Bharatnatyam show from March 2 to focus on Shivaji’s life, principles

Pune: The life, work and principles of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj will come alive on stage through the Bharatnatyam performance Shrimant Yogi as part of the fourth edition of Sindhu Mahotsav.
Organized by Mumbai-based Sankhya Dance Company, in association with the Mudra Centre of Performing Arts from the city, the three-day dance festival will begin on March 2.

Addressing a news conference, founder of Sankhya Dance Company Vaibhav Arekar said, “Each time there is a performance about Chhatrapati Shivaji, a lot of emphasis is laid on whether the performer ‘looks’ like the emperor. There are also parallels drawn to famous dramas like Janata Raja. Essentially, the principles that he preached take a back seat. We are trying to bring that into focus.”

The Bharatnatyam endeavour based on the life of Chhatrapati Shivaji will be staged by seven dancers on March 2 at Balgandharva Rangamandir. “We want to present ideas and visuals that make an impact on the audience,” he added.

The act traces the emotional, cultural and social journey of the Maratha king and the society by taking the audience through tales of sacrifice, war and conflict, establishment of swarjya and dharma.

The second day will begin with Praveen Kumar’s Bharatnatyam rendition Margam. “Selected works of Kathak Guru Rohini Bhate will be staged by her disciples Shrarvari Jamenis, Rujuta Soman, Prajakta Raj and Maneesha Abhay after Kumar’s performance,” said Arekar.

The final day will see workshops to help young dancers and Bharatnatyam enthusiasts learn intricacies of the dance form. The workshops, conducted by Kumar and Arekar, will be held at Shantiban Society Club House Hall, Kothrud.

Renowned artists like Priyadarshani Govind, C V Chandrashekar, Uma Dogra, Ratikant Mahopatra, Malavika Sarukkai have been a part of the festival earlier.