The 23rd edition of ‘Kalarang’, a festival of dance, music and theatre will begin on January 8
NT BUZZ
The Directorate of Art and Culture, Ravindra Bhavan, Margao, and Kalangan Centre for Performing Arts is all set to organise the 23rd edition of ‘Kalarang’, a festival of dance, music and theatre.
The festival which will be held from January 8 to 12 at Ravindra Bhavan, Margao, will be inaugurated at 6.14 p.m. at the hands of director, Dempo Group Pallavi Dempo. Minister for art and culture Ramesh Tawadkar will preside over the function, in the presence of minister for PWD Digambar Kamat and Registrar ABGM, Vashi, Vishwas Jadhav.
Kalangan will also be felicitating Dempo and Jadhav for their contribution to the society in the field of arts.
The inaugural ceremony will be followed by a Bharata Natyam ballet by Kalangan Margao and Artitude Pune. This dance presentation will portray various shades of the love and bonding between Radha and Krishna. It is an ode to poet Jaydeva who created Geet Govind, an embodiment of the love relationship between Radha and Krishna under the tapestry of Vrindavan, amongst the beautiful Gopis on the banks of River Yamuna.
On January 9, the programme will begin at 6.30 p.m. with a sitar recital by Asad Khan who will be accompanied by Mayank Bedekar on tabla and Chethan Murthy on the mridangam.
An internationally renowned sitar player, composer, and producer, Asad belongs to the Mewati Gharana of Indian classical music. Representing the sixth generation of this musical lineage, he honed his craft under the mentorship of his father, Ustad Siraj Khan, one of India’s leading sitar maestros. A versatile and pioneering artist, Asad seamlessly blends Indian classical music with diverse genres such as jazz, flamenco, Western classical, electronica, and film scores. He has performed at global events including the Nobel Peace Prize Concert, Commonwealth Games, ABU Festival, and composed ceremonial music in India and abroad.
His performance will be followed by vocal recital by Jayateerth Mevundi. A Hindustani classical vocalist, Mevundi is an ‘A Top’ graded artist of All India Radio. His discography includes recordings of ragas such as Bilaskhani Todi, Abhogi Kanada, Basant, Yaman, Marwa, Lalit, Gunakali, Shuddh Sarang, and Darbari Kanada. He has also rendered Kannada devotional compositions, film songs in Kannada and Marathi, and innovative works in newly created ragas by composer Mahesh Mahadev. He will be accompanied by DattarajMhalshi on harmonium and Mayank Bedekar on tabla.
On December 10, proceedings will commence at 6.15 p.m. with a vocal recital by Mugdha Gaonkar a young and promising classical vocalist of the Mewati Gharana. She will be accompanied by Gopal Prabhu on the harmonium and Rushikesh Phadke on tabla. Prutha Gaonkar and Megha Gobre will provide taanpura and vocal support.
Gaonkar has completed Sangeet Visharad with distinction and holds a master’s degree in Hindustani Classical Music from Shivaji University, Kolhapur, where she was awarded the Gold Medal. A graded artist of All India Radio in classical, devotional music and natyageet, she is a recipient of several awards and scholarships. She has also performed at music festivals across India and has recorded for multiple albums.
After her performance there will be an Odissi dance presentation by Ileana Citaristi and troupe. Citaristi is the founder of Art Vision Dance Academy, Orissa. She is also a recipient of the Padma Shri (2006) and the National Award for Best Choreography.
The Odissi dance recital will begin with Surya Mangalacharan, invoking the sun god; a soulful Meera bhajan expressing longing for Krishna; a rhythmic Pallavi in raga belaboli; Ganga–Yamuna portraying the rivers’ confluence; and Dasa Mahavidya, depicting the 10 tantric forms of the divine mother, performed by group and solo dancers in
Odissi style.
On January 11, 7 p.m. there will be a Marathi play ‘Patra Patri’ at 7 by Badam Raja Mumbai. Directed by Vijay Kenkre, the play presents a story of two aging friends coping with change and is designed to be a combination of dramatised reading and performance.
The last day will see the staging of the English/Hindi play ‘One on One Dhamaal’ by Rage Productions at 7 p.m. Directed by Akarsh Khurana, Faezeh Jalali, Puja Sarup, Rajit Kapur and Rahul Dacunha, the themes and personae in this play include arranged marriages, marriages of convenience, resigned housewives, accommodating film producers, harassed ticket collectors and inedible airline food. These nine monologues in English and Hindi convey amusement, annoyance and concern about what it is like to live in India
today.
The entry for both the dramas will be open for 16 years and above.
