Members and their guests at Calcutta Club were in for a special treat on the evening of November 4 as Odissi dance troupe Gurukul Creative, led by Sutapa Talukdar, presented Kwanatnupura, a 45-minute dance ballet based on the complex, dynamic relationship between Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva.

Kwanatnupura is a Sanskrit term meaning a woman who wears an anklet that produces a sweet jingling sound. It is an allusion to Goddess Parvati and her captivating grace and intelligence.

The audience not only witnessed the Lasya Bhangi of Mohini and the beauty of the seven worlds reflected in her through shades of love, hate, seduction, jealousy and wrath, but also Shiva’s fury through the Tandava Nritya.

Sarod exponent Tejendra Narayan Majumdar’s music added the right tone to the age-old tale of poise and chaos. “It was a pleasure to perform in Calcutta Club as I have been a member here for the past 10 years. I learnt Manipuri and Kathakali as a child and after dancing for 40 years, all the movements from the different dance forms have meshed into one. India has such a rich history of art and culture but traditional dance forms are fighting to stay alive, which is worrisome,” said Odissi dancer Sutapa Talukdar, founder of South Gurukul Society.

Text: Sehrish Hazarika. Pictures: Gopal Senapati