TAKITATOM
Over 5000 FOLK AND
TRIBAL ARTISTS performed 45 traditional dance forms from different parts
of the country during the 76th Republic Day celebrations in New Delhi
on January 26, 2025 with the performers covering the entire Kartavya
Path - for the first time - to ensure that all guests get the same
viewing experience. The 11-minute cultural performance was curated by
Sangeet Natak Akademi and embraced themes like 'Viksit Bharat' and 'Ek
Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.' The lyrics for 'Jayati Jaya Mamah Bharatam'
presentation were written by Subhash Sehgal and the music was composed
by Shankar Mahadevan. It made history by setting a Guinness World Record
for THE LARGEST INDIAN FOLK VARIETY DANCE.
In Tamilnadu Iyal Isai Nataka Mandram's NATYA SANGAMAM, 500 DANCERS
including 250 Bharatanatyam dancers and 250 folk dancers performed at
the Shore Temple in Mahabalipuram on January 24, 2025.
Bala Devi Chandrashekar's latest digital work, 'An ode to the Tanjore
Quartet', was released on 5 January 2025 at the TAG Dakshinamurthy
Auditorium, Chennai. Nandini Ramani released the DVD, and Priya Murle,
President of ABHAI, received the first copy. On January 12, the senior
Prince Rajasri Babaji Rajah Sahib Bhonsle Chhatrapati released the
digital version of 'Brihadeeswara - form to formless' at Thanjavur. |
LOOK OUT FOR
Natya Kala Parampara Foundation
The Gurus of Sri Rajarajeswari Bharata Natya Kala Mandir hail from an
illustrious lineage in Thanjavur, renowned for preserving and
perpetuating Bharatanatyam through dedicated teaching and performance
for over 300 years. Celebrating 80 years of this esteemed institution,
the Natya Kala Parampara Foundation is devoted to teaching and
sustaining the Thanjavur tradition to inspire and nurture future
generations.
Dance Conversations with Narendra Sharma
This film has excerpts from a long interview with renowned choreographer
Narendra Sharma conducted by Bharat Sharma - this was the last
conversation before the demise of the choreographer in January 2008.
In Pursuit of Excellence | Shovana Narayan | Kathak Then & Now
An interview series with classical dance maestros of India. Madhur Gupta in conversation with Shovana Narayan.
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AWARDS
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The list of Padma awardees was announced on Jan 25, 2025 and includes the following awardees in the field of dance/art.
PADMA VIBHUSHAN: Kumudhini Lakhia (Kathak)
PADMA BHUSHAN: Jatin Goswami (Sattriya), Shobana Chandrakumar (Bharatanatyam), Nalli Kuppuswami Chetty (Art patron)
PADMA SHRI: Bharat Gupt (scholar), Durga Charan Ranbir (Odissi), Mamata Shankar (Uday Shankar style), Purisai Kannappa Sambandan (Therukoothu), Thiyam Suryamukhi Devi (Manipuri), 96 year old Bhimavva (Togalu Gombeyaata - shadow puppetry)
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The prize winners of the 18th Annual Dance Festival 2025 presented by Madras Music Academy.
- Bharatanatyam (seniors), BEST DANCER: Shijith Nambiar & Parvathy Menon
OUTSTANDING DANCER: G Narendra
- Sub-seniors (First slot), BEST DANCER: Bhavajan Kumar, Harinie Jeevitha
OUTSTANDING DANCER: Avijit Das
- Sub-seniors (Second slot), BEST DANCER: Parshwanath Upadhye
OUTSTANDING DANCER: Purvadhanashree
- Juniors, BEST DANCER: Pritam Das
OUTSTANDING DANCER: PV Adithya
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Sangeetha Sambrahma presented SAMBRAHMA PURASKAR to artistes Guru Lalitha Srinivasan, Vani Iswara, Sudha Shekar Devulapalli, Devika Rao and scholar critic Dr.M Suryaprasad, on January 5, 2025 at Seva Sadan, Bangalore.
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Manikanchan Kala Manjari presented the MANIKANCHAN LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD to Guru Jatin Goswami on January 7, 2025 at Sri Sri Madhabdev International Auditorium, Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra, Guwahati.
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Kumar Performing Arts Center in Mysore presented the KALEMANE KALASHREE AWARD on January 11, 2025 to Sathyanarayana Raju and Guru Vazhuvoor S Palaniappan Pillai in the field of Bharatanatyam, and Prof. S Mallanna for sugama sangeeta.
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The KANAKA NARTANA PURASKAR 2024 was bestowed on dance critic Vijay Shankar on 12th January 2025 by Nalanda Dance Research Centre in Mumbai. Other awardees include Odissi exponent Rabindra Atibudhi and Sai Venkatesh, President of Karnataka Nrithya Kala Parishath.
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Sathyanarayana Raju and Veena Murthy Vijay received the
HONARARY DOCTORATE from the Karnataka State Dr. Gangubai Hangal Music
and Performing Arts University, Mysuru, on January 18, 2025.
