Performing Arts of Indian Heritage - "MALHAR" - 2018, 8-9 September, West Zone Culture Centre, Udaipur Rajasthan

 

The Kathak Dance Performer - Kavita Thakur

The Kathak Dance Performers and Artists on Instruments led by Kavita Thakur

Classical Malhar Raags' Singer Savani Shindey Sathaye

Kerala State Kathakali Performers led by Shri. P Anil Kumar

The Performers of Odissi Classical Dance led by Shagun Butani, Director Furkan Khan and Addi. Director Sudhanshu Singh of WZCC, Udaipur, and Director Saubhagya Vardhan Singh of NZCC, Patiala and Director Indrajit Grover of CZCC, Allahabad

The Performers of Kathakali

In the season of monsoon in Udaipur, West Zone Culture Centre under the aegis of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India has endowed its Udaipur audience with a spectacular show of Indian heritage comprising of the traditional arts in the form of Malhar Raag, Kathakali and Kathak.  Raag Malhaar (Raag Miya Malahar) since ancient times of Indian History and Classical Culture has been sung with notes, sweet strains and lyrics to celebrate the God’s gifts of renewal of natural life on the earth for mortal beings during rain showers. The Raags that were rendered in the festive occasion of Malhar on 8-9^th September, at Darpan Sabhagaar, Shilpgram, Udaipur included – Raag Bhairavi, Pahadi  etc. which is to invoke the God of rain, enthrall the emotional mood and imitate the vagaries of nature in the thunder of clouds and rain torrents falling from the sky onto the earth. Most of the ‘Bandishen’  - musical notes are derived either from Acharya Vishwanath Rao Ringe ‘ Tanarang’ or from a wonderful creation by Sangeet Samrat Miya Tansen. Kathakali is the most well-known dance drama from the South Indian state of Kerala. The word Kathakali literary means “story-play”. It is known for its large, elaborate five-six hours make-up made from organic vegetables/spices’ powders and costumes are very large and heavy. The costumes of Kathakali have become the most recognized icon of Kerala. The themes of the Kathakali are religious in nature. They typically deal with the Mahabharat, the Ramayana and the ancient scriptures are known as the Puranas. This is performed in a text which is generally Sanskritised Malayalam and it is a major social event. They generally start at dusk and go throughout the night.  Kathakali is usually performed only by men. Female characters are portrayed by men dressed in women’s costumes, although a few women dancers have come up to participate in it. Kathakali has the long tradition, it dates back to the 17^th century. It was given its present form by Mahakavi Vallathol Narayan Menon, who was the founder of the Kerala Mandalam. Kathak – The roots if this dance form trace back to Sanskrit Hindu Text on performing arts called ‘Natya Shastra’ written by ancient Indian dramaturgist and musicologist Bharat Muni. ‘Nritya’ that is solo expressive dance focuses on expressions. The word Kathak is deduced from the Vedia Sanskrit term ‘Katha’ which means story while the term kathaka means who tells a story. It is a text-based analysis in dance form as performing art which incorporates legends from ancient mythology and great Indian Epics, especially from the life of Lord Krishna, which had been quite popular in the courts of North Indian Kingdoms. Three basic forms of this genre are the schools (gharanas) which mostly differ in the emphasis given to footwork versus acting are known with the Jaipur Gharana, the Benaras Gharana, and the Lucknow Gharana.

The day of 8^th and 9^th September 2018 with its festive occasion entitled ‘Malhar’ enchanted spectators in its spell-bound ecstasy and mystic aesthetics. Shilpgram, Udaipur bathed in the pours of rain showers welcomed the customized dancers and vocal and instrumental artists at its Darpan Sabhagaar under the aegis of WZCC, which runs under the patronization of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.

The planning, preparation and performance indeed are accredited to the laurels of the performing artists and their caliber. Needless to mention here the current officers of Rajasthan Administrative Services namely the Director Mr. Furkan Khan and the Additional Director Mr. Sudhanshu Singh with their friendly, organized, updated, enthusiastic team including Taneraj Sodha Sb., Bhupendra Kothariji,  Durgeshji, C.P.Singhji Shivrati, Shoorveer Singhji Banediya, Nemrajji etc. have been into devoted mission to bring such commendable conviviality at such platform which is beyond the common man's reach. The duo officers’ visionary concept, approach, collaboration, dissemination of the available performing arts and its details via expert, acclaimed, awarded artists in itself is the prima facie of the truth that they have outreached the farthest available artistic sources in their credit, that speaks volume of their intensity and commitment to search and to bring in the theatre of Shilpgram year by year the newness in performing arts and to make possible the availability of celebrated and uncelebrated experts of the field.

The lighting of the lamp was done graciously by the visitor guest Shri Prem Bhandariji, the former Professor and Head of the Department of Music, Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur.
The first performance that preceded the showcase of performing arts of the cultural heritage of India was from the dancing artists of Kerala. They enacted the event of "Dushashan's Slay" in which the fervent depiction of the scene dramatized by Panchali, Bhim and Lord Krishna from the Epic Mahabharat overwhelmed the audience with the conventional literary taste and art. The second presentation entranced the audience's Souls with deep-down splendor, beauty, and grace of the Odissi dance performers.The second day festivity on Malhar continued with the beginning of Mangalacharan, which was enacted by depicting Aarayi Pallavi Batlu Dance accompanied with the classical poetic gestures, emotions, and Shringaar rasa, and the lyrics were derived from Jaidev's classic book entitled "Geet Govind" "Dheerey Dheerey Yamuna Teerey......". It completely swayed the crowd of spectators in its spell on account of theatrical ambiance, perfect management of light and sound. The rainy showers pouring down outside the theatre and the resonating melody of instruments, and the gracious ornamental beauties was an absolute sight of mesmerizing captivity for the crowd of aesthetic taste and talent. The whole festive occasion culminated with the note of dramatic presentation of "Moksha", the Divine theatrical performances' message that one achieves transcendence while enacting or watching performing arts' manifestations when one completely merges one's Soul, Body and Mind with the artistic creations of Omnipresent. That has been for centuries across the globe has been interpreted as Enlightenment, Purgation, Creative Unity, Pure Consciousness and Self-Transcendence.