Kolkata: Art lovers gathered at Girish Mancha auditorium at Bagbazar here were taken on a richly layered emotional, devotional and cultural journey as Punascha Nritya Kala Kendra held the fourth edition of its Bhavataranga Dance Festival on December 15.
True to its growing reputation, the festival unfolded as an evening of thoughtfully curated and aesthetically refiuned performances, gently coaxing the connoisseurs to flow in a deep stream of rasa and reflection.
The crowing jewel of the evening was the evocative production ‘Jayatyeka Devi’, a compelling exploration of the duality of the divine feminine, seamlessly blending the classical vocabularies of Odissi and Bharatanatyam.
Presented by renowned Bharatanatyam dancer and the founder of ‘Punascha Nritya Kala Kendra’ Nandita Banerjee and eminent Odissi dance exponent Arnab Bandyopadhyay, founder of ‘Darpani’, the work beautifully wove together the two distinct paths of Shakti-Kālikula, embodying the fierce and unvarnished truth of Goddess Kali, and Śrīkula, reflecting the serene grace of Goddess Tripura Sundari.
Through a refined and abstract choreographic lens, the duet delicately bridged the philosophies of Vedanta and Tantra, culminating in the profound idea of all existence dissolving into the primordial sound, Om.
Nandita Banerjee’s portrayal of Tripura Sundari stood out for her precision, poise, and nuanced abhinaya, holding the audience spellbound. Arnab Bandyopadhyay’s depiction of Kali, marked by graceful torso movements and restrained expressiveness, conveyed power without excess.The clarity of their movements and details of expressions made it easy for the audience to understand what was unfolding before them.
Together, the duo succeeded in evoking the iconographic images of the goddesses in the audience’s inner vision, without letting one override the other-the balance that earned generous and heartfelt applause.
The theme was conceptualised and scripted by Swastik Banerjee, with Arnab Bandyopadhyay choreographing his Odissi part and Nandita Banerjee her Bharatanatyam part.
The music, composed by Shankar Narayan Swamy, featured an accomplished ensemble of Jayadeep Sinha (Vocals), Dr Tathagata Mandal (Chanting), Dr Sudipta Chatterjee (Narration), Ananda R Jayaram (Violin), Mandola Joy Shree Tar Somnath Roy (Ghattam & Percussions), Soumya Ranjan Nayak (Mardala), Shankar Narayan Swamy (Mridangam), Smt Roshmi Bandyopadhyay (Nattuvangam).
Earlier, the evening opened auspiciously with Punascha’s students performing a graceful Pushpanjali dedicated to Lord Ganesha, the remover of all obstacles, setting an auspicious tone for the evening. This was followed by an energetic Thillana that showcased their disciplined training, rhythmic precision, and lively group synchronization.
This was followed by ‘Suhangik’, directed by Subhajit Kush Das, with two well-choreographed works— ‘Primordial Whispers’ and ‘Jogan Dhan’. Both stood out for their conceptual richness and cohesive movement language, revealing a sensitive engagement with thematic abstraction and rhythm.
A deeply moving tribute ‘Shatabarshe Salil’, honouring the legacy of legendary composer Salil Chowdhury, was presented by Kohinoor Sen Barat’s troupe. Special mention must be made of Kohinoor Sen Barat’s performance of Runner, originally choreographed by Sambhu Mitra. The work was marked by powerful expression and a deeply touching portrayal of struggle, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.
In sum, the evening unfolded as a richly rewarding experience—both entertaining and thought-provoking.
The festival was graced by distinguished guests including Bharatanatyam exponent Roshni Bandyopadhyay, Kathak and Bharatanatyam exponent Moly Roy, and Odissi exponent Kakoli Bose.
Overall, ‘Bhavataranga’ once again established itself as a significant platform for refined dance presentations where artistic beauty is seamlessly complemented by thoughtful and intellectual engagement.
