Debjani Chaliha

Debjani Chaliha has an old-world charm. It has been a decade since she presented brajaleela, an experimental blending of Manipuri dance style with traditional palakirtan. Her recent production, ‘Usha-Aniruddha Katha’, based on the Bhagawatpuran at the G.D. Birla Sabhagar on August 5 was somewhat different from her usual offerings. Set to a theme that is not very common in Manipuri format, Chaliha choreographed the whole piece in a manner that could communicate to one and all.

The love story of Usha, daughter of king Bana of Sonitpura and Aniruddha, grandson of Krishna, was the central theme of the production. The group sequences were neatly executed by her students, though the vast stage of the Sabhagar was not used properly.

Trim and tidy Mohini Sen Gupta as Usha was praiseworthy. Her prowess in this art form was evident from the very beginning. Equally faithful was Manju Elangbam as Aniruddha. Male dancers from Santiniketan were an added attraction.

As a special feature of the Manipuri tradition, sutradharis, or female narrators, revealed the theme through dance. Chaliha and Antara Ray Chowdhury as narrators were gentle and sensitive. The original Sanskrit excerpts from the Bhagavatapurana were aesthetically used in this context. Chaliha’s ability to explain the theme helped the audience enjoy her performance. Y. Hemant Kumar and Sumit Basu’s dance direction was commendable.

The Uday Shankar India Culture Centre presented their annual programme at the Rabindra Sadan on August 6. It showcased an array of group compositions performed by the students of the institution under the guidance of Amala Shankar. The first part of the evening showcased Bharatnatyam, Kathak and numbers based on Uday Shankar style, while the second one presented Sitaswayambara, a famous old composition.

It began with Udayer Pathe, where the performers expressed their joy with music and basic hand movements; it was followed by classical dance items. The truly delightful part of the group dances were precision and synchronisation. Brojo gopi khele holi was a joyous and colourful number in Kathak.

Urmimala Munshi as Ram in Sitaswayambara was very impressive. And Amala Shankar as Janak exuded a fascinating confidence.