A Kathak tribute to spring-summer

Tarang, an event by Aakruti

Kathak

Kendra, put together a stunning performance, featuring five-year olds to 65-year olds, who put up several Kathak acts to celebrate and welcome the two seasons, basant (spring) and grishma (summer). The show, conceptualised and choreographed by Kathak exponent Mangala Bhatt, started off with an invocatory Ganesh Vandana and continued with a

Guru Vandana

.

It was followed by the melody of

Saraswati

Vandana. The act then transitioned into the Sundar Gopal stotram, which was a salutation to Lord Krishna and kept the audience captivated. The typical art of narrating a story through the form of Kathak was brought alive by the traditional form of Tarana, producing a beautiful interplay between the bols of the

tarana

and the sparkling footwork of Kathak. It included the Tarana Bhairavi, Tarana Bhupali and Tarana Kalavati. The effortless chakkars and synchronised footwork were a visual treat. The finale act was a powerful ode to the feminine spirit of Goddess Durga through Aigiri Nandini, a unique interpretation of the Durga Stotram in Kathak.