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Syed Sallauddin Pasha has been awarded the D.LITT (Doctor of
Literature) for his groundbreaking thesis, 'Natyashastra on Wheels for
Persons with Disabilities,' by Karnataka State Dr. Gangubhai Hangal
Music and Performing Arts University, Mysore, on January 18, 2025.
Notably, this is the world's first classical wheelchair Bharatanatyam
guidebook, specifically designed to meet the needs of people with
disabilities, paving the way for greater inclusivity in the realm of
classical dance.
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Bijeesh Krishna has been honored with this year's NRITHA SANGEETHAM AWARD for best dance musician by the Kerala Kalamandalam.
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IICAT (International Institute for Complementary and Alternative Therapy, Kolkata) presented the AWARD OF EXCELLENCE to Tripura Kashyap on January 31, 2025 for her pioneering work in Dance Movement Therapy, at Rammohun Hall, Kolkata.
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Odissi dancer Sujata Mohapatra, Bharatanatyam dancer Dr. Suparna Venkatesh, Kathak dancer Deepa Kartha
will be honored with the SREE MUDRA NATIONAL AWARD 2025 (by Sree Mudra
Kala Gurukulam & Chithra Arts Foundation) at Sree Mohananadanam
National Dance Festival, on Feb 1/2, 2025 at Perambavoor, Kochi, Kerala.
NATYA KALA PRATHIBHA AWARD goes to Mohiniattam dancer Sandhya Rajan and Andhra Natyam dancer Loka Chandrasekhar, NATYA MOHANA PRATHIBHA AWARD to Bharatanatyam dancer Shweta Venkatesh.
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Delhi Tamil Sangam presented the GURU SAMMAN on December 21, 2024 to Shovana Narayan for Kathak, Jayarama Rao and Vanashree Rao for Kuchipudi, Ranjana Gauhar for Odissi, Jayaprabha Menon for Mohiniattam, Kanaka Sudhakar for social service and Bharatanatyam, Rajendra Gangani for Kathak, Shrimathy Madkholkar for Bharatanatyam, musician GS Rajan, Vasanta Shridhar for Bharatanatyam and Sindhu Mishra, ex secretary, SKP.
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ATMA SHANTI
Kathak
Guru CHITRA VENUGOPAL passed away in Bangalore on January 3, 2025. Born
on 28 July 1936, Chitra Venugopal, the younger sister of Kathak guru
Maya Rao, hailed from a family of artistes.
For Chitra, an art which was taken up as a hobby, turned out to be a
specialized study. After completing her BA, she was awarded the
Government of India Scholarship for study in Kathak at Bharatiya Kala
Kendra (now Kathak Kendra). Chitra was the second South Indian to
receive this award. Initially trained by Guru Sohanlal of Jaipur
Gharana, she had the opportunity of being trained by Gurus Shambu
Maharaj, Birju Maharaj, Devendra Shanker and Maya Rao. On completion of
her specialized training in Kathak, Chitra propagated Kathak in places
where it was not popular.
Chitra continued her work abroad from 1979 to 1988 in the UK and Egypt,
where her husband was on an assignment with a multinational company. On
returning to India in 1988, Chitra settled down in her hometown
Bangalore, and was actively involved in coaching of students at Natya
Institute of Kathak and Choreography. Chitra joined Bharatiya Vidya
Bhavan in 2000 as a Head of the Kathak training section in the Visual
and Performing Arts of Kala Bharati, a cultural wing of the Bhavan.
After a ten year association with Bhavan and 60 years of dance career,
at the age of 75 she decided to hand over the baton to the younger
generation to pursue the activity she had initiated at the Bhavan.
Chitra was appointed as Chairman of the Text Book Committee for the
first text book released for Junior exams for Kathak in 1994. She
was a recipient of the Senior Fellowship Award for research in 'Abhinaya
in Kathak' bestowed by the Ministry of HRD, Central Government for the
years 2000-2002. Her masterpiece was the choreography of
'Abhigyana Shakuntalam' which integrated Kathak, Kandyan and
Bharatanatyam styles.
Veteran make-up artiste SETHUMADHAVAN passed away in Chennai on January 13, 2025.
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FROM THE ARCHIVES
 Revitalising Kuchipudi art and heritage
- Sudha Sridhar
Kuchipudi village is perhaps the only place in India, which has given
its name to a classical dance form. The history of this village and its
inhabitants is interwoven with the evolution of the exquisite dance form
of Kuchipudi.
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QUOTE
Composing for a dancer is extremely difficult as the music composer
needs to integrate principles of melody, harmony, and rhythm with
visuals of a dance that still remains unborn in the mind of the dancer.
Many times, dancers surrender to the music composers and accept whatever
is given to them. But I enjoy it more if it is a collaboration. I do
not like forcing any of my ideas on them. I have observed that whenever
the dancer comes with a clear vision, the music sits more nicely on the
dance.
- MS Sukhi
('Traditions intertwined' by Deepa Chakravarthy, The New Indian Express, Jan 23, 2025)
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