The scintillating cultural space in the Capital city of New Delhi is the richer for its many classical dance and music events of high calibre that mark the annual calendar. Padmashri Guru Shovana Narayan and Dr Jyotsna Suri are ready to present the annual 23rd edition of the Lalitarpan Festival. The event is scheduled to be held at Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi, on 14th and 15th October 2024 at 7 pm.
The program themes for the two days are as follows –
Monday 14th October 2024 – “Stree Spandan: Why I did what I did”
“Stree Spandan” is a powerful abhinaya based production, based on the emotional upheavals of three principal women characters of the Mahabharata – Kunti, Draupadi and Gandhari portrayed by Shovana Narayan (Kathak), Gopika Varma (Mohiniyattam) and Sharon Lowen (Odissi) respectively.
“On seeing the dead bodies of their loved ones on the battlefield, each one justifies their actions to themselves…WOULD they have acted differently? Were they winners or losers? Ultimately, “Stree Spandan” reflects unchanging experiences and circumstances surrounding women through the ages and their emotions and emotional responses!”
Mohiniyattam Dancer – Gopika Varma
Odissi Dancer Sharon Lowen
Tuesday 15th October 2024 –
- “Sapaad Pancha”: An Asavari Group Presentation by Pallavi Lohani, Komal Biswal, Suparna Singh, Mahima Satsangi, Anil Kumar, Ashish Kathak, Vishal Chouhan and Mayank Gangani
- Kathak recital by Praveen Parihar
- Bharatanatyam recital by Rama Vaidyanathan
Kathak recital by Praveen Parihar
Bharatanatyam recital by Rama Vaidyanathan
ABOUT: LALIT ARPAN FESTIVAL
The Lalitarpan Festival, conceptualized in 2002 by Kathak maestro, Padmashri Guru Shovana Narayan, Dr Jyotsna Suri and one of the most renowned tabla players, late Ustad Shafaat Ahmed Khan, was instituted to provide a platform for young artistes where they can perform with reputed senior artistes, thereby boosting their confidence to make their mark in the world of performing arts. The festival also aims to present to the audience, the Rasika’s, various dimensions of the rich canvas of classical performing arts through solo and group presentations of dance dramas and ensembles etc. Organised by the dance institution Asavari and its volunteers, this festival has till date, presented over 100 torch bearers of Indian classical performing arts.
Padmashri Guru Shovana Narayan
ABOUT: PADMASHRI GURU SHOVANA NARAYAN
Shovana Narayan, a name synonymous with Kathak, is the recipient of the prestigious national award of Padmashri Award by the President of India in 1992. Ms Narayan leaves her indelible imprint as a performer, choreographer, Guru, researcher, organiser and author. Her pristine and sparkling performances while steeped in classicism and tradition yet bring freshness with their artistic innovations and social consciousness. Shovana’s Asavari society and her Asavari Repertory is credited with many path-breaking works, whether they were sensitive portrayals of social issues.
