Its World Dance Day today. And on this special day I am presenting a photo essay of a very special performance. I have written a little bit about it before. I am sharing these photographs for the first time. It was a truly scintillating performance by Dr. Yashoda Rao Thakore a well known Kuchipudi dancer. But this is a rare public performance of Devadasi dance hitherto a dance by courtesans either in temples or in royal courts. For the first time, Devadasi dance has been presented and recognised as an individual classical Indian dance form. Here in this performance the dancer is actually sitting in the whole dance and narrating the story by just her facial and body expressions. That's also a rarity for an Indian classical dance. The way Yashoda Rao Thakore puts it is really mesmerising....
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The beauty of this photo is also the character itself. Sonali Mahapatra is performing Oddissi at Khajuraho festival of dances 2015. An accomplished dancer, Sonali lost her major hearing power due to a medical negligence when she was just five. But she never let that come as a hinderance in her commitment to learn dance. She can't listen to swara and hence now uses a hearing aid and dances by listening to just the beats of the taal. ...
Read MoreOne of the premier dance festivals of India, Khajuraho festival of Dances is organised every year during springtime for last 41 years by Ustad Alauddin Khan academy of music and art under the aegis of ministry of Culture, government of Madhya Pradesh. Khajuraho Festival of Dances is organised at UNESCO world heritage site of Khajuraho in the premises along the western group of temples. Kathak duet by V. Anuradha Singh and Rajendra Chaturvedi on 24th February 2015. V. Anuradha Singh is best known for the introduction of Sufiyana Kathak style of dance. See some snapshots and a video of the dance. Devadasi dance by Dr Yashoda Rao Thakore at Khajuraho festival of dances (2015) was perhaps the biggest achievement of this year's dance festival. This was perhaps the first time that
Read MoreWell when we talk about Khajuraho, what comes to our minds of this UNESCO world heritage site is its beautiful temples and world famous erotic sculptures. But then nature has its own carvings and sculptures. Spring being one of the best of them. What about a spring in Khajuraho? Lets have a photo journey of Khajuraho with a nature's view in all its splendid colours. What a break it would be from dancing divas on and off the temples of Khajuraho! Truly romantic! Isn't it! ...
Read MoreIts Spring time, although chill is still in the air. Time of romance and enjoyment. Carnival time at places around the world. Time for some of the best festivals for different tastes- whether it is dance, theatre, crafts, books or just fun. Presenting top 10 ideas to travel in India in February, might not be in that order as each one of them has its own speciality. Go ahead.. 1. DESERT FESTIVAL Once a year in winter and in the middle of the continually rising and falling stark yellow sands of the great Thar Desert, the empty sands around Jaisalmer come alive with the brilliant colour, music and laughter of the Desert Festival. The festival is organized by the Department of Tourism around January-February. The very rich and colourful Rajasthani folk culture is on show here for three
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