Madal and Arghyam Host Annual Cultural Programme
Madal, a cultural organisation floated by Krishna Shankar – a disciple of renowned Kuchipudi dancer, Kelucharan Mahapatra and who also belongs to the iconic Uday Shankar family through her marriage – celebrated its annual evening cultural festival in association with Arghyanam Dance Academy at Rabindra Bhawan Baranagar, recently.
The program commenced with Bharatanatyam transcription of Mallika Sengupta and Subho Dasgupta’s ‘Ami Shey May’. The underlying feminist fervour – the theme of the evening – continued through ‘Naba Durga’, presented in Odissi form by Sunayana, Sreelekha, Meenakshi and Ranita. They started off the Odissi recital with a customary ‘dev vandana’ / ‘mangalcharan’ with an ovation to Vishnu, Krishna and Ramchandra in ‘Srita Kamala’ constructed in Raga Mishra Khambaj in Jyoti Taal.
Up next were Anwesha, Sreelekha Sayantika and Annapurna performing interesting dance forms, Abhanga, Tribhanga and Chaturbhanga that were set to ‘Sundarjo varnana’ and ‘Stuti Keertan’. While the elder academy students – Pritha, Preeti, Archita, Shreyoshi, Sinjini, Sohini, Priya and Mouli performed traditional Bharatanatyam items like torayam, alaripu, tillana, Shankar varnam etc., the tiny ones- Papri, Ankita, Shravani, Aratrika, Rudrakshi, Sreemoyee, Payal and Soumika – endeared with ‘Lal Mati’ play directed by Probir Samaddar of Lahari. In the next, Sukumar Ray’s nonsense verse, ‘Abol Tabol’, tots commingled with children with special needs. The evening rounded off with a sketch based on ‘Burpurush’ blended with portions from ‘Balmikir Prathibha’ which saw the students performing under the directorship and with the institute helmers, Krishna Shankar and Annapurna.
