Colourful performances at `Habba'

Colourful performances at `Habba'

The Hindu

Kerala Kalamandalam gives impressive recitals of Mohiniattam and Kuchipudi dance


Bangalore: Dance, music and theatre performances from other regions brought to light the cultural diversity of India, at the events of Bangalore Habba on Wednesday.

Kerala Kalamandalam, which has worked for revival of traditional art forms in Kerala, brought the Mohiniattam and Kuchupidi dance, presented at the J.S.S. Auditorium in Jayanagar. The costumes, stage lighting and music were authentic and colourful. At Ambedkar Bhavan, Hindustani vocalist Pandit Nargaraj Rao Havaldhar presented a delightful concert, followed by a veena concert by E. Gayatri. Pandit Havaldar obtained a doctorate for research into the history of classical music in Karnataka. At the Gayana Samaja, a vocal-violin duet of Carnatic raagas was presented by Yashasvi and Nalina.


Later at the same venue, Revathi Narasimhan and group staged a Bharatanatyam performance.

Yashasvi began his musical career from the age of 17 and trained under Anoor S. Ramakrishna and R.K. Srikantan. Nalina's mother Rajalakshmi Puranik was a disciple of M.D. Narayanaswamy, a violinist of Kollegal, who belonged to the Bidaram Krishnappa tradition. Nalina later studied under R.R. Keshavamurthy, well-known violinist of Karnataka.

Lovers of good theatre had two plays to look forward to. Abinava Taranga staged the Kannada play "Sankranthi" at the Chitrakala Parishath. The Rang Vidushak theatre troupe from Bhopal staged the Hindi play "Ek Pal Hasina" at Chowdiah Hall.

Rang Vidushak was started 15 years ago as an adult troupe focused on creative ventures and has trained slum children and those of undertrials.