Fusing dance with heritage

Prakriti Prashant took to Kuchipudi when she turned eight years old. Performing this Sunday in Delhi at Jahan-e-Khusrau festival, this creative genius from Hyderabad was introduced to the dance form by her parents. Soon after acclaimed dance doyens Padma Shris Raja and Radha Reddy, Kaushalya and Yamini Reddy took her under their wings at their dance school Natya Tarangini, Hyderabad. 

She says, “I am truly honoured to have such amazing and brilliant gurus, who have worked relentlessly to make me a better dancer and person. Without their guidance and their belief in me, I would have never reached this stage.”

At the festival organised by Muzaffar Ali, Prashant finds a way to dedicate this performance to her gurus. “I will be translating bhavas of Sufism to Kuchipudi through Chhaap Tilak, a poem, composed by Amir Khusro,  in the 14th century. Due to the resonance of its melody and mystical lyrics, it is frequently heard in Qawwali concerts across South Asia. The poem has a romantic expression, however, it devotional in nature composed by Khusro in respect of his spiritual mentor, Hazrat Nizzamuddin Auliya.”

Prashant is also an aspiring architect studying in Mumbai’s Kamla Raheja Vidhyanidhi Institute for Architecture and Environmental Studies.

“My current goal is to keep performing and being in touch with dance along with my studies.” The classical dancer finds herself immersed in the space as a place of architectural importance finds regular mention in tradition of classical dances. She is of the opinion that archeology connects with the culture of the people, their religious beliefs and so on.

She says, “Performing at a place of architectural importance has its own excitement and as an architecture student I visit a lot of historic sites and always wonder how there are so many places that haven’t been explored as places to perform, in contrary to the Khajuraho temple and the Konark Temple, where I have performed, have been used as a performing space since a very long time,” adding, “So I am very excited and eagerly looking forward to be performing at Arab ki Sarai, Humayun’s Tomb in Delhi!”