I am in Delhi, the capital city of India for quit some time now, say.. 9 years, in installments. Delhi never had a cultural life so beautiful, to be spoken about till recent past. A taste of culture and heritage has developed since last few years, among the delhites when DELHI TOURISM DEPARTMENT, AIR INDIA and SEHER group came up with a bright idea of upholding the cultural life of Delhi and uplifting the Tourism Industry in India at the same time. It is a leisurely relief away from the mad mechanical life style to a life filled with Indian Classical Music and Indian Classical Dance forms, form all over the country.
ANANYA, THE DANCE FESTIVAL
The atmosphere and the background chosen for such programs are a delight to the aching eyes, a sweet combination of the remains of a glorious histry, the lighted Old Fort as the background, the evening breeze and a dance troup choreographed by the renowned Ustad. Birju Maharaj, dancing Kathak, a North Indian form of dance. Costumed in the traditional dresses, the dancers perform a dance-drama with the colourful flash lights. Red, green and yellow gulal, coloured and perfumed powder of Holi, thrown in air by the dancing artists, the artificial mist and the courtyard of the Old Fort as background, would make you feel as if, you have been teleported back to the age of emperors as a visitor, invited to enjoy the festival along with ministers, knights and a royal fragrence floating in the air. This is just a small portrayal of the day one, of a five day long festival, where there is a lot more to seek, to find, about our land of varied culture.
The following day at the Old Fort courtyard brought for us the Orissy dance by disciples of the great Guru, Shri. Kelucharan Mohapatra, dancing beside a replica of the giant wheels of the Sun Temple of Orissa. The North meets the South East here in Delhi at the Old Fort, the dance depicted the serenity of love between Lord Krishna and Radha. What a spectacular sight it was to see and enjoy! South India isn’t too far from North and from our heart, this was evident in the next few days that witnessed the gorgeous dancers performing Bharatnatyam and Mohininatyam. Coming to the end of the festival what I missed a lot, was Kathakali of Kerala, may be, I get to see that in near future.
THE QUTAB FESTIVAL
The Qutab Festival highlights the brand new style of Indian Music, The Fusion Music, comprising of the Indian classical and the Western Jazz music, Indian folk and western instrument. Sitar and Tabla JugalBandi and other instrumental recitals are a part of the festival. SEHER and DELHI TOURISM DEPARTMENT, as always, takes a good care of every small things, that would contribute to make the festival a delightful memory. The FREE PARKING system, in an organized and secure way is much to be appreciated. Then the lighting on the trees, hundreds of earthen lamps, deepaks, lighted on earthen sculptures paves the way to the stage, a few yeards from the foot of the majestic Qutab Minar. A backdrop so nostalgic, so majestic as the Qutab Minar and the stage ROCKING with the DRUM BEATS of Shivamani, or the ROCK BAND named INDIAN OCEAN playing their improvised and modernized Indian Folk from rustic India blended with Western Europian tunes, attracts the youth of Delhi. Fast food stalls provide shortcut dinner to the JAMMING and Dancing youths to cary on till the end of the program. I always find my way out to get to such cultural liveliness.
There are many such evevts to be mentioned, the Bhakti Utsav and more, which can be known elaborately from the web site: http://www.seher.in. All those like minded persons gonig through this blog may comment on this writing effort.
