New Delhi, 28th July 2021: With Independence Day nearing, Tabla Wizard Pandit Chaturlal Memorial Society is going to present Amar Jyoti, a Tribute to Unknown Soldiers on 7th August 2021 at 7 PM LIVE STREAMING on their YouTube channel. This tribute will also feature ‘Samyuktam- We are United’ – a very expressive Jugalbandi of Bharatanatyam and Kathak.
Shruti ChaturLal, Artistic Director of Pandit Chatur Lal Festival shares, “ Under the aegis of Pandit Chatur Lal festival, we have been successfully organizing the Amar Jyoti editions. IIt is a small effort from our side to honour and extend our gratitude to the martyrs of our nation.This series was initiated in 1990 by my father Pandit Charanjit ChaturLal & my mother Meeta ChaturLal in an attempt to honor and thank our nation’s martyrs, and this year marks the series’ 24th edition.
Legendary artists from the likes of Bharat Ratna Ustad Bismillah Khan, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Pandit Birju Maharaj, Dr. M. Balamurali Krishna, Smt. Vyjayantmala Bali, Pandit Hari Prasad Chaurasia, Dr. N Ramani, Pandit Kadri Gopalnath, Dr. Mysore Manjunath, Shankar Mahadevan, Suresh Wadekar, Roop Kumar Rathod, and Rekha Bharadwaj, to name a few have been a part of this celebration.
Due to these difficult times around the world, we present a unique production, ‘Samyuktam – We Are United’ in 2021, which brings the message of unity and togetherness. This sequence is intended to motivate us through these difficult times and assist us in strengthening our unity. It is a blending of two traditional Indian dance forms, Kathak and Bharatanatyam, that makes for a magical combination of Hindustani & Carnatic rhythms and music traditions. The power & grace of dance will just amaze you.”
Pranshu Chatur Lal, known as prince of tabla who is also the conceptualizer with his elder sister Shruti further shares, “It has been quite challenging putting together this concert since the artists were travelling from Bangalore after the second wave of covid. Even without an audience, this is a fitting musical tribute to the martyrs of India – the unsung, unknown soldiers who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom. “On behalf of the Pandit Chatur Lal family, I would also like to thank all our sponsors, artists and associates for coming together for this event, especially during this difficult time. The celebration’s main highlight will be the Jugalbandi of Kathak and Bharatanatyam by renowned Kathak dancer and choreographer Vidha Lal and Bharatanatyam star Rukmini Vijayakumar. The Jugalbandi will be performed on Thillana & Tharana on Bhimpalasi Ragam.”
Samyuktam will showcase Vidha Lal performing a sequence ‘Parjanya’, a deity of rain, thunder, lightning, and the one who fertilizes the earth. The item will start with the Sanskrit shloka taken from Kalidas Meghdootam which will be followed with technical dance pieces in Vilambit, Madhya and Dhrut laya of teen taal. The music is composed by Guru Smt Geetanjali Lal.
For the concert Amar Jyoti paying our homage, Rukmini Vijayakumar has especially prepared something very special. Here she will be seen showcasing and celebrating our soldiers. She say, “ I will try and portray through the life of a wife married to someone who is an army and the experiences along with him all ups and downs, dreaming a beautiful future and when he leaves for the front, how she copes with that and finally the strength she has as woman, as a mother and as a wife in order to deal with someone in their family, going to sacrificing the life. it’s not just one person’s effort, it will showcase the emotions of a wife and how the family and society supports her.”
The Jugalbandi of two classical traditions i.e. Bharatanatyam & Kathak will also be accompanied by the beats and rhythm by Vidwan Harsha Samaga on mridangam & Pranshu Chatur Lal on Tabla. Both maestros share that this confluence will be set to Adi tala or teen taal (16 beats rhythm cycle). It commences with solo rounds on chaturashra nade, then thishra nade and khanda nade. Then comes the question and answer between the two artists with various rhythmic patterns and culminates with both the artists performing together.
This duet will also be filled with musical vibes with the presence of eminent artists such as the master of flute Sh. Atul Shankar, Mudassir Khan, the seventh generation of an unbroken chain of Sarangi Family, carnatic classical singer Rohith Bhat Uppoor and the versatile vocalist Pavithra Chari, young violinist G. Raghavendra Prasath, alongside TS Sharath on Nattuvangam will create an extraordinary ensemble making it an audio-visual pleasure
Talking about the Jugalbandi, Rukmini Vijayakumar said, “It was a nice experience collaborating with a talented dancer after so long, especially with the pandemic. It has been a long time since we all collaborated with other artists in Live performance. This is very special as Vidha and I are working for the first time together. For our performance, we spoke and decided on Thilana Tharana with a particular ragam. So, both the composer came up with Thilana in Carnatic style and Hindustani style, therefore, showcasing the elements of both worlds. I thoroughly enjoyed our performance.”
Sharing the same experience, Vidha Lal said, “I feel honoured and privileged to be a part of this show and to share a stage with a talented and beautiful dancer like Rukmini Vijayakumar. Samyuktam is the reason behind my jubilation. I would like to extend my gratitude to Shruti Chatur Lal Sharma and Pranshu ChaturLal for organizing this amazing platform for us to come together.”
The sister-brother duo say, “Taking the initial step in a journey is a moment of togetherness and celebration. We must stay united if we want to grow as this unity is the key behind to accomplish great things and Samyuktam is one of those celebration”
