Hearts Swayed to Violin-Dilruba Duet and Odissi Dance at ‘Ritu Vasant’ Festival

Udaipur: The three-day ‘Ritu Vasant’ festival organized by the Western Region Cultural Centre (WRCC), Udaipur, mesmerized audiences on its second day with a captivating blend of classical music and dance at Shilpgram.

The evening saw a mesmerizing violin-dilruba jugalbandi performed by renowned Jaipur violinist Gulzar Hussain and acclaimed dilruba player Mohammed Umar, who presented the Karnataka classical raga Hams Dhvani. Their harmonious performance enthralled connoisseurs of classical music. The artists opened with an alap, followed by the raga’s first composition in Madhyalaya Jhaptal (10 beats), earning multiple rounds of applause from the attentive Shilpgram audience. The famous composition “Lagi Lagan Sakhi Pati Sang…” was presented in Madhyalaya Teen Taal, evoking rhythmic claps from the spectators. The finale featured a fast-paced jugalbandi of dilruba, violin, and tabla, accompanied by Meraj Hussain and Zayan Hussain on tabla, drawing enthusiastic appreciation.

Odissi Dance Brings Love and Spirituality to Life

Simultaneously, Odissi dance, directed by celebrated Kathak dancer Kavita Dwivedi, showcased three emotive segments exploring devotion, love, and mythology. The performances vividly brought to life stories of Shiva and Kamadeva, combining classical dance, music, and Indian mythological tradition.

The first segment opened with the mantra “Om Namah Shivaya”, connecting its five syllables—Na, Ma, Shi, Va, Ya—to the five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and sky, presented with deep philosophical meaning that captivated the audience.

The second segment, “Anang Rang”, depicted the tale of Kamadeva, the god of love, being burned by Shiva’s wrath and his subsequent rebirth, symbolizing the resurgence of love, leaving the audience emotionally moved. The final performance, “Jai Maa Yamuna”, highlighted the religious and spiritual significance of the Yamuna River, inspired by the Yamunastakam by Shrimad Shankaracharya, and symbolically depicted Krishna’s leelas, including Vastra Haran and Kaliya Daman, conveying love, compassion, and spiritual peace.

The dance was conceptualized and directed by Kavita Dwivedi with assistance from Pushpanjali Mohanti, while music composition and singing were led by Suresh Kumar Sethi, and rhythm composition by Ramchandra Behera. Performers included Arpita Debashree, Akanksha Moharana, Janhavi Gandhi, Neha Bhardwaj, Rashi Gupta, Shwetlina Mohanti, Teesta Ganguly, Nikhil Bora, and Pushpanjali Mohanti, whose performances captivated the audience.

The event was attended by distinguished personalities including choreographer Santosh Nair, former NSD director Prof. Suresh Sharma, and artist Prem Bhandari.

Sunday Highlights

Director of WRCC Udaipur, Furqan Khan, announced that on the festival’s final day, celebrated classical vocalist Jayteerth Mevundi will perform, followed by an energetic and spectacular ‘Nritya Pravah’ choreographed by renowned Delhi-based choreographer Santosh Nair, presenting a unique confluence of various classical dance forms.