Bharatanatyam in Bangladeshi essence

The fourth installment of the Bengal Classical Music Festival at the Army Stadium opened with a Bharatanatyam performance by the Bangladeshi dance company Pallavi Dance Center, led by renowned dancer-choreographer Minu Haque. The recital, titled “Desh”, commenced with an intricately choreographed Vandana, followed by glimpses of technical pieces such as the Alarippu and Tillana, interlocked with verses from the patriotic songs “O Amar Desher Mati” and “Ekti Bangladesh Tumi Jagroto Jonotar” respectively. The dancers were not only visually striking in their exquisite attires and synchronised movements, but also struck a chord with the members of the audience through the soulfulness of their performance.

During a short interview with The Daily Star after the show, Minu Haque, the artistic mind behind “Desh” said, 'My philosophy behind this production was to combine the pure classical elements of Bharatanatyam with the essence of our patriotism and devotion towards our homeland, Bangladesh. The idea was to portray a transformative piece that flows from one technical aspect of traditional Bharatanatyam to the next, with Bangladesh as the central theme of the production. There aren't many patrons of classical music and dance in this country today, and I feel humbled and delighted to have been given this opportunity by Bengal Foundation.”