Spring — it is the ultimate symbol for anything and everything that embodies joy. Whose eyes don’t light up when they behold flowers bloom with gusto? It’s no wonder that our ancestors decided to celebrate this time of year with various rituals and festivals, including Holi. But have you heard of Basanta Utsav? Celebrated by Bengali Hindus, this festival includes performances of dance, music and poetry. This year, Artista Dance Academy, a Bharatnatyam academy based in Hyderabad, brought the cultural traditions of Bengal to Hyderabad with its very own Basanta Utsav at Lamakaan.
The event opened with a dance performance set to the melodious tune of Somarohe, a tribute to the grandeur of festivity and spirit of togetherness. The students welcomed the audience to embrace the beauty of spring, each tap of their feet eliciting joy within everyone’s hearts.
As host Moumita Pal noted, “Celebrating spring without invoking Lord Krishna is unfathomable,” little performers danced to Shri Krishna Govinda Hare Murari and charmed the crowd with their hops, skips and jumps. Then came Kharo Kharo Yamuna Ji Ro Pani Lage, a bhajan sung by three young disciples of the academy, capturing the essence of pure devotion in their voices. Another dance performance followed suit, and the ragas of Achyutam Keshavam filled the air as the students combined Bharatanatyam steps with contemporary beats, immersing both themselves and the audience in the music. The Rabindra Sangeet Neel Digante was also played as the students danced along, bringing the poetry of spring to life.
Then, professional belly dancer Akash Kamble performed a semi-classical Kathak fusion against the backdrop of the Bollywood song Soja Zara, his smile never faltering as he mesmerised the audience with his embodiment of both mother and son in this lori. Sindhuri Nimmisetty, a disciple of Guru Yamini Kalluri, graced the stage next, presenting a Kuchipudi performance on Vempati Chinna Satyam’s Krishna Shabdam. Her movements spoke for her as she told the story of a young maiden’s love for Krishna, never missing a beat throughout the entire rendition. The last of the guest performances was a soulful composition in Raag Alhaiya Bilawal by Srinjoy Adhikari, a 12-year-old pupil of Guruji Sangmesh Swamy. He effortlessly rendered every note in the arrangement and stole the hearts of the viewers.
The final performance — Artista Dance Academy founder Tanushree Banik — was a Vipralabdha Nayika composition set to Falguna Awala. Showcasing her expertise, she personified the character of Radha in this semi-classical piece with elegance and grace, gracefully embodying the joy, energy and beauty of Basanta Utsav in her dance.
“This is the first time I have seen Basanta Utsav conducted in Hyderabad,” said Swagata, a parent attending the event. Tanushree explains, “Through this initiative, we wanted to show people how radiant our Holi celebration is and help them connect with the cultural Bengali community and native Hyderabadi community, so in the future, we can partake in the cultural heritage of Bengal here as well.”
Tanushree plans to host Basanta Utsav as an annual event for the academy. This is the first stepping stone of many for both Artista and the community towards making Basanta Utsav a part of Hyderabad’s own rich, artistic culture.