Dancers shine at the Rath Yatra celebration
The nine-day annual festival of Jagannath Rath Yatra is one of the biggest and widely-celebrated events wherein millions of devotees gather to participate in the yatra processions and seek the blessings of Lord Jagannath.
The Rath Yatra, which is presently being celebrated all over the country, showcases culture through religion.
The celebrations came alive in New Delhi, at the Jagannath Temple, Hauz Khas when renowned classical dance exponents Meenu Thakur, Vani Madhav and Swati Wangnoo presented an amalgamation of three classical dance styles.
Keeping the theme of the festival in mind, the dancers commenced their recital with Jagannath Ashtakam, an ode to Lord Jagannath. The dancers formed a beautiful arc depicting the various 'Roopas' of the Lord.
The piece was skillfully choreographed with admirable synchronization among the dancers. Kuchipudi dancer Meenu Thakur was outstanding in 'Vallabhacharya Stotram'. She mesmerized the audience through her springy movements and immaculate footwork. Thakur moved around the stage with perfection and finesse. Odissi exponent Vani Madhav's depiction of the beauty of Krishna was praiseworthy. Over the past few years, she has taken huge strides as an Odissi exponent.
The final item was an adaptation from Tarana. The pulsating and swift-paced music brought out energy in the dancers, who synchronized their movements, irrespective of the differences in the three dance styles. Swati Wangroo shone brightly in this item. Her effortless rendition of the Tarana left the audience spellbound. The artists were felicitated by the Neelachala Seva Sangha.