Sunday, 29 October 2023

Matters of Dance - Dance Matters: Column by Ashish Mohan Khokar

I took time to think what really needs telling. Not routine reviews that are almost passé now, when anyone can write their own blogs or FB reviews. We writers anyway rarely make a living; sometimes we make a fortune. Or history.


History in performing arts - that's India's true intangible heritage - comes from decades plus of shows like the one that had gone on for 75 years! Every year. Without fail. The Ramlila of Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra. The seeds for the mega musical (that's what it is, actually) was first sown when India became independent.

Our epic tales, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana have gone on for ever. In Kathakali or Yakshagana or Kalakshetra productions or elsewhere. What makes SBKK's Ramlila special is its spiffiness and smartness of sets and substance. So many legendary gurus have contributed to it; so many music and dance greats been part of it. There's a whole book on the subject, brought out 25 years ago, on its 50th anniversary.

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2 comments:

  1. Prashanth.naatyakalakshetra@gmail.com29 October 2023 at 17:57

    Awesome read Ashish ji , especially about budding 12yr Aditya Nataraj ,I liked the line 'old soul in a new body' those words r like an award to a 12yr ,such a good encouraging line ,hope someday get to watch him dancd in our Nrithya Utsava festivals at Bangalore. .

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  2. Morning read with such a new concept and theory written by you Ashish Sir actually made our day...
    I am curious to See Aditya performance soon
    .. grateful for your informative articles by which we actually are in touch with many artists virtually 🙏

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