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 Samarpan 2025- Kate Macdonalde-mail: katetmacd@gmail.com Photos: Hemant Gupta (hg medias) December 24, 2025 In spite of an unusually early and fierce snowstorm blowing through the Ottawa region on November 9, Samarpan 2025: A Tribute to Tradition commanded a full house of appreciative rasikas. In Himani Agarwal's words, Samarpan "was born from a simple intention: to offer our humble devotion to the timeless heritage of Indian classical arts. For me, this was not just a performance, but a heartfelt tribute to my gurus and to the divine grace that guides every rhythmic step." This heartfelt tribute was also blessed with the presence of a most distinguished guest of honour, Shri Dinesh Kumar Patnaik, the High Commissioner of India to Canada. This second edition of Samarpan was brought about by the joint efforts of Himani Agarwal's Divine Rhythm Creative Arts and Radhika Pillai's Prashanti School of Dance. Divine Rhythm Creative Arts is a nurturing space dedicated to sharing the beauty of Kathak. The school welcomes students of all ages and preserves the traditional techniques of the Lucknow Gharana, allowing each dancer to immerse themselves in this classical art form. Himani Agarwal began her artistic journey under the guidance of Guru Rukmani Devi, earning a Prabhakar degree in Kathak dance, Hindustani Sangeet, and percussion (tabla). Driven by a deep passion for Kathak, she continues her training under Pandit Jaikishan Maharaj, the elder son of Pandit Birju Maharaj. As a soloist and alongside her students, Himani has graced prestigious stages, illuminating the elegance and timeless beauty of Kathak with every performance. In addition to her expertise in Kathak, Himani has a profound love for Western classical piano, which she pursues and shares with her students. Prashanti School of Dance has been a nurturing space for students to learn and grow in the timeless traditions of Bharatanatyam and Carnatic music. Under the expert guidance of Radhika Pillai, the school emphasizes not only technique and artistry, but also the deeper values of discipline, devotion, and self-expression that form the soul of these classical forms. Prashanti - meaning peace and serenity - believes that art is a spiritual journey, and every performance can be an offering from the heart. Over the years, its students have performed at numerous cultural festivals and community events, sharing the grace and depth of Indian classical arts with diverse audiences. The creative force behind Prashanti School of Dance, Radhika Pillai is a passionate exponent of Bharatanatyam and Carnatic music. She began her training in Bharatanatyam at the age of three under Guru Rajalakshmi and pursued her training in traditional Kalamandalam style under dancer duo Kalamandalam Venkit and Preetha Venkit. An acclaimed international performer, Radhika brings deep knowledge and devotion to her art. She currently studies Bharatanatyam with the Upadhye School, and Carnatic music with Pusthakam Ramaa. The evening opened with the talented students of Prashanti, accompanied by Sarvesh Kannan on mridangam, offering a melodic invocation through the Gitams of Purandara Dasa (raga Malahari) invoking Lord Ganesha, Lord Shiva and Shri Hari, followed by a well-known Carnatic kirthanam praising Goddess Saraswati (raga Hindolam, adi talam), composed by Mysore Vasudevacharya. They also presented a popular Carnatic kriti composed by Tyagaraja Swami and ended the recital with a prayer to Goddess Lakshmi, written in Kannada by Purandara Dasa. Radhika's students next invoked the blessings of the divine as they danced Pushpanjali, an original choreography by their guru (ragam Gambeera Nattai, adi talam).  Himani Agarwal  Divine Rhythm Creative Arts Following this auspicious commencement to the evening, the Divine Rhythm Creative Arts Kathak dancers took the stage with Himani, showcasing her original choreography in the Lucknow style Kathak where pure nritta paired seamlessly with expressive nritya. Performed in Teentaal, Nritya Prabha unfolded like a rhythmic sunrise - moving from the meditative vilambit tempo to the exhilarating drut, illuminating the beauty of layakari, whose playful rhythmic dialogues lie at the heart of Kathak. This was followed by an abhinaya piece (raga Puriya Dhanashree) and a soulful Thumri where shringar rasa was explored through expressive storytelling.  Radhika Pillai The students of Prashanti School of Dance appeared next in another original choreography by their guru, based on the Carnatic Gitam "Varaveena" (raga Mohanam, rupaka talam). In this composition of Sri Appayya Deekshitar, the dancers expressively invoked the Goddess as the giver of victory, the consort of Ranganatha and the mother of Brahma. The next item, a stunning solo performance by Radhika Pillai, evoked the intense desire of Sri Ramakrishna Deva to behold the divine mother Kali, whom he worshipped daily in the shrine at Dakshineswar. In his own words, "I was dying of despair. And then - I had a marvelous vision of the Mother: houses, doors, temples vanished altogether. I saw an infinite shoreless sea of light; a sea that was consciousness. However far and in whatever direction I looked, I saw shining waves, one after another, coming towards me..." In the devotional intensity of Radhika's rendition, the audience members too were transported through intense seeking to an ecstatic darshan of the Mother. The lighting design effectively enhanced the hair-raising drama of this performance. Himani's young piano students then presented repertoire from the Royal Conservatory of Music's syllabus. Passion, discipline, and delight in music were evident in their interpretations. After this musical interlude, the dance students of Prashanti School of Dance presented an original choreography titled Sapta Swara Shambho. This vibrant composition, blending different ragas, was dedicated to Lord Shiva, the divine master of the Sapta Swara. After appreciative applause, Radhika's students again took the stage to present Devi Stuti. This choreography, based on a famous kriti dedicated to Goddess Varalakshmi, set in raga Gaurimanohari and rupaka talam, describes the beauty, linguistic prowess and divine qualities of the Goddess. Himani and her student dancers subsequently interpreted Daminiya - A Symphony of Thunder and Lightning. This original creation by Himani, presented in collaboration with ballet dancer Deneige Dojack, was a unique fusion of two completely different dance forms. The piece explored the poetry of thunder, lightning, and rain through the magical rhythm and grace of Kathak and the expressive fluidity of ballet.  Prashanti School ensemble Prashanti School of Dance returned to the stage to interpret a lively thillana dedicated to Rishabhanatha, the first tirthankara of Jainism. This thrilling performance showcased the young dancers' mastery of the intricate footwork, stamina, and grace demanded by the original choreography. The evening's entertainment came to a graceful conclusion with a Kathak performance composed by Pandit Birju Maharaj that combined the rhythmically complex footwork, graceful chakkars, and lyrical bols of Tarana: tanana dere na. Set in raga Jansammohini and woven into the vibrant cycle of Teentaal, this Tarana was well received by an appreciative audience. Himani reflected after the show that she was humbled and thankful that the second edition of Samarpan had resonated with so many hearts and looks forward to carrying this tradition forward. Prashanti School of Dance came on stage to perform a final Mangalam, an auspicious Namaskaram to the gods, gurus, audience, and small army of volunteers, who together created a very successful Samarpan 2025. In conversation with Radhika a few days after the event, she offered the following reflection: "Watching the students transform from shy learners to expressive performers is the greatest joy my art could ever give me. In these moments, every lesson my teachers poured into me finds new life through the children I teach. I feel my gurus standing silently beside me, their voices echoing through mine. Every time the curtain rises, I am saying to my teachers: I remember you. I honour you. I will continue your journey."  Kate Macdonald is a retired English teacher who discovered the joy of Bharatanatyam at age 62. Her Guru, Supratim Talukder of Kolkata, believes that learning can happen at any age. She loves to investigate and report on Indian classical dance in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, where this exquisite art is flourishing. |
