Kala Chhaya Presents "Khushboo Lucknowee"

Kala Chhaya shines with a new experimental progressive look . Spaces so uniquely designed for performance and expanding ideas. Kala Chhaya touches upon encouraging all forms of art. So many lines and shapes makes it look like a den of art. Kala Chhaya is perfectly mastered by known Smt.Prabha Marathe for years with experience in kathak.

Only a person of the like of Smt. Prabha Marathe can recite a story so long (katha) with a strong foundation. Kathak is all about stories. Kathak originated from the north India and traveled all over the world with great success.

Marking a new beginning kala chhaya organized kushboo lucknowee. All stalwarts related to the performing art of kathak attended and were felicitated . The great ,Pt. Birju Maharaj from the Maharaj family of dancers attended the cermony. unimaginable was the feeling to express the presence of Pt. Birju Maharaj. When Guru Shri Munnalalji Shukla was asked to speak on the occasion - to our surprise he spoke in Marathi and shared his experience of living in Pune and how Smt. Prabha Marathe affectionately looked after Guruji.

Ku.Shruti Shukla kathak solo progression in different tempo from slow to fast, ending with a dramatic climax. A short danced composition tukra and toda spellbound us. The time-cycle, splitting it into triplets or quintuplets for example, which was marked out by footwork, in counterpoint to the rhythm. Compositions high aurally very interesting when presented in this way.

Kala Chhaya Biradari was up next. Smt. Rashmi Pandkar with a dreamy sequence all in blues recited stories from epics and mythology with elements of dance. The stories so logically and dreamily sequenced lifting feeling to the peak of love and passion. The entire experience very pleasing to the eye.

Jai Kishan Maharaj extremely expressive and naughty performance. Even thou Jai Kishan Maharaj has a bad knee problem, performed so well. His foot work his expressions his body movements stumped us and we were left with no words.

Deepak Maharaj breaking the time with varies combinations and progression making us wait in space. His magical smile a new age feel changed the temperature around. With all due respect he also mentioned stealing concepts from Pt. Birju Maharaj.

Pt. Birju Maharaj speaking to us on corruption in today’s style of dance and how musicians should be respected and treated with respect rather then begging for work. Awards don’t matter it’s the matter of giving rather the taking. Its all gods work. How many of us really can think this way now i wonder. Pt. Birju Maharaj also requesting the new generation to take all forms of art forward. Pt. Birju Maharaj mentioned his experience with Pt. Bhimsen Joshi jamming up late till early hours of a new dawn. Singing a Marathi geet with a smooth silky voice so deep so out of this world ending the night. I wished it lasted a life time. Please do visit http://www.birjumaharaj-kalashram.com/ for more information.

Kala Chhaya the space to restore art and values lives to it!