27 February 2025/
44TH NATYANJALI FESTIVAL: A CELEBRATION OF CLASSICAL DANCE AND MUSIC
Join the enchanting 44th Natyanjali Festival, a grand celebration of classical dance and music, organized by the Chidambaram Natyanjali Trust. This captivating event started on 26 February 2025 will continue till 2 March 2025, at the Rajah Sir Annamalai Chettiar Trust Premises on South Car Street in Chidambaram.
One of the event’s highlights is the guest performance by Gaudiya Nritya Bharati, featuring the renowned scholar and artist Dr. Prof. Mahua Mukherjee as the Dance Director and Pandit Amitava Mukherjee as the Music Director.
Supported by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India, and Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi, this festival promises an unforgettable experience for all classical dance and music enthusiasts.
GAUDIYA NRITYA PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS AT THE 44TH NATYANJALI FESTIVAL
At the 44th Natyanjali Festival held in Chidambaram on February 27, 2025, Dr. Prof. Mahua Mukherjee shared her insights on the captivating Gaudiya Nritya performances. One standout piece was “Viruda Nritya – Shiva Mahimadwayam – Madana Bhasma & Dakshayajna,” written by Pandit Sitanath Acharya Shastri, with music composed and vocalized by Pandit Amitava Mukherjee. Talented instrumentalists Ayan Mukherjee and Shubhodip Chakraborti added depth with their sitar and flute performances. The dance choreography and direction were masterfully handled by Dr. Prof. Mahua Mukherjee, featuring the Gaudiya Nritya Bharati dancers from Kolkata, set to Raga Mala and Tala Guchcha.
Another mesmerizing performance was the “Nartesvara/Nataraja Vandana,” penned by Vishvakavi Gurudeb Rabindranath Tagore. This drew inspiration from the Bengal Nataraja of the Pala period, contrasting with the South Indian Nataraja’s posture. Scholar Dr. C. Shivaramamurti noted that Rajendra Chola, an art enthusiast, brought the Bengal Nataraja to South India as a war trophy, now housed in the Amritaghateshvara temple. The performance was enriched by the music of Pandit Amitava Mukherjee and the choreography of Dr. Prof. Mahua Mukherjee, showcasing the talented dancers of Gaudiya Nritya Bharati.
A LEGACY OF EXCELLENCE IN GAUDIYA NRITYA
The enchanting performances featured the remarkable talents of dancers Dr. Mahua Mukherjee, Dr. Soumya Bhowmick, Dr. Paromita Banerjee, Sayantika Majumdar, Shridip Karmakar, Samarpan Sengupta, Koushik Sau and Rakesh Maji, with vocal accompaniment by Pandit Amitava Mukherjee.
Since its founding in 1993, Gaudiya Nritya Bharati has pioneered the promotion and education of Gaudiya Nritya, the classical dance of Bengal. Under the exceptional guidance of Prof. Mahua Mukherjee, students receive comprehensive training that encompasses both practical and theoretical aspects of this ancient art form. The institution has hosted numerous workshops on the diverse Guru Shishya parampara dance traditions of Bengal, and has shared the beauty of Gaudiya Nritya on prestigious platforms across the globe, including the UK, USA, Sri Lanka, Netherlands, Greece, Singapore, Oklahoma and Bangladesh. Several students have also earned national scholarships and fellowships in the field from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
GAUDIYA NRITYA BHARATI CONTINUES TO ORGANIZE SEMINARS AND LECTURE DEMONSTRATIONS, ENRICHING THE CULTURAL LANDSCAPE AND FOSTERING A DEEP APPRECIATION FOR THIS TRADITIONAL DANCE FORM.
