Holika Dahan Ceremony during Holika Dahan Festival 2013
Holika Dahan Ceremony -A time honoured regal ceremony
Venue, Date & Time: The Manek Chowk, 26th March 2013 at 06:00 pm
Holika Dahan is the first day of the popular Indian festival of colours called Holi. On this day a pious fire is lit on the full moon night of Phalguna (one of the 12 months of the Hindu calendar). According to Hindu mythology, it demonstrates the triumph of divine power over demonic strength.
The Holika Dahan Ceremony held at the City Palace Complex, Udaipur, witnesses a magnificent palace procession, observe royal etiquette and ritual as you look upon the royal parade in their traditional attire-finely liveried palace staff, elegantly bedecked horses and the impeccably turned out band that leads the cavalcade through the Palace from the Royal residence to Manek Chowk. After the religious ceremonies, as twilight descends, you can look forward to the lighting of a traditional sacred fire where an effigy of the fraudulent Holika is burnt.
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Hori dhoom macho ri – A dance drama by Kathak Kendra, New Delhi refined the spirit and enthusiasm of Holi with their performance during in Holika Dahan Festival 2013 at The Manek Chowk, The City Palace Complex, 06:30 pm onwards on 25th March 2013
About Kathak Kendra, New Delhi and Hori dhoom macho ri – A dance drama
Kathak Kendra, the National Institute of Kathak Dance is the premier dance institution of the country and a constituent unit of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, New Delhi. In 1964 it was adopted by the Akademi and since then has been working with a motto to sculpt professional performers in the fields of Kathak Dance and eventually to promote this North Indian Dance style.
‘Hori Dhoom Macho Ri’ is a dance drama in which Krishna is seen playing Holi with Radha and Gopis. The Music, Concept and Choreography is by Pt Birju Maharaj and presentation is by Sh. Jai Kihan Maharaj.
Second day's evening of the Holika Dahan Festival 2013, atmosphere was beautified with the colors and vocals of Ms. Shashwati Mandal Paul performing at The Manek Chowk, The City Palace, Udaipur
About Ms. Shashwati Mandal Paul:
A fine exponent of the Gwalior style, Shashwati's musical dexterity marks a refined eclecticism that has lent her an individualistic style at a fairly young age. Grand daughter of late Pt. Balabhau Umdekar, the erudite exponent of the Gwalior style of classical Hindustani music and court musician of the Gwalior state. Shashwati, initially trained under her mother late smt. Kamal Mandal. A foremost disciple of Balasaheb, Shashwati has acquired under his tutelage an able hold on the subtle complexity of 'Tappa'.
We kick started our Day two of the Holika Dahan Festival 2013 with soothing musical performances by Ms. Mamta Sharma, Vocalist, Benaras and Mr. Ramkrishna Bose at Khush Mahal Terrace, The City Palace, Udaipur
About Ms. Mamta Sharma
Ms. Mamta Sharma from Benaras initially started learning classical music from her mother Smt. Beena Jaitlie. She studied Bachelors in Music from Kashi Hindu University and became a disciple of Pandit Jalapa Mishra Ji. She continued learning music from Girija Devi Ji later on. Mamta Sharma is a light classical singer and an expert in Thumri, Dadra, Hori, Chaiti, Kajri, Geet, Ghazal and Bhajan.
About Mr. Ramkrishna Bose
Pdt. Ram Krishna Bose was born on Jan. 4, 1960 in Jamalpur Village of Munger district in Bihar. He is currently an accredited B-High grade artist of all India Radio New Delhi and has also performed for television. Looking at his contribution to the world of music 'Sur Singar Sansad', Mumbai honoured him with the title ‘Talmani’ in 1987 and‘Surmani’ in 1990. He has also been felicitated by All India Radio, New Delhi and Raj Mahotsova Rajsamand which gave him the title ‘Pandit’.
Ms. Swati Sinha, a Kathak Dancer performed on the first day of Holika Dahan Festival 2013 at The Manek Chowk, The City Palace Complex, 06.30 pm onwards on 23rd March 2013
Ms. Swati Sinha performed on ‘Nritya Rang’ - an interpretation of the various colours that we adorn ourselves with and dissolve completely into this sea of colours to be one with all ,through the medium of Kathak
Nritya Rang
Holi is a festival of colour, brotherhood and intoxicating revelry. Each and every person is coloured in myriad hues of Gulal, which is considered auspicious. Nritya Rang is an interpretation of the various colours that we adorn ourselves with and dissolve completely into this sea of colours to be one with all ,through the medium of Kathak.
Indigo, Red, Orange, pink, yellow and green have their effects on the mood of men. Each colour is associated to one of the sapt chakras in the human body. Indigo is the colour of meditation and deep contemplation, Red is that of love and vitality, orange of devotion and endurance, pink of tenderness and nurturing , yellow of enthusiasm and cheerfulness and green of fertility and growth.
Indigo- The power of meditation
We commence our performance with the story of Holika dahan. Prahlad refuses to treat his father Hiranyakashyap as God and prays to Lord Vishnu instead. This infuriates his father who asks his sister Holika to kill Prahlad. Holika then lures her nephew into fire where she thought she could burn him to ashes and save herself through a boon in the form of a shawl. However, there is a gust of wind and the shawl falls over prahlad who was meditating and the evil Holika is smoldered to death.
Green- Regeneration
Green is the colour of fertility and growth. In this item we show the emotion of joy that the kadamb tree goes through when Krishna plays the flute sitting in its shade and the sadness and compassion that it feels for Radha when Krishna leaves vrindavan forever. Shattered and leafless it comes to life again in spring when the koel sings on its branches. Come autumn and the leaves and flowers start falling away from the branches and are swept by wind and water into unfamiliar territories where they begin a new life. The kadamb tree is a symbol of human life, the trials and tribulations that we all go through and pass on a part of our history to the next generation.
Yellow- Enthusiasm
The energy and enthusiasm of the colour yellow is depicted through pure dance in Kathak. Kathak is a lively and energetic dance form which gives a lot of space for open dialogue between two dancers and between dancer and musicians.
Pink- Hope
Maand the traditional folk song of Rajasthan is presented in the parameters of Kathak. The nayika waits for the nayak to return from war and passes the time in imagining his homecoming along with her friends. “kesariya Balam aao ji padharo maro des”
Orange- devotion
The colour of devotion is best shown through Meera, the saint poetess of Rajasthan. She begs Krishna to understand her emotions and come to her house where she will welcome him with complete grandeur and will sing songs with him. “ thane kai kai keh samjhawa mhara saawra girdhari”
Red- love
Holi was one of the favourite festivals of Lord Krishna. He and his friends used to drench Radha and the gopis in myriad colours. This holi has been written by kavi Surdas.
Credits:
Dancers: Swati sinha, Diksha Gupta, Shalini Negi, Wanda chiu
Mujaffar, Manoj, Manvendra Singh
Musicians: Zohaib Khan-Tabla
Vijay Parihar- Vocal
Lavinya Kumar- Sitar
Rohit Prasanna- flute
About Ms. Swati Sinha:
Ms. Swati Sinha is one of the foremost practitioners of Kathak today. Having learnt the nuances of the Jaipur style of Kathak from the great master Pt Rajendra Gangani at the Kathak Kendra New Delhi, she has committed herself to practicing and propagating the art form. Sharp yet graceful movements combined with command over deft and intricate rhythm patterns, lithe footwork and subtle, poignant expressions, mark her style. The right blend of ‘taalim’ and’ upaj’ i.e; the practiced aspect and improvisational aspect, find a place in her recital.
http://www.swatikathak.com
