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Pallavi presents Indian classical dance Mohiniattam
Robab Rosan
Mohiniattam means Mohini's dance. Mohini, according to Indian mythology, is a very beautiful woman who attracts people instantly and was an enchantress, thus it is the dance of the enchantress, Pallavi Krishnan, a leading exponent of Mohiniyattam, informed a small group of audience at Ramesh Chandra Dutta Memorial Auditorium of Chhayanaut Bhaban in Dhaka in the evening on Monday.
This noted artiste of Mohiniattam is now in the city and is conducting a workshop for this Indian classical dance. Chhayanaut arranged a demonstration of Mohiniattam by the dancer for the audience of Dhaka, to whom this genre of classical dance is less familiar than the other Indian classical dances, like Bharatnatyam, Odissi, Manipuri and Katthak.
Pallavi, an alumnus of both Viswa Bharati University and Kerala Kalamandalam, described the historical background of Mohiniattam and its development over the centuries. She talked about the mythological connection of this dance by saying 'it is also believed that Lord Vishnu had disguised himself as 'Mohini' with an intention to slay Bhasmasura and took away the nectar by churning it out of the ocean.
'But the basis of this dance is not seduction alone. It also signifies transformation of Lord Vishnu into a female form and also the concept of 'Ardhnareeshwara' which means male and female as one. Like many other dance forms, this was also restricted to the Devadasis, she added.
The first reference to Mohiniattam is found in 'Vyavaharamala' composed by Mazhamangalam Naryanam Namboodiri, assigned to the 16th century A.D
The theme of Mohiniattam is love and devotion to god. Vishnu or Krishna is more often the hero. The spectators could feel his invisible presence when the heroine or her maid details dreams and ambitions through the circular movements, delicate footsteps and subtle expression. The dancer in the slow and medium tempos is able to find adequate space for improvisations and suggestive bhavas.
Pallavi demonstrated some mudras of Mohininattam herself and with her workshop students. She also showed her own composed dance piece based on Rabindranath Tagore's song 'Sakhi Oi bujhi banshi baje' and some other traditional dance items.
Initially Pallavi was trained in Kathakali and Mohiniyattam under Guru Kalamandalam Sanakaranarayanan at Santiniketan. Her passion for Mohiniyattam led her to advanced training at Kerala Kalamandalam. On completion of her training from the Kerala Kalamandalam, she continued her training under the guidance of Guru Bharati Shivaji.
Pallavi has enriched the repertoire of Mohiniyattam by choreographing many items, both traditional and thematic, a few of them under the grant of the Government of India's Department of Culture. She has performed and conducted Mohiniyattam residencies extensively in India and abroad. Her performance in India includes those in the major festivals of the country.
As an artiste, Pallavi has developed a style marked by creativity in her performance. Pallavi is equally at ease in exhibiting both adavu and abhinaya. Today, she is one of the most sought after Mohiniyattam performers and a trendsetter for many young dancers, motivating them to take up this art form seriously. The organisers could have arranged the programme in a larger scale so that a larger audience could enjoy the charm of Mohinattam.
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Int'l art show begins in Dhaka
Musfequr Rahman Chowdhury
An eighteen-day international painting exhibition featuring 65 paintings began at the Art Club Bangladesh at Gulshan in the city on Sunday.
Art Club Bangladesh and Creative Art and Craft Centre, India jointly organised the exhibition of two artists -- Avijit Mukherjee of Kolkata and Javed Jalil from Dhaka.
Indian high commissioner to Bangladesh Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty, as chief guest, inaugurated the show titled 'Union of Uniqueness Exposition'.
Wife of the Indian ambassador, Radha Chakravarty and other art critique from home and abroad were also present on the occasion.
'Such type of cultural exchange will help to improve good relations between the people across the border,' said Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty during the inauguration of the show.
'Through the show we will be able to know each other better ....this will also help us to enrich knowledge,' Ranjan added.
A total of 35 artworks of Javed Jalil and 30 artworks of Avijit Mukherjee are on display.
In an artwork tilted 'Crucified Desire' which portrays two figures comprising a male and female is trying for their desire.
'Though they have the desire, they cannot meet each other for their physical, environmental and psychological barrier, said Javed.
Avijit in one of his artwork depicts a dream world which is free of corruption, anxiety, malice.
'Javed is a creative painter while the intense emotion of Avijit helps him to reach at this stage...this is very praiseworthy,' said Institute of Fine Art Professor Rokeya Sultana at the exhibition.
'Art Club Bangladesh have recently signed an agreement with Creative Art and Craft Centre, India for hosting such type of exhibition around the world', said the curator of the club, Nahid Osman.
The show will remain open from 11:00am to 7:00pm till
May 7.
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Turkish film scoops top award
Agence France-Presse . Istanbul
The 27th Istanbul International Film Festival awarded on Saturday its most prestigious prize, the Golden Tulip, to 'Yumurta' (Egg) by Turkish film-maker Semih Kaplanoglu for best film of the year.
The jury picked Kaplanoglyu out of 12 runner-ups for his intimate portrayal of the fears and reveries of Yusuf, an uninspired poet who returns to his natal village for his mother's funeral.
