JOIN USAn invocation to the divine
It was yet another cultural treat for the art-lovers in the City as Bangalore International Centre conducted a dance recital at the Indiranagar Sangeetha Sabha. This was a solo recital by Prateeksha Kashi called Kuchipudi Vaibhavam, a string of episodic items that find their roots in the rich ethnicity of Kuchipudi.
Talking about the art form, artiste Prateeksha explains the origin of this ancient dance. She says, “This is a classical dance form which originated in Andhra Pradesh in a village called Kuchipudi and that’s how it got its name. It was initially a dance drama technique performed only by Brahmins. Then it shifted on to a solo form and eventually women started taking part in it.”
The one-and-a-half hour recital touched upon all the elements, quintessential to Kuchipudi. Prateeksha adeptly covered the nuances like the different types of rasas called the nava rasas. The first performance of the evening was an invocation called Ganesha Vandana, which forms a part of any traditional recital. She followed it up with the Dashavatara, a shabdam which is a typical item of traditional concerts. The third piece she performed was based on emotions and abhinaya and was called Alarupuriyaga.
This narrated the story of a teenage girl who is excited about life and how she sees beauty in everything. There was a quick transition from the subtle emotions she
portrayed in this number as she went on to perform a piece on Lord Shiva called Hamsanandi.
This item brought out the brisk and aggressive behaviour of Shiva.
The highlight of the programme was the traditional Kuchipudi item Tarangam where Prateeksha danced on a brass plate. She concluded the recital with a Devi item. She says, “I have a strong belief in Devi ma which is why I always choose to have at least one piece dedicated to her.”
Prateeksha was overwhelmed by the response she got. She says, “Performing on a platform like this is the best way to pay salutation to your guru. This was the perfect way to thank my guru — my mother, Vyajanthi Kashi. Moreover, what made this effort of mine fruitful was the presence of such a learned audience. I felt lighter and more peaceful after my performance.”
The audience too thoroughly enjoyed this cultural extravaganza.
Says Monisha Poonacha, a classical dancer, “I have always enjoyed this dance form though I haven’t been trained in it. The way the artiste brought out most of the rasas in one single performance is brilliant. This made sure that the dance recital did not get monotonous too.”