Photo
Exhibition of Indian Classical Dance forms
by
Dr. Susil Pani, Sri Geetagovinda Pratisthana, Puducherry
7th - 30th March, 2009
at the art gallery of DakshinaChitra
e-mail: raghuclinic@yahoo.com
Click
on images for enlarged version
The photo exhibit on Indian classical
dances begins with Shiva and Parvati in Ardhanarieswara in Odissi style,
denoting that the manifest (Parvati) and the unmanifest (Shiva) are one
and can not be separated. Next to it is Shiva in his supreme Ananda Tandava
Murti, again in Odissi, Shiva as Nataraja is the cosmic dancer and is the
source of all art forms including all dance, theater, music poetry, painting
etc. A brief write-up about Nataraja inspires the viewer at the entrance
of the exhibition hall. As soon as one enters inside the rasika is invited
by an offering of pushpanjali (flower offering) by Sangeeta Dash to Shakti
(Durga) without whom even Shiva can not manifest.
The artist tries to immerse the rasika
into the RASA of life with a splendid presentation of Navarasa, the nine
rasa with a brief description of each rasa. The spellbound expressions
of Rasa have been truthfully bought out by none other than Sangeeta Dash,
foremost Odissi dancer. The Odissi section continues with a rare presentation
of Bhramari, again by Sangeeta Dash, frozen in eternity by the artist (usually
seen and easily captured in Kathak but never yet presented in Odissi) Sangeeta
Dash's dedication and personal care to details even for her students are
beautifully captured in two photos she is seen doing makeup for a little
girl. Sonal Mansingh is seen at the end of the Odissi section in classic
sculpturesque posture. At the beginning of each section a very brief
description of the style of Indian classical dance is well written for
the lay person.
The next series on Bharatanatyam
is complete in itself with Shiva in Ananda Tandava, a beautiful child artist
in classic posture, Chitra Visweswaran as Sakhi of Radha trying to persuade
her to go to Krishna for Rasakrida is also seen.
Radha forms and symbolizes 'Complete
Surrender' to her lord, the lord of the universe 'Sri Krishna' which forms
the essence of true love, is presented in three pictures of Manipuri Dance.
Rani Kannam, the doyen of Kathak
dance graces the exhibition by her total devotion to the Lord. Sobhana
Narayanan is the leading contemporary Kathak dancer is seen as the "Abhimanaini".
There are few more pictures of Kathak showing the essence of the art form
both the science and the art of it as movements, Radha and Krishna, Ardhanarieswara
etc.
Kuchipudi dance from Andhra Pradesh
transports the viewer to different moods of love, happiness etc. The graceful
dance of lord Vishnu as MOHINI has been most beautifully presented by none
other than Shivaji Bharati in Mohiniattam. The last photo symbolizes that
all Indian classical dances may appear to be different in costume; makeup
style and presentation etc. but essentially are one, as the source is only
The Divine. Three great artists Kiran Segal from Odissi, Shivaji Bharati
from Mohiniattam and Shobana Narayanan from Kathak have come together in
a classical dance posture at the end of the exhibit. All Indian dances
are essentially spiritual in nature trying to represent the divine and
its manifestations in its myriad forms. The artist has made a sincere attempt
to present his own quest for Moksha in this exhibition. |
