Was randomly flipping through the Bombay Times when an ad caught my eye - Pt. Birju Maharaj was performing in Mumbai on 26 Aug! In a flash I was onto my lappy picking up the tickets. Mumbai had waited for five long years, and I had waited many more to watch this legend perform live. There was no way I was going to miss this!
R was scheduled to travel on work, but my cousin P decided to join me. Together, we braved an hour and half of nasty traffic snarl-ups before we managed to reach the venue, Nehru Centre, Worli, just in time for the first performance.
Taal India
The first item lined up on the agenda of this two day cultural festival organized by Banyan Tree Events was Taal India. A concept created and directed by Mr. Mahesh Babu, MD of Banyan Tree Events, and led by Anubrata Chatterjee on the Tabla, Taal India is a percussion ensemble of folk and classical drums from across India which features instruments such as the Dholak and Khadtaal from Rajasthan, Dhol from Punjab, Pung from Manipur (also commonly known as the Manipuri Mridanga), Edakka, Chenda and Mizhavu Thayambaka from Kerala, Tabla, etc.
To begin with, each percussionist played a short solo piece, followed by an impromptu jugalbandi which culminates into a unified pulsating crescendo. The audience was not to be left behind even for a moment as they spontaneously clapped to the beats.
Here is a video clip from a past performance by Taal India (courtesy YouTube):
Even though this video is thoroughly enjoyable, it does not convey the electrifying atmosphere created by the artists as they performed live for an hour! Taal India is a MUST WATCH if you ever get the chance. I would love to watch them again!
Odissi
If Taal India was electrifying and pulsating, the second item on the agenda transported the audiences into a totally different world of tranquil grace - an Odissi performance by Madhavi Mudgal and her group.
An internationally acclaimed Odissi danseuse, Madhavi Mudgal learnt Odissi under the tutelage of the renowned guru Padmavibhushan Late Shri Kelucharan Mahapatra and has been the recipient of several awards and honors including the prestigious Padmashree (1990) and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (2000).
The first composition presented by the troupe was Gangastavan, an invocation depicting the river Ganga's descent from Lord Shiva's tresses. The superb choreography (by Madhavi Mudgal) evoked images of the majestic river cascading down the mountains, purifying everything it touched.
The second composition, Vistaar, an exploration of Odissi in its pure classical form, was a visual treat with Madhaviji and her troupe maintaining perfect balance and grace as they executed sensuous movements and struck sculpturesque poses!
The third, and sadly final (I could have watched them all night!), composition presented by the troupe was an excerpt from the great Sanskrit poet Kalidasa's Kumara Sambhavam.
Oppressed by the demon Tarakasura, the Devas realize that Kartikeya, the son born of Shiva and Parvati, would be their protector and savior. Kamadeva, the god of love, is commissioned to bestir Shiva out of his deep meditation, but fails. The story opens with Kamadeva being burned to ashes by Shiva's third eye. On witnessing Kamadeva's destruction, Parvati realizes that beauty and lust will not stir the great ascetic Shiva. Hence, discarding all comforts and luxuries, Parvati engages in the severest of austerities. The enchanting woods, the scorching summer, the terrifying thunder nor the freezing winter deter her from her rigorous penance. Overwhelmed by her devotion, Shiva playfully decides to engage with her. Disguised as an ascetic and feigning ignorance, he inquires from her the reason for such harsh penance. Parvati, through a friend, coyly indicates that she seeks Shiva as a groom. Horrified, the ascetic describes the repulsive appearance of Shiva and belittles him. Outraged, Parvati retorts that the ascetic obviously knows nothing of the real Shiva, the Lord of the Three Worlds, reciting whose name alone is enough to bestow salvation. She bids the ascetic to depart, only to find revealed in him her heart's desire - Shiva! Dumbstruck, her senses reel, and she becomes like the flowing river obstructed by an immovable mountain - neither able to halt nor move away.
Madhavi Mudgal plays the ascetic, while her niece Arushi Mudgal plays Parvati. Wonderful choreography (by Madhavi Mudgal), beautiful lighting and soulful background score (by Madhup Mudgal) transport you into a surreal world. But what really takes your breath away are the delicate expressions and striking poses struck by the dancers, especially Arushi Mudgal.
