On the 26^th of January, 1950, history was made. India was declared a sovereign republic. On this day, Dr Rajendra Prasad entered the office as the First President of India as an independent country. The Constitution of India came into effect. It took over 200 years for India to become independent and then a few more for us to reach here as a nation. We fought and struggled our way through this. And honouring this patriotic zeal, we celebrate Republic Day. When we all come together, vocally establishing our pride for this country.

And today to celebrate Republic day, we bring you some artists expressing their love for our country.

The Artists!

“Kandhon se milte hain kandhe,

Qadmon se qadam milte hain

Ham chalte hain jab aise to

Dil dushman ke hilte hain”

This song from the 2004 movie ‘Lakshya’ has always topped the charts when it comes to patriotic songs. The YouTube channel ‘Twin Strings’ has presented the song in an enchanting manner. Touching the core of the heart and invoking a strong sense of love for India and respect for its saviors, this song is a gem. The talented lot of singers –  Arjunna Harjaie, Manav, Shivangi Bhayana, Pavitra Krishnan, Sagar Kr, Sahil Kr, Simi Bedi along with their marvelous counterparts slaying the instruments made the song even more pleasing to listen to.

Written by the legendary lyricist Javed Akhtar, this free verse caresses the soul in an unparalleled way. The unplugged version of the song recited by the very appeasing and skilled Namita Choudhary sends chills down the spine with goosebumps rising all over. The screenplay and cinematography presented in the video takes one into a different world. The instrumental music clubbed with the melodious voice of Namita makes the heart melt.

Dance has always been a way to express all kinds of emotions, be it happiness or grief or excitement or anxiety or any other feeling. Payal Mondal, an amazing classical dancer showcases an amazing dance performance on the Bengali song ‘Bharat Amar Bharat Barsha’. The expressions, postures, moves, everything is just so lovely that it can make your day! The natural beauty captured in the video makes it even more serene and fascinating to watch! 

On 23rd January 2022, the 125th birthday of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Puja Saha, a perfect classical dancer, gave a tribute to the legend. Sung by the iconic Bollywood playback singer Sonu Nigam, the song titled ‘Subhashji’ is a gem in itself. The soulful cinematography in the video on peaceful locations along with the attractive and pleasing dance moves makes it a must watch! I can bet ‘Shaan-ae-Hind Subhashji’ would be pleased to see such a lovely tribute! 

Do check out these videos people, they can make your day!! 

According to the mythological beliefs the native people of Manipur were called Gandharvas and they were efficient in this dance form. Although the epics Mahabharata and Ramayana mention about a dance tradition in Manipur it is believed the tradition cascaded to progeny verbally and the earliest reliable mentions of the dance form are found in the cultural texts of 18^th century. It is also believed that the 18^th century king Bhagyachandra dreamt of the idea of Rasleela dance form and structured the dance form which can be said to be a precursor to the Manipuri dance.

The geographical location of Manipur has kept it away from the susceptibility of foreign influence through invaders and maintains its idiosyncrasy which can be witnessed in the cultural dance form Manipuri which remains true to the Indian roots. The dance form focuses precisely on the dexterous hand and upper body movements.

There are two generic styles of Manipuri first, Tandava, capturing the themes of Shaktism and Shaivism and second, Lasya dedicated to Vaishnavism. In the Lasya style portrayal of Raslila or the love stories of Radha and Krishna is prevalent and Manipuri is basically known for this style. In the honor of the sylvan deity Umang Lai, the dance is performed in the Lai Haraoba festival.

It is known for its spectrum of movements ranging from delicate, sinuous and emotive feminine to aggressive masculine movements. The facial expressions aren’t exaggerated unlike in other classical dance-drama forms and sarvangabhinaya or the full body movement is the eccentricity of this dance form. The repertoire is structured according to the season in the Rasleela and the basic step being called Chali or Chari. There are five Ras, four of which are dedicated to each season and the fifth one can be performed anytime. Other styles include Thang-ta (inspired by martial arts), Sanskirtanas and choloms (masculine aspect).

The costumes are creatively unique and indigenous, a female being dressed in a traditional bridal dress called Potloi with a barrel shaped decorated skirt called Kumil and male is dressed in a dhoti. The tunes of high pitched classical Manipur music, Nat, with its trills and modulations accompany in reverberating the heartbeats of people. The instruments like Kartal, Pung, Pena and flute add to the effect. 

