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 20th Drishti National Dance Festival - Dr Veena Murthy Vijay e-mail: veenamurthyvijay@gmail.com Photos: Harshavardhan VK February 5, 2025 "Vishishta Vimshi" celebrating 20 years of the Drishti National Dance Festival. Organised by Drishti Art Foundation and curated by Bharatanatyam and Bharatanrityam dancer Anuradha Vikranth and T M Vikranth. Conducted on 25th January 2025 at Chowdiah Memorial Hall, Bangalore. The Drishti National Dance Festival, now in its 20th year, stands as a landmark cultural event in Bangalore, organized by the renowned duo Anuradha Vikranth and T.M. Vikranth. Since its inception, I have had the privilege of witnessing this festival's growth into a prestigious platform for artistes across India. Each year, it showcases vibrant and creatively curated productions by some of the country's finest performers. This year, the festival reached new heights, establishing itself as a premier event for artistes and connoisseurs alike. The 20th year of the Drishti National Dance Festival was a grand extravaganza, marked by a remarkable coincidence - most of the artistic productions centered around Lord Shiva as the main theme. Each group, including Dr. Ananda Shankar Jayant, Anuradha Vikranth, and the Nrityagram Ensemble, presented the deity's multifaceted dimensions and energies through their performances. Every ensemble brought its own unique interpretation, showcasing the immense creative possibilities of dance, even when focused on a single deity. The Drishti Ensemble offered a distinctive perspective on Lord Shiva, Dr. Ananda Shankar's production introduced a fresh and innovative treatment, and the Nrityagram Ensemble explored yet another profound and nuanced shade of the divine. Together, these performances celebrated the boundless depth and creativity that dance can bring to the portrayal of Lord Shiva, making this year's festival a true celebration of artistry and devotion.  Shankarananda Kalakshetra The opening act by Ananda Shankar's group Shankarananda Kalakshetra was a breathtaking display of artistry that captivated the audience. She brought together her finest dancers for a mesmerizing presentation featuring three distinct pieces, including a solo act by Bangalore's star performer, Mithun Shyam. The thematic focus on Shiva's family began with Lord Ganesha, transitioned to Lord Subramanya, and concluded with the divine union of Shiva and Parvati. Each performance was vibrant and colorful, with intricately crafted choreography enhanced by Surya Rao's brilliant lighting design. The overall production set a high standard for the evening, captivating the audience and building great anticipation for the rest of the program.  Drishti Ensemble This was followed by the Drishti Ensemble, whose energetic and dynamic performance infused a vibrant energy into the evening. The Drishti Art Centre showcased their exceptionally trained students in their ensemble in a performance celebrating 20 years of excellence as Vishishta Vimshi, meaning "The Special 20," a concept beautifully penned by the eminent scholar Shatavadhani Dr R. Ganesh. The ensemble, featuring over 20 dancers, captured the essence of the joy and enlightenment that dance brings to each individual. Their performance embodied higher consciousness and celebrated this milestone by creating a vibrant formation of lights in the shape of the number 20, adding a spectacular touch to the occasion.  Nrityagram Ensemble The Nrityagram Ensemble then delivered a spellbinding Odissi performance, characterized by their mastery of nuanced expression and deep internalization of the dance form. Their presentation was both intense and impactful, leaving a lasting impression on the audience. Nrityagram's opening presentation, Shri Mathi, was a captivating portrayal of the power, compassion, confidence, and conviction that define the essence of womanhood. Performed in the Odissi style, dancer Anushka delivered a spellbinding performance, skillfully conveying subtle and refined emotions through her expressive movements and facial expressions. The highlight of the ensemble's performance was the sattvika abhinaya, a profound demonstration of internalized expression that revealed the depth of practice and dedication necessary to achieve such artistic mastery.  Drishti Puraskar The presence of the legendary dance guru, Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam, elevated the celebration, making it a glittering tribute to 20 years of outstanding contributions by the Drishti team. Renowned Yakshagana exponent Dr. Sivananda Hegde was honored with the prestigious Drishti Puraskar in presence of this legendary guru along with Dr Pratap Madhukar Kamath, MD of Abaran Timeless Jewellery and Dr T M Manjunath, a distinguished scientist and National Award winner for his contributions to agricultural entomology, who serves as the festival's chairman and chief patron.  Sri Idagunji Mahaganapathi Yakshagana Mandali The evening concluded with a Yakshagana performance by Keremane Shivananda Hegde, blending humor with engaging storytelling. As part of the event, Dr. Sivananda Hegde performed along with his Sri Idagunji Mahaganapathi Yakshagana Mandali, an engaging piece from the Ramayana, portraying the episode of Shurpanakha attempting to entice Rama or Lakshmana. His performance kept the audience enthralled until 10:30pm, providing a memorable finale to the festival. Overall, the Drishti Festival continues to illuminate Bangalore's cultural scene, creating a cherished space for artistic excellence and audience delight.  Dr. Veena Murthy Vijay is a Bharatanatyam and Kuchipudi exponent and mentor, a research scholar and a well known choreographer from Bangalore. She is the director of Sri Raja Rajeshwari Kala Niketan, Samanavay Dance Company and AIM Bengaluru International Arts Festival. She is President, World Dance Alliance, Karnataka Chapter, Asia Pacific. |
