Chidakash Kalalay Centre of Art and Divinity presented their annual Marga Utsav on 23 March 2025 at Gyan Manch in Kolkata. Sangeet Natak Akademi awardee Nandini Ramani, a versatile genius and an executive member of Sangeet Natak Akademi, was the chief guest. She is a Bharatanatyam exponent proficient in Bala Bani, a trained musician, and an art critic. Piyal Bhattacharya awarded her the Chidakash Natyakala Chudamani Award, 2025.

Piyal Bhattacharya, artistic director of Chidakash Kalalay, a recipient of many prestigious awards in the country, including the much-coveted Sangeet Natak Akademi award, is all for the arts. Despite his area of interest being on the research to forge a comprehensive method of training in Indian Natya, following the precepts of the Natyashastra and upholding the technique of performance envisioned as Marga Natya, to create a dialogue with contemporary societal concerns, he makes space for the prevalent Shastriya dance forms.

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Since this year, the focus of his festival was on the art of the Kathaka, Piyal Bhattacharya’s troupe gave the performance space to Kathak dancers after he presented ‘Chaturbhani’.

This vast country of ours has an uncountable number of Kathak performers, mentors and gurus. Piyal Bhattacharya invited Kathakas, both young and not so young, from the north, south and east of the country. These rich minds participated in performing, interacting with scholars and taking workshops. It was a great exchange of ideas that was very enriching.

There was Rupa Rani Das from Delhi, who was like a breath of fresh air. She followed tradition. Bedecked and bejewelled, she paid her obeisance to Ganapati. Vilambit and Madhya Laya in teental were her forte. Confidently, she presented traditional compositions like That, Aamad, Uthan and Paran in Teen Taal, showing her ‘tayari’ in the technicalities of Kathak. The abhinaya piece was on a poem by Anupam Kumar, the concept of which was based on the Ramayana. It was on Urmila—the ‘Upekshita Nayika’—Lakshmana’s consort. Urmilla was a forgotten character in the great epic. Her sacrifices are not noticed. The poignancy of the story was highlighted. A parallel was drawn between contemporary women whose selfless service is treated with indifference. It was uniquely scripted by Raju Das, while the voice-over was by Raju Das and Madho Prasad; the accompanying musicians did justice to the piece. Lakshmi Narayan Jena, with knowledge and interest in the art of Sanskrit theatre, is a passionate Kathak dancer and disciple of the very talented Mysore Nagraj to boot. He performed ‘Damaru Harakara Baaje’—an ode to Shiva based on a Dhrupad composition—after Rupa Rani Das. The sound of the kettledrum, “hara kara hara kara”, was the reason for his exuberance, displayed through spins, reminding one of Kumudini Lakhia’s attempts to make Kathak a vehicle of the contemporary spirit. He explored the associated meaning of the sahitya, performing later, in two speeds, a piece set to raga Gunakali and Taal Dhamar, vocalised by Shankar Shanbhogue and choreographed by Guru Mysore B Nagaraj. ‘Radha, Bhava, Madhava was unfolded creatively. Here, Radha, waiting for Krishna’s arrival at the appointed time and spot, is hurt by Krishna’s betrayal. When Krishna finally comes, Radha reminds him of the difference between carnal and pure love. Pure love is an expression of the soul. She chides Krishna for not understanding her feelings. She tells him, “Oh! Krishna, become Radha.” She drives home the fact that he would have understood her true feelings if he were in her shoes, even for a minute. As he was bid, Krishna decks himself up in Radha’s attire; he realises the depth of her pure love. Tarana Darbari expressed his training in pure dance. The technical side of Kathak’s Persian influence was shown. The syllables in Tarana were culled from the 99 names of Allah and were set to melody and rhythm. Gath Nikas and Footworks embellished the composition. This teen taal was choreographed by Maya Rao.

Shivohom Nirvansatkam, written by Adi Sankaracharya in the 8th century, depicting the oneness of God and his formlessness, set to raag Parameshwari sung by Jaydeep Sinha, was the subject matter of his first piece in the Kathak genre, presented on the second day of the festival at Chidakash Kalalay, Centre of Art and Divinity. The art pace of Chidakash Kalalay is designed to add to the aesthetic quality of a good presentation. This was evident in the presentation of Shivoham Nirvansatkam. His dexterity, in the technical aspects of both the Lucknow and Jaipur gharanas of Kathak, was good. The presentation of the different elements of pure Kathak, like that of the amad, tukra, tora, paran, lari, etc., was lapped up by the enthusiastic audience.”

Rahabar, written by Rajendra Nath Singh, canvassed romantic poetry with soulful music. It was a neat presentation with his well-selected group of accompanists. The minute nuances of Kathak were enjoyed in a mehfil-like gathering.

This was followed by an interactive session on the “Contribution of Dr V. Raghavan to Indian Dance”. Raghavan was a beacon of Indian scholarship and culture. This was not all. Mysore B. Nagraj, eminent Kathak exponent, held a two-day workshop in the Maya Rao tradition of Kathak and made the festival a composite whole.

The writer is a senior dance critic