The magnificence of Mysore

Mysore Baani is an exquisite dance form, which talks about the cultural heritage of the past and its relevance in the present times. It has a rich history of several centuries and is known for its unique qualities and different structures. Ashish Khokar, the chief coordinator of the event said, “Dance Discourse is a platform for many people to showcase their abilities.

It is not just confined to one form of dance. It is a neutral space which encompasses the whole gamut of dance forms and gives ample opportunities for an artiste to discover his or her talent.”

The Mysore Baani dance recital emphasised on stylistic characters like architecture, sculpture, music, temple art, devadasis and the dancers of the royal court.

This was followed by a panel discussion on these aspects and their relevance in the present times by great scholars like Dr Choodamani Nandagopal and Guru Radhakrishna.
The first dance recital started with an invocation to Lord Ganesha by Tejaswini, in Revathi raga. The devotee also sought the blessings of the Lord to remove obstacles in life. Sucharita Alakananda was on the vocals with Mala S on natuvangam, Vidwan R Chandrashekar on the mridangam and Nataraj Murthy on the violin.

The following piece was Tanjapureshwara, a composition by Ramesh Dikshitar. This was performed by Pulakeshi Kasturi, depicting the divine beauty of nature and the swara (tone) in all its glory. It also showcased the beauty of the Brihadeshwara Temple in Tanjore and the divine manifestations of Lord Shiva. The expressions were brilliant with subtle movements and facial expressions.

This was followed by Veena Shreedhar’s performance, which spoke about a woman who visits her beloved although she is married to another man.

She feels disappointed to go back to her husband and the agony on her face was beautifully depicted by Veena in this recital.

Padmini Shreedhar, who has been practicing dance for the last three decades said, “Mysore Baani is one of the rarest and most beautiful dance forms. It has rich lyrical content and an inimitable grace. It has been an inspiration for me and I can identify myself with it.”

The last piece was a Mangala shloka in praise of Lord Krishna in Madhyamavati raga by Padmini Shreedhar.