Needless to say, the audience bestowed the troupe with thundering applause and a standing ovation! After having watched them for an hour, I was still greedy for more! My cousin P, who has learnt Bharatanatyam, thoroughly enjoyed the performances.
Kathak
The clock struck 9 pm and it was finally time for what most people had come there for - to watch Pt. Birju Maharaj live!
Born on 4 February 1938, Pandit Brijmohan Nath Mishra, popularly known as Birju Maharaj, is undoubtedly India's foremost Kathak exponent. Belonging to the Lucknow Gharana of Kathak dance, Birju Maharaj has learnt kathak from his father Late Shri Jagannath Maharaj (popularly known as Acchan Maharaj) and his uncles Late Shri Lachhu Maharaj and Late Shri Shambhu Maharaj, all of whom were renowned kathak dancers. Apart from being a Kathak expert, Pandjitji is also an accomplished Hindustani Classical vocalist and a poet. Birju Maharaj has won several accolades including the Padmavibhushan (1986) and Sangeet Natak Akademi Award (1964).
Instead of letting it remain the privilege of an elite few, Birju Maharaj has taken Kathak to the masses, establishing a deep connection with his audiences where ever he has performed. Today's performance was no different. Dance is no rocket science, it is just a simple expression of what we feel, what we observe, Panditji explained. The dancer's ghungroo (anklets) are like the heroine of a story and the tabla is the hero. Sometimes the heroine teases the hero, at other times the hero flirts with her. But in the end, they always meet. Other accompanying musicians are like the runway at an airport, Birju Maharaj quipped. After all their flights of fancies, the dancer and the percussionist have to ultimately land on the runway - the tune being played by the accompanying musicians. Mudras, movements of hands and facial expressions, are nothing but brush strokes of a painter through which he brings alive his painting. There is music in everything, there is rhythm in everything - he explained as he demonstrated this through his dance depicting the flight of birds, the dance of a peacock, the waddling of a duck, a bird feeding its young ones...Kathak, or any dance for that matter, is just a way of expressing this rhythm, this music!
It was simply awesome to watch Birju Maharaj in such extempore mode. After an hour of dancing, Birju Maharaj was just warming up and had barely progressed to depicting larger creatures. His energy and his passion for dance is amazing! But, sadly, it was close to 10:30 pm and I had a long drive back home. So P and I, very unhappily, decided to leave the concert midway. Wonder how long Panditji carried on! The kind of mood he was in, I am sure he could have danced through the night. I would have really loved to see the entire performance, but hey, no regrets. The entire evening had turned out to be a fabulous treat, something that I will relish for a long time to come!
Here is a video of Pt. Birju Maharaj giving one such performance (courtesy YouTube):
As my taxi crawled through bumper to bumper traffic (Yes! At 11:00 pm!) and jolted violently over potholed roads, I recalled Birju Maharaj's words - there is music in everything, there is rhythm in everything...Would I be able to find rhythm and music in Mumbai's potholed roads? I wonder....
P.S - The second day of the two day festival featured performances by the young Santoor maestro Rahul Sharma, accompanied by Oud maestro Mohammed Farghaly from Egypt and renowned harpist Gwyneth Wentink from Netherlands, followed by Sufi Qawwali by the famous Sabri Brothers of Jaipur. Unfortunately was not able to attend the second day of this festival.
R was scheduled to travel on work, but my cousin P decided to join me. Together, we braved an hour and half of nasty traffic snarl-ups before we managed to reach the venue, Nehru Centre, Worli, just in time for the first performance.
Taal India
The first item lined up on the agenda of this two day cultural festival organized by Banyan Tree Events was Taal India. A concept created and directed by Mr. Mahesh Babu, MD of Banyan Tree Events, and led by Anubrata Chatterjee on the Tabla, Taal India is a percussion ensemble of folk and classical drums from across India which features instruments such as the Dholak and Khadtaal from Rajasthan, Dhol from Punjab, Pung from Manipur (also commonly known as the Manipuri Mridanga), Edakka, Chenda and Mizhavu Thayambaka from Kerala, Tabla, etc.
 |
| Taal India (photo courtesy www.mumbaimirror.com) |
To begin with, each percussionist played a short solo piece, followed by an impromptu jugalbandi which culminates into a unified pulsating crescendo. The audience was not to be left behind even for a moment as they spontaneously clapped to the beats.
