Reliving our heritage

If you are a lover of unadulterated classical dance traditions, Delhi’s Purana Qila is the place to be. For the first time, Delhi government is solely organising the Old Fort Dance festival which is presented by Sahitya Kala Parishad. The festival which began on <g data-gr-id="39">Thursday,</g> will continue for five days showcasing some of India’s most treasured classical dance forms.

The festival was inaugurated by Arvind Kejriwal, Chief Minister of Delhi, Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister and Kapil Mishra Minister of Art, Culture and Languages, was the guest of honor.

Bharati Shivaji and her group marked the opening of the five-day long festival by a special performance of Kerala’s traditional Mohiniyattam. The inaugural performance was over an hour-long rendition of one of Rabindranath Tagore’s earliest works —Bhanusimha <g data-gr-id="34">Thakurer</g> Padabali — set up in a Bengali background but voiced in Brijbhasha in the Keralite expression of Mohiniyattam.

“Art and culture unite people and I think we need it badly right now. This is just the beginning, more such things will come,” Mishra said.

The festival will see the participation of veteran and legendary dance artists and their groups in multiple dance forms including Pandit Birju Maharaj, Madhvi Mudgal and Leela Samson.

“We have the legends this time. We have taken five very good <g data-gr-id="29">artistes</g> and we want to make it an annual event,” Sindhu Mishra, Deputy Secretary, Sahitya Kala Parishad said. Eminent Bharatnatyam exponent, Leela Samson and her group will perform on the second day of the festival, bringing the expressions and sculpturesque poses of Bharatnatyam.

Kuchipudi, the classical dance form from Andhra Pradesh, will be the dance of the day on the third day of the Purana Qila Dance Festival. The eminent dancing couple of Raja and Radha Reddy and their group will bring alive the much-loved art form from south India.

The oldest surviving dance form of India, Odissi will be at centre stage on the penultimate day of the festival, with Padma Shri Madhvi Mudgal choreographing the performance of the soft and graceful dance form.

The festival will end with a performance of Kathak choreographed by none other than Pandit Birju Maharaj and his Group. 

The legendary exponent of Kathak has received numerous accolades over the years including Padma Vibhushan, Sangeet Natak Academi Award and the prestigious Kalidas Samman.