Inspired by the beauty of Manipuri dance Rabindranath Tagore invited Guru Naba Kumar to teach Rasleela at Shantiniketan in 1926. Through our initiative Vistas of Bharat, it’s time to cast light upon the dimming flame Tagore illuminated.

A gem in the cultural inheritance of Tamil Nadu, Bharatanatyam, is not limited to being just a classical dance form. Adding to its sacredness is the mythological belief of associating its origin to Lord Shiva himself. The earliest mentions of Bharatanatyam are found in the 2nd century CE epic verse of Tamil Nadu’s’ Silappatikaram’. The temple scriptures point towards its popularity during 1st millennium CE. It even finds itself in the ‘natya shastra’, which is an illustrative index of all ancient Indian dance forms. It is one of the oldest classical dance form and has been a part of Hindu temple rituals.

Bharatanatyam is a dance form which includes the coordination of various body gestures. It includes a splendid footwork, ringing the sacred bells of ghungru, admirable hand movements and facial expressions with emotions. The dance follows a systemic 7 step sequence called margam, beginning with Alarippu, Jatiswaram, Shabdam, Varnam, Padam, Thillana, and ends with Shlokam or Mangalam. Such synchronization of different movements in accordance with the melody of Carnatic music is used to express the inner feelings of man through dance. In a philosophy centric religion as Hinduism, the prime scriptures, Vedas, thus describe the dance as a form of sadhana. Owing to the degradation of mental peace in today’s era of materialism, some food to the soul, like this, is an essentialist requirement.

In ancient times the dancers were called ‘Devadasi’ meaning serving ‘the Lord’ through dance and perhaps that’s why the Bharatanatyam dancers are dressed in a tailor-made, pleated saree and are ornamented with jewelry and ghunghru in a similar fashion as the Tamilian brides. This is to equate the sacredness of the two acts. It was actively criticized through the anti-dance movement of colonial India, but India preserved its culture in the lap of its temples and throughout the 19th century it remains exclusive to temples only. We should be obliged to mainstream dancers like Rukmini Devi, Arundale, Balasaraswati and Yamini Krishnamurthy for its post-colonial revival. Forgotten in the illusions of modernity, Bharatanatyam being overshadowed by other western dance forms seeks revitalisation and revival in the mind of fans of Bollywood.

In this light, we bring you some exquisite and divine Bharatanatyam performances by these sterling dancers. 

Tandav – Sayani Chakraborty

Tandav is a Sanskrit word that means frantic dancing. This vigorous dance performance is associated with Lord Shiva, who, in his role as a destroyer, used to perform this dance on cremation grounds and cemeteries. Tandav symbolizes creation, preservation, and destruction. A Tandav dance needs to be brimmed with power and should be dynamical and that is what we witness in Sayani Chakroborty’s Tandav performance. Self-choreographed, this exuberant and sharp performance by Sayani Chakraborty fuels the atmosphere with an intense aura that leaves us applauding. 

Ai Giri Nandini, Durga Strotam – Sadhwi Majumder

The passionate dancer with her mighty steps and the perfect accompanying expressions, Sadhwi gives an ode to the feminine power of Maa Durga. Through the majesty of Bharatanatyam, Sadhwi Majumder embodies the power and soul of Goddess Durga. The entire performance, along with her yellow pleated saree and jewellery, reflects the rich cultural and tradition of India’s classical dance, that is ever so eloquent, with hints of vigour and might. 

Jiya Jale Dil se – Tanvi Karekar

Tanvi Karekar presents a beautiful Bharatanatyam dance, in a brilliant blue saree, set against a blue lake and sky, which makes the performance even more delightful. Self choreographed, she presents us the traditional bharatanatyam dance on an evergreen song like Jiya Jale! The 3 minute performance takes one in a magical state. Through dance, Tanvi narrates a story. Tanvi’s passion for bharatanatyam brings forth the dance as a storytelling mirror as well.

