Pracheen Kala Kendra marked International Women’s Day with performances by Acclaimed Artists

Pracheen Kala Kendra marked International Women’s Day with performances by Acclaimed Artists
Pracheen Kala Kendra marked International Women’s Day with performances by Acclaimed Artists
Pracheen Kala Kendra marked International Women’s Day with performances by Acclaimed Artists

The art of Indian Classical Music, Dance and its related Arts date back to thousands of years, which have evolved through generations of survival and still have sustained itself and have even evolved into an unputdownable form of art. And if art is the soul of humanity, what starts the creation of life, the creation of endless possibilities, is a Mother and her endless love. Celebrating such a relationship of love, care and nurturing on a stage is even more beautiful, and that is exactly why Pracheen Kala Kendra’s 15th Quarterly Baithak, under the ‘Legends of Tomorrow’ series titled Maatri Shakti was such an applauded event this weekend. The Housefull audience at Triveni Kala Sangam at Mandi House was ecstatic to see jugalbandi performances by extremely seasoned artist mothers with their wards performing together at the prestigious stage.

The event kicked off with the welcoming of eminent dignitaries who attended the musical event. The first act was a duet Santoor Recital by Vidushi Shruti Adhikari along with her promising son Ninad who set their performance to Raag Kirwani with the traditional Alaap Jod Jhala, followed by a soothing Vilambit, followed by an engaging gat in Rupak taal (seven beats) and a high octane and breath-taking Drut set to Tintaal (16 beats). With the vibrance of two hundred strings together by the duo, every member of the audience was awestruck by the prowess, mastery, and chemistry exhibited by both the mother and son. Their love and respect for each other created an enigma on stage with every taan and tihai receiving resounding applause. Their melodious resonance of two-hundred strings producing a spectrum of the superlative musical extravaganza was aptly accompanied by Abhijit Aich on Tabla. His smooth, versatile and rhythmic support to the performance took the whole thing to a higher degree of completion and was greeted with applause from the audience. The adept perfection and maturity shown through her performance by Shruti Adhikary, along with the jubilant youthfulness of her son Ninad made it a perfect jugalbandi. 

This mesmerizing performance on the stringed instruments was followed by a graceful soul-filling and memorable duet Bharatnatyam recital by eminent danseuse Vidushi Kanaka Sudhakar who performed along with her immensely talented daughter Aparajita. The mother-daughter duo arrested the attention of the audience with their impeccable stage presence and beautiful movements covering various emotions that they portrayed through their performance. The duo complemented each other’s performances on stage when they performed the many scenes of Ramayana. The grace and experience of Kanaka Sudhakar along with the youthful and vibrant presence of her daughter marked the celebration of International Women’s Day with perfection. 

The event was attended by dignitaries and reputed journalists and eminent artists like such as Pt Chetan Joshi (flutist),  Ustad Asghar Hussain (Violinist), Sh Ajay Jha (Mohan Veena), Sh Subrata De (Sitarist), Sh Debasish Adhikary (Tabla) and numerous others including the Registrar of Pracheen Kala Kendra, Guru Dr. Shobha Koser (SNA Awardee Kathak Maestro). Sh Sajal Koser concluded the evening with a heartfelt vote of thanks to everyone who made the event a resounding success. This celebration of motherhood through Music and Dance by Pracheen Kala Kendra was yet another feather in the decorated cap of the Kendra, which is headquartered at Chandigarh, who has been organizing memorable musical concerts throughout the length and breadth of India for the promotion and dissemination of Indian Classical Music Dance and the welfare of the arts and the artists.