravana’s dual aspect is in all of us. His dance is light and abhinaya lighter. Himanshu Srivastava in the Abandoned Gopi… Wow! He outdid himself. Here's a thinking dancer (it's not that others don't think but most think of themselves not the art or theme) who delves into a subject, develops it not for effect like many do but for self-satisfaction. There's manodharma. That leads to manotripti. He brings out layers of artistry. But again, why start by cameo of showing your behind? Black costume, red hands and feet are eye catching as is the damru in the end. Art of suggestivity is lost. Edakka is increasingly being used in Bharatanatyam. Problem today is, anything goes. Imbalanced sound. Himanshu has no obviously evident stage presence but stands firm and solid with his artistry. A deep work. Sanjeev Kumar Jena's Pallavi was a total wash out. Such basic dancers should not be featured after strong ones. A student of Bichitrananda Swain, he went through the paces without making any impact. Even the Ananda Bhairavi was colourless. The second last Kuchipudi dancer Venkat Dikshitulu from Hyderabad was student level not suitable for a festival that’s becoming established in Delhi's dance calendar. It was like food without salt. There was lip syncing in the beginning and then none. The dancer was sweet looking but with shaky positions.  Pritam Das & Gaurav Bhatti Gaurav Bhatti and Pritam Das in the end offered an unusual work that took time to flower, developed into soft porn for some in the garb of nadis and explorations. The work needs mature audiences. For young children this was not the fare and while some may get kicks out of such depiction, the art of suggestivity is the hallmark of classical Indian dance. The live music was patchy, evidently unrehearsed with the male singer off scale in places. Ashish Gangani on pakhawaj and Sayani Chatterji saved the musical part as even the sitar was ineffective and inaudible to boot. Dancers both good, seemed to suffer from over confidence. College level claps and hooting by inhouse fellow students and friends should not be mistaken for real standing or appreciation in professional world. Samm was about the 3 nadis, a convergence. Interesting work, exploratory. 19 male dancers showcased where they and their art stood and in platforming them, the Ganesa Natyalaya did yeoman service to them, the art and field. Congratulations!  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 Responses * Always an admirer of Ashish ji's balanced and unbiased reviews. The festival, no doubt, is giving opportunities to male dancers to showcase their talent. It was a lovely event to attend. If the dancers take this criticism seriously, they will surely benefit a lot! - Rashmi Khanna (March 1, 2025) * Your views and criticism are invaluable for the artists as well as for the audience. Thank you, Ashish sir. - Aasawri Singh (March 1, 2025) * Namaskar Ashish ji I just read your review of the recently concluded Shivaarghya festival '25 in Nathaki. I must admit after a very long time I read such a detailed, candid without any favourism review that is very constructive criticism and genuine praiseworthy to deserving talents. Yes, nowadays I do find clapping, hooting (even in Music Academy season) by fellow students and friends. I really welcome such constructive review without bias towards any performer may she or he be shishya of any renowned guru. Please do keep reviewing for betterment of our classical art form for the newer generations. - Shankar Narayanaswamy (Feb 28, 2025) * Shivaaraghya organized by Ganesa Natyalaya and under the guidance of Rama Vaidyanathan ji, is an event that generates immense excitement among audiences and performers alike. However, this year's edition left me with a sense of something missing. While a few dancers delivered outstanding performances (as mentioned in the article too), many others failed to connect with the audience in my opinion. The electrifying energy, passion, and charm that made last year's festival so memorable felt missing this year to me. Undoubtedly it is a great platform where every male dancer wishes/dreams to perform. Thank you for sharing the beautiful insights of the festival, sir. - RV (Feb 28, 2025) * Heartfelt gratitude to you, Ashish Khokar Sir, for your thoughtful review and kind words about all of us male dancers. Your insightful observations and encouragement mean a lot to artists like me, inspiring us to continue our journey with even more dedication. Thank you for recognizing our efforts and for your invaluable contribution to the world of dance. - Vidhun Kumar (Feb 28, 2025) Post your comments Please provide your name and email id when you use the Anonymous/blog profile to post a comment. 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