Dhauli-Kalinga - Where man of war converted to messenger of peace - Taalam: column by Leela Venkataraman

Envisioned by late Odissi Guru Gangadhar Pradhan over a couple of decades ago, and mounted by his institution Orissa Dance Academy, at Shanti Vihar, the foothills of Dhauli, the Dhauli-Kalinga Mahotsav, now held under the auspices of the Department of Odia Language, Literature and Culture, government of Odisha, is one of its kind - combining in its fare, dance of various genres along with martial art forms. A very fitting twosome one would think, to be presented on the historic grounds where the epoch making Kalinga war was fought, with river Daya flowing in the region earning the sobriquet of Nirdaya, its waters running red with the blood of fallen heroes! Overnight, the scale of slaughter turned Emperor Ashoka, the conqueror in innumerable wars, into a messenger of peace. And even now, when dignitaries during the lamp lighting ceremony for the festival at the foot of the hill, stand with backs to the audience, facing the Peace Pagoda on top on the right, flanked by the Shiva temple on the left side, holding aloft burning torches in a solemn oath-taking gesture, saluting peace, it is a moving moment, for in the strife ridden world, peace is a pre-eminent need.

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Article - The Myth of the Either/Or - Dr. Lata Surendra

A committed dancer does not choose between the stage and the hearth because for her life is not a dichotomy, but a deliberate choreography. To say she must pick is to ask her to breathe only on the inhale; instead, she understands that art is the soul's inhalation, and life - with its messy, beautiful, quotidian demands - is the exhale. Her feet are rooted in the earth, anchoring her to the mundane, while her arms reach toward the ethereal, crafting stories in the air. She is not a creature of either/or; she is the living embodiment of both. Each pirouette is fed by the lessons of the day; each quiet moment with family lends depth to her performance. She is not fragmented; she is unified in motion, finding in the tension between duty and desire not a struggle, but a rhythm. Her art and her life do not compete; they dance together.

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Prism - The spectacle and the spectator - Sree Veena Mani

Walking down a street, you may suddenly find yourself watching an argument or confrontation unfold - an everyday occurrence. In such moments, we often remark that those involved are "creating a spectacle." This idea of spectacle lies at the heart of how Indian drama has been understood. In his commentary on the Nāṭyaśāstra, Manmohan Ghosh explains that Indian drama is conceived as prekṣā - a spectacle to be seen - while the audience is the prekṣaka, the spectator who beholds and interprets the performance.

Spectators were never called Srota or the audience, Ghosh's interpretation of the Nāṭyaśāstra says. 

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Points to reflect on during the Chennai Season - Taalam: column by Leela Venkataraman

In the cornucopia of dance and music that Chennai offers during the Season, some events went without reportage. I would like to briefly refer to certain aspects of the teacher/taught relationship in dance, as also some of the recitals which could not find mention in my writing, thanks to the crowded calendar.

Dancer Malavika Sarukkai’s Kalavaahini Trust, in its annual festival Dance for Dance, organized in conjunction with Karthik Fine Arts at the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan auditorium, is a laudable effort at educating and promoting promising youngsters, who get featured in a special festival. Amidst the indifference and chalta hai attitude that artistes often have to contend with, what one finds particularly praiseworthy in the Dance for Dance event, is the sensitivity of the organizers, with extra special treatment meted out to the performers, making them feel valued and giving them a sense of self pride as dancers.

What has however, raised a few questions among practitioners is the mentoring aspect, which is gaining ground among Bharatanatyam practicing youngsters of the day. Quite against the whispering gallery of comments, one would like to discuss this aspect with rank openness.

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Rama: The gold standard - Dance Matters: Column by Ashish Mohan Khokar

Rama is her name and dance is no game to her - but her calling. A Kerala girl, who had the distinction of becoming the first student of Andhra queen of Kuchipudi, Odissi and Bharatanatyam - guess who? The one and only prima donna of Indian dance Yamini Krishnamurthy- has grown today to become a benchmark of Bharatanatyam not only in her base Delhi but all over India in her age group (50-60). More than a benchmark, actually, the gold standard...

Her soothing offering to rasikas and common person was seen and savoured in Bangalore at HCL Concerts, Chowdaiah Hall, on Republic Day. That's one day when Bangalore roads were usable because there was less traffic!

With just four students and four musicians she created a magnum opus of beauty, sensitivity and substance - Maalyada - An ode to Andal.  

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Solo Expressions in the Music Academy Festival - Taalam: column by Leela Venkataraman

 

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Article - The delicate balance: Notes from the in-between generation - Shreya Kumar Gopal Rao

Somedays, my life feels like a study in contrast. I wake up, surrounded by deadlines, ambitions, and dreams that stretch into the future. In the evening, I share the last bit of golden sunlight with intensive rhythms, twinkling gejje bells, and the resonant sound of the nattuvangam.

At 16, I’m rooted between two worlds, one full of speed, innovation, and palpable results, whereas the other is still, deep, and complete, like the slow crest of a wave. And yet, rather than clashing, these two worlds have begun to merge, shaping who I am becoming. Somewhere in their meeting, I discovered a delicate balance.

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Article - Dancing a holographic consciousness - Dr. Lata Surendra

'Highlighting the deep interconnectedness between the individual and the Universe'

My journey as a performer through six and a half decades is a personal exploration of a lifelong dance path, referencing the idea of a "holographic consciousness" as a way to describe the multifaceted, interconnected, and enduring nature of my identity and experience, which is deeply interwoven with the art form of Bharatanatyam. It involves my evolving with the dance form, a legacy from ancient times, and highlights how this journey has me connect me to my inner self, cultural heritage, and the broader human experience, even in this digital age. A six-decade journey implies mastery, adaptation, and a long-term engagement with the art, perhaps witnessing its changes and incorporating new influences, while yet remaining true to its roots. With the dance becoming an integral part of my inner core and outward expression, I awakened to evolving life inspiring the Art and Art contributing to Life and awakened to my integrated and interconnected 'sense of self', where me - the dancer, the art form, and the spiritual and cultural heritage of my country became parts of a unified whole, much like a hologram that captures a 3D image from a single point. The dance transformed as a journey of consciousness, where I sought to find myself through movement and expression to experience that in being all that I reached out with I was not distinct from life but life itself.

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Anita says...February 2026

 We are living in surreal times. It feels like the world is at the brink. That powers beyond our control are manipulating us like puppets - moving our limbs, controlling our thoughts in a sinister manner. That the vortex of chaos is any city far away from us, but very close - almost around us.

The new world architecture of power and positioning may not be what we in the dance and music world necessarily pay attention to. But it is happening. It is no more about performing at venues outside our geography. It is the weight of our reputations in the domestic market that will determine our brand value in the times ahead.

Several cultural organisations have put out messages that signal a pause. My eagerly awaited monthly mythology newsletter from the Joseph Campbell Institute came with the opening lines, "We are pausing our regular communications out of respect for the intensity of the moment we are collectively living through. At times of heightened emotion and uncertainty, we believe it is important to create space for reflection." This came from the USA, but the enormity of the geo political moment is not lost on anyone.

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