'Tatil Kitabi' (Summer Book), 30-year old Seyfi Teoman's first feature film, won best Turkish film for its youthful appeal. It explores how two brothers perceive their strained relationship with their strict father.
The Council of Europe's new award for best human rights film went to Li Yang's Cannes-nominated 'Blind Mountain', a tale of a Chinese peasant who fights back once she is sold off to a man from her village.
The annual film festival which began on April 5 drew to a close on Saturday evening with a gala where the award ceremony took place. Russian film-maker Alexandre Sokourov, who screened his latest film 'Alexandre' (2007), was expected to receive an honorary award.
Throughout the two-week long festival, some 170,000 spectators watched around 200 films from 45 countries.
The Istanbul International Film Festival began in 1982 to bolster and give Turkish cinema international visibility.
Since then, it has grown, attracting some 85,000 visitors every year with genres
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Music band launched to popularise bhawaiya songs
Cultural Correspondent
With the aim to popularise folk song bhawaiya, a music band, titled 'Bhawaiya' started its journey through a function at Shaukat Osman Memorial Auditorium of the Central Public Library in Dhaka on Tuesday.
Promising bhawaiya singer Shafiul Alam Raza is the main vocalist of the new band group.
Musician Ajit Roy, cultural personalities Ramendu Majumdar, Nasiruddin Yousuff, Asaduzzaman Noor, Golam Kuddus and Jhuna Chowdhury were present in the launching ceremony.
They appreciated Raza's initiatives and hoped that the band group would curve a niche in the genre of music in the country and achieve its goal of popularising bhawaiya songs among the young generation.
O ki garial bhai, O ki bandhu kajal bhomra and many more bhawaiya songs have been attracting people irrespective of regions since long, the participants said.
These traditional songs are usually presented with traditional instruments and styles. Now, a band group has come forward with the aim to present the traditional songs with the combination of modern and traditional instruments to attract the young generation.
Raza with his co-singer Salma Khatun Lipi delighted the audience singing a good number of bhawaiya songs. He started the soiree by paying tribute to the martyrs of the historic Language Movement. He sang 'O re amar praner bhasha Bangla bhasha re'. Later he sang a bhawaiya song on Baishakh.
At the soiree, Salma also sang popular bhawaiya songs.
'Bhawaiya songs are full of verities in terms of subjects. We want to collect and present them to the audience of present days,' Raza said.
Other members of the group are Ziaul Hasan as music director, Jewel as keyboardist, David as octopadist, Reza as base-guitarist and Rumon as lead guitarist. Sadi will play on the tabla, Kabir on Bangla dhol, Mohammad Solaiman on dotara, Hasan on flute and Bishwajit will play on mandira.
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The Trees
Abul Hasan
Those bright attired trees -- how they play
merrily with the wind everyday
and dance by swaying their green leaves
that strike different choreographic poses
and stripping breast covers
like sisters of accomplished ballerinas!
When in the morning the hens come out
of their wooden coops
and search for grains of corn,
crows and sparrows with their beaks
peck out the fresh-scented daybreak
-- all the while the well-endowed and beautiful trees
pour out from the pouches
fine oxygen.
They make beds for the birds to rest all night
dish out the morning breakfast before sunup
and dutifully stand by at the bird's house
like Nature's attendant and butler.
From their cornucopian chest they hand out
herbal drugs and fruits
life-saving elixir.
While we move about
with a selfish secret knife under our cloak
and kill ourselves in the mirror
of the passing moment
and converse with one and all
with the faithlessness of the moment
-- all the while they give away their treasure
quietly and universally.
I am filled with compassion when I see
those sons of Mary crucified by the axeman's cross
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Moment Beautiful
Rafiq Azad
You, Moment Beautiful,
Come once more
Unto my straw cabin.
From which direction will you come
In what manner
- Do send signals.
Tell me the precise season you prefer.
Should you like to come in summer
- I will keep the southern door ajar.
If you choose winter
You can come floating in the snow wind
Of the north.
In the monsoon come as raindrop
To find me in fleshy freshness.
Come.
In late autumn with the harvest
To find me eager
Or in the white clouds of early autumn
In clear sunlight.
Waiting I am.
Spring is the time for all to come and go
-- Come not in the spring.
Poems are translated by Zakeria Shirazi
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Agniveena, G-Series release 10 audio and video CDs
Cultural Correspondent
On the occasion of Boisakhi Utshab audio house Agniveena and G-Series have released ten CD and VCDs. G-Series released Esho Hay Boishakh. Noted singer Sadi Mohammad, Rezwana Choudhury Bonya, Papia Sorowar and others singers have rendered their voice to different popular Tagore songs.
After six years Agniveena, the sister concern of G-Series, released the audio CD of Rukhzana-famed Singer Shahed. Bahaman is the duet album of singer Bappa Mozumder and Shantonu Choudhury. It is tuned by Bappa Mozumder and Santonu Choudhury. In Rong Bay Rong Er Manush there are eleven songs tuned by Tomal. Other singers are Shampa Reza, Fahmida Nabi, Kaniz Suborna, Partho Barua, Rumon (Parthibo) Tomal.
Agniveena also released the mixed album Ontorale which contains the songs of Bappa Mozumder, S I Tutul, Khalid and Sharmin Roma.
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