The grace and ghungru of Kathak

Kathak Nritya Sampradaye (KNS) organised a three day (December 24-26) Kathak Dance Festival at the main auditorium of Chhayanaut. The festival, inaugurated by Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu as chief guest, featured an array of solo and group performances by noted and promising dancers of Bangladesh along with several dance troupes. Dance artistes displayed a number of Kathak styles including bandana, chhandamalika, tukramalika, gautmalika, meghmalika, composition, nritya nirmity and tarana at the festival.

Noted danseuses -- Laila Hasan, Lubna Mariam and Sharmila Banerjee – graced the occasion as special guests. The organisers also honoured Sultana Haider by conferring her on the Zinat Jahan Memorial Award on the opening day.

The festival was set off with a bandana. Artistes presented a total of 12 dance pieces on the opening day. The director of KNS, Saju Ahmed directed 10 dances while choreographed by Suparna Datta, four artistes performed prothom chhondo (first rhythm) and Tabassum Ahmed directed a solo piece presented by Abantika Al Reza. Saju Ahmed with Emon, Pappu, Suparna, Tattwika, Jyoti, Aruna, Oishee and Ruhi of KNS wrapped up the opening day's festival with performing beautiful a Tarana.

On the second day, a seminar on the title “Satyen Sen-er Shilpo Sambhar”, was held at Chhayanaut where Sheikh Mehedi Hasan presented a keynote while cultural personality Golam Mohammad Idu, dance researcher Amanul Haque and Sangeeta Imam, organising secretary of Udichi, discussed. Dance performances followed on the day. Today, solo dance artistes and several dance troupes will perform at the venue.

Kathak is one of the eight forms of Indian classical dance. This dance form traces its origins to the nomadic bards of ancient northern, known as Kathakars or storytellers. Its form today contains traces of temple and ritual dances and the influence of the bhakti movement. From the 16th century onwards, it absorbed certain features of Persian dance and central Asian dance which were imported by the royal courts of the Mughal era. Now it has become a popular and an established stage performing art form.