Here is a video clip from a past performance by Taal India (courtesy YouTube):
Even though this video is thoroughly enjoyable, it does not convey the electrifying atmosphere created by the artists as they performed live for an hour! Taal India is a MUST WATCH if you ever get the chance. I would love to watch them again!
Odissi
If Taal India was electrifying and pulsating, the second item on the agenda transported the audiences into a totally different world of tranquil grace - an Odissi performance by Madhavi Mudgal and her group.
 |
| Madhvi Mudgal and her Group (photo courtesy www.mumbaivibes.com) |
The first composition presented by the troupe was Gangastavan, an invocation depicting the river Ganga's descent from Lord Shiva's tresses. The superb choreography (by Madhavi Mudgal) evoked images of the majestic river cascading down the mountains, purifying everything it touched.
The second composition, Vistaar, an exploration of Odissi in its pure classical form, was a visual treat with Madhaviji and her troupe maintaining perfect balance and grace as they executed sensuous movements and struck sculpturesque poses!
The third, and sadly final (I could have watched them all night!), composition presented by the troupe was an excerpt from the great Sanskrit poet Kalidasa's Kumara Sambhavam.
 |
| Madhavi Mudgal (left) and Arushi Mudgal (right) (photo curtesy www.google.com) |
Madhavi Mudgal plays the ascetic, while her niece Arushi Mudgal plays Parvati. Wonderful choreography (by Madhavi Mudgal), beautiful lighting and soulful background score (by Madhup Mudgal) transport you into a surreal world. But what really takes your breath away are the delicate expressions and striking poses struck by the dancers, especially Arushi Mudgal.
Needless to say, the audience bestowed the troupe with thundering applause and a standing ovation! After having watched them for an hour, I was still greedy for more! My cousin P, who has learnt Bharatanatyam, thoroughly enjoyed the performances.
Kathak
The clock struck 9 pm and it was finally time for what most people had come there for - to watch Pt. Birju Maharaj live!
 |
| Pt. Birju Maharaj (photo courtesy www.google.com) |
Instead of letting it remain the privilege of an elite few, Birju Maharaj has taken Kathak to the masses, establishing a deep connection with his audiences where ever he has performed. Today's performance was no different. Dance is no rocket science, it is just a simple expression of what we feel, what we observe, Panditji explained. The dancer's ghungroo (anklets) are like the heroine of a story and the tabla is the hero. Sometimes the heroine teases the hero, at other times the hero flirts with her. But in the end, they always meet. Other accompanying musicians are like the runway at an airport, Birju Maharaj quipped. After all their flights of fancies, the dancer and the percussionist have to ultimately land on the runway - the tune being played by the accompanying musicians. Mudras, movements of hands and facial expressions, are nothing but brush strokes of a painter through which he brings alive his painting. There is music in everything, there is rhythm in everything - he explained as he demonstrated this through his dance depicting the flight of birds, the dance of a peacock, the waddling of a duck, a bird feeding its young ones...Kathak, or any dance for that matter, is just a way of expressing this rhythm, this music!
It was simply awesome to watch Birju Maharaj in such extempore mode. After an hour of dancing, Birju Maharaj was just warming up and had barely progressed to depicting larger creatures. His energy and his passion for dance is amazing! But, sadly, it was close to 10:30 pm and I had a long drive back home. So P and I, very unhappily, decided to leave the concert midway. Wonder how long Panditji carried on! The kind of mood he was in, I am sure he could have danced through the night. I would have really loved to see the entire performance, but hey, no regrets. The entire evening had turned out to be a fabulous treat, something that I will relish for a long time to come!
Here is a video of Pt. Birju Maharaj giving one such performance (courtesy YouTube):
As my taxi crawled through bumper to bumper traffic (Yes! At 11:00 pm!) and jolted violently over potholed roads, I recalled Birju Maharaj's words - there is music in everything, there is rhythm in everything...Would I be able to find rhythm and music in Mumbai's potholed roads? I wonder....
 |
| (Photo courtesy www.google.com) |
P.S - The second day of the two day festival featured performances by the young Santoor maestro Rahul Sharma, accompanied by Oud maestro Mohammed Farghaly from Egypt and renowned harpist Gwyneth Wentink from Netherlands, followed by Sufi Qawwali by the famous Sabri Brothers of Jaipur. Unfortunately was not able to attend the second day of this festival.
