Two years after Mumbai’s worst terror attacks, one of the biggest events on its cultural calendar — the 21-year-old Elephanta festival — is back.
Two years after Mumbai’s worst terror attacks, one of the biggest events on its cultural calendar — the 21-year-old Elephanta festival — is back.
Taking the stage soon after public works and tourism minister Chhagan Bhujbal had declared it open on Saturday were well-known Kuchipudi exponents Dr Raja and Radha Reddy whose invocation of the divine couple Shiva Paravti left the audience in raptures.
With both their daughters Yamini and Bhavana also performing even as Dr Reddy’s second wife and Radha Reddy’s sister Kaushalya conducted on the natuvangam, the entire family was on stage.
“We want our daughters to carry on this glorious tradition. We noticed their keen interest and decided that they be trained,” Dr Reddy told mediapersons on the sidelines of his performance.
After some electrifying Kuchipudi, it was the turn of the soothing santoor and who better to showcase it than Pandit Shivkumar Sharma, the man who introduced it to the world after modifying it to increase its range to three octaves? The soft-spoken maestro, who is known for his Bollywood melodies, had the audience hanging on to every note and begging for more.
On Sunday, Geeta Chandran, Bharatnatyam exponent, and Padma Shri classical vocalist Devaki Pandit, who is a household name due to her playback for several Hindi and Marathi films, performed in the finale.
Avinash Dhakne, joint managing director, MTDC, told mediapersons: “The festival could not be held in 2008 because of 26/11 and we had to cancel it in 2010 after the German Bakery blast in Pune a week before the festival. This time, we are happy to see the response despite the break.”
Held on an open-air stage just below the famous Elephanta Caves, the festival has seen several top classical icons perform in the past. Many are hoping that its coming close on the heels of the government declaring 2011 as the Maharashtra tourism year could mark the beginning of similar cultural events.
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