Monthly Baithak of Pracheen Kala Kendra studded with Bharatnatyam dance

Chandigarh: The music lovers of city beautiful were treated to an amazing musical delight by Young and promising Bharatnatyam dancer Dr. Varun Khanna on the occasion of the 301st Monthly Baithak Programme organized by Pracheen Kala Kendra at M.L. Koser Indoor Auditorium at PKK 35 complex at 6:30 pm here today.

Dr Varun Khanna also known as The Dancing Dentist presented a Bharatanatyam concert titled “Dance with a message, for a change”, where he performed 7 pieces of his gurus, late Padma Bhushan Dr Saroja Vaidyanathan and National SNA awardee Mrs. Rama Vaidyanathan, conveying a certain message for audience to take home. The 1st piece was an invocation to the magnificent Himalaya mountains, with its different ranges like Trishul, Kailash, Shivling, diverse flora and fauna, surrounded by 2 oceans on its sides, it is a place often associated with peace and it being a pilgrimage site. Followed by Ardhanarishwara Ashtakam , an ancient poetry by Saint Adishanakaracharya that described the earliest reference to gender equality in India since centuries ago. Yeppadi Manam Tunindado in Tamil spoke of Sita questioning Lord Rama’s decision of going to the forest for 14 years without her and her consent, conveying the message that whichever society disrespects its women, it is bound to get doomed.

Bharatanatyam is mostly associated with Stutis and prayers or technical pure dance pieces. To break this notion, a comic piece, a Thumri “Kanhaiya tora kara main kaise byahun Radhe” was performed where Radha’s sakhis/friends mock and ask Krishna that because he is so dark, he is a misfit to get wedded to Radha, by the end of which they are convinced that the two are a perfect match. Dr Khanna sees it as message on racism and how not the colour of, but the character defines a person.

The program moved towards conclusion with the evergreen classic Mahishasura Mardini stotram by saint Adishanakaracharya, but with a twist of showcasing the message of the empowered, multitasking, independent, emotionally and physically strong Indian woman facing evil of all kinds in day to day life and routine yet accomplishing what they want to achieve. By concluding w with an innovative experimental piece in Punjabi, the classic Shabd “Aar Nanak” rendered by Diljit Dosanjh Varun showcasing the versatility of the ancient south Indian Dance form of Bharatanatyam. Kendra Secretary  Sajal Koser honored the artists at the end.                                                                                                                             (Report from Yudhvir Singh)