Sufi kathak performance leaves audience spellbound

CHANDIGARH:The Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi organised a soulful Sufi kathak classical dance performance by internationally acclaimed Dubaibased young dance doyenne Arushi Nishank at Tagore Theatre here today

Updated At : 07:37 AM Aug 07, 2016 IST

Arushi Nishank performs a Sufi kathak dance at Tagore Theatre on Saturday. Tribune Photo: S Chandan

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 6

The Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi organised a soulful Sufi kathak classical dance performance by internationally acclaimed Dubai-based young dance doyenne Arushi Nishank at Tagore Theatre here today.

Akademi chairman Kamal Arora welcomed the audience. Chief guest NS Minhas, officiating director, Doordarshan, and special guest Anurag Aggarwal Home Secretary, honoured the artistes. The audience witnessed a new trend of kathak classical dance performance with colours and strains of Sufiana mysticism, which at times eclipsed the traditional kathak form concept.

Arushi supported by co-dancers Bhumika Pande and Amrita opened up with a composition Allah Hoo, set to teen taal of 16 beats which attempted to sermonise that God is omnipresent and manifests in every being and space.

Arushi and other dancers delineated the elements of bhakti, serenity and peace symbolic of Sufism through soothing Parans,Tukde and Tihais which are the important ingredient of Kathak classical dance. Another Sufiana composition ‘ Mann kunto maula’ evoked the mysticism of Hazrat Amir Khusro duly embellished with a crisp musical “tarana”.

Arushi and dancers teamed up to present a composition ‘Morrey saiyan toh hain pardes’..where the dancers depicted “gat bhav” of Naiyeka Radha , the divine consort, as she is getting ready to meet her Piya, (Lord Krishna) reflecting the spiritual love between a devotee and God.