On the surface, there is nothing common between co-founder of Apple Inc. Steve Jobs and Kathak danseuse Sangita Chatterjee, besides four little words that fundamentally welds them together—‘Stay hungry stay foolish’.
Jobs once said this during his address at Stanford University. Chatterjee held on to the words ever since. Performing now at the UMAK Festival 2017, they seem to be ringing louder than ever. “The hunger to get better refuses to be satiated. That’s the reason I keep at it even after all these years,” she says.
To honour the 82nd birthday of sitarist Pandit Debu Chaudhuri, a two-day festival that commenced on May 27 has been put together.
“I’ll start my dance with a Shiv Stotram, which elucidates the omnipresence of Shiva and Shakti, which are synonymous with faith and devotion. Gradually, the pieces elaborate the different faces of the lord,” she says.
The first day of the festival saw a showcase of Kuchipudi dance by the celebrated Radha and Raja Reddy, followed by a sitar recital by Pandit Prateek Chaudhuri. To be staged next were thumris and dadras by vocalist Malini Awasthi.
On May 28, beats of the tabla and percussions were helmed by Pranshu Chaturlal. This was followed by a Bharatnatyam performance by Sneha Chakradhar. The evening will also see a Dhrupad recital by vocalist Ustad Wasifuddin Dagar, and then a sitar performance by Pandit Debu Chaudhuri. The finalé is a Kathak recital by Vidushi Nalini Kamalini. She concludes with an expressional piece, which portrays the pain of the virohatkanthitanayika (heroine), who awaits the arrival of her beloved. With that, the programme bids a lyrical goodbye.
Good to know: May 28, 2 pm onwards, at Azad Bhawan auditorium of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, near ITO.