Adiyogi – Hetal Makwana

This duet Bharatanatyam performance by Hetal Makwana is an homage to Lord Shiva on Mahashivratri. Lord Shiva is known as Adiyogi, or the first yogi. He’s the originator of the art of Yoga. The dancers, with their graceful body language, immerse themselves into the tranquillity and fierceness of Lord Shiva. The perfect choice of the song, that is, Adiyogi by Kailash Kher, needs to be applauded. Together with this song, and the duet’s impressive expressions and graceful steps, heartfelt devotion is made to Lord Shiva. 

Known as Maharaj Ji both in terms of affection and reverence, Biju Maharaj, passed away early on Monday morning at age 83. The celebrated artiste not only venerated Kathak as an art form here in India but took it to the global stage for the world to witness with pride, the cultural milieu of our nation. In the blooming stages of his career too, his unbridled potential led him to represent India in nations like the UK, Japan, USA, France among many others. Having perfected the dance at age 13 and becoming a proficient teacher, as well as being awarded the Sangeet Natak Academy Award, at age 28, he can be described not just as a prodigy, but a maestro of the art form. 

He did not just perform renditions of the Radha-Krishna mythology, but also used kathak as a tool to express himself on various social issues. He is the recipient of one of India’s highest civilian honours, the Padma Bhushan Award. Besides these awards and accolades though, he is responsible for furthering kathak as an art of expression, propelling it further in this contemporary world. He elevated kathak from an elite form of dance to a stylised medium to portray the fluidity of human emotions. His rhythm and facial gestures, as perfect and precise as his delicate footwork, inspired younger generations to portray their angst through kathak. His loss is that of a candle snuffed in the darkest of times, but his disciples and students wish to take his teachings, and give back to Kathak and to India, the finest that Maharaj Ji had to offer.

Shivkumar Sharma has made it to reverential fame through his soulful mastery over the complex musical instrument Santoor. Santoor is a traditional instrument of Jammu and Kashmir, where Shivkumar Sharma is also from. The Santoor is a trapezoid-shaped hammered dulcimer, generally made of walnut. It has 25 bridges, each bridge has 4 strings, making for a total of 100 strings. The strings are played with tongs rather than being plucked. Today, Shivkumar and Santoor are synonymous with each other. Santoor is known by him, and he is known by Santoor. Therefore, let’s dive into his life and how it all began!

Early Life and Introduction to Music and Instruments

Shivkumar Sharma was born on 13th January, 1938, in Jammu. His father, Pandit Uma Dutt Sharma, who was also his teacher, played an important role in shaping the musician and composer that he is today. As early as the age of 5, his father introduced him to music. By the age of 12, Shivkumar was an applaudable vocalist and a tabla player. He performed his vocals and tabla on one of Jammu’s local radio broadcasts. His father gave him the free will to experiment with instruments of his choice. Shivkumar spent hours on diverse instruments like sitar, violin, and harmonium. 

Pandit Uma Dutt Sharma wanted to give international recognition to Santoor. He researched extensively about this ancient instrument of Jammu. The Santoor was known as Shata-Tantri Veena in those days and the music and singing accompanying santoor are also unique. The singing style is known as Sufiana Mausiqi. Pandit Uma believed in his son and handed over the responsibility of taking Santoor to the highest echelons, to him. Shivkumar indeed sprinkled the magic of Santoor not only to the Hindi cinemas but also internationally. 

How Shivkumar Sharma is Indeed a Legend 

Through his father’s encouragement, Shivkumar turned all his attention to Santoor. He modified this folk instrument to make it suitable for Indian classical music. At the age of 17, he tried to soften its notes and tunes. Through the years, he tried to work on its tuning so that it imitates a human-like voice. He increased its range to a full three octaves and also introduced a new way of playing it. Consequently, the instrument got incorporated into Hindi cinemas and songs. 

Shivkumar has collaborated and worked with many gifted musicians. Zakir Hussain and Hariprasad Chaurasiya are just some of them. He composed Indian classical music for films like “Darr”, “Silsila” and “Lamhe”. He has also been awarded multiple prestigious awards like Padmashree, Padma Vibhushan, Sangeet Natak Academy Award, Honorary Doctorate from the University of Jammu, Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan Award, Maharashtra Gaurav Puraskar, etc. On his 84th birthday, some of his albums that you can visit are – Call of the Valley, Sampradaya, Elements: Water, Music of the Mountains and Megh Malhar.