Kalanjali, at the India Gate Lawns amphitheaters, on 4 and 5 March 2023, will be presented by recipients of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2019. Witness the various folk performing arts as well as dance presentations by celebrated artists.
Saturday, 4 March 2023, 6.00 p.m.
Shrimati Mamta Chandrakar received early training in folk music from her father, who is considered the doyen of Chhattisgarhi music. She is a `Top' Grade artist with All India Radio and is particularly appreciated for her 'Bihaw' and 'Lauri Gaura' songs. Together with her husband, she has formed a musical group `Cinhari' which has performed all over the country, while nurturing newer artists. Currently, she is the Vice Chancellor, of IKSV, where she also regularly organizes seminars and conferences on music. A recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2019, Shrimati Mamta Chandrakar will present the folk music of Chhattisgarh.
Shri Pandurang Anna Ghotkar hails from the Gondhali community known for its adherence to devotional music. Playing the Dholaki has been a tradition in his family. His commitment to the preservation of Lavani dance traditions is equally commendable and he has continuously and actively worked with and assisted Lavani singers and dancers. A high point honour for him was the conferment of "Guru" in Dholaki vaadan by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India. A recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2019, Shri Pandurang Anna Ghotkar will present the folk music of Maharashtra.
Shri Shankarbhai Hakabhai Dharajiya’s great love and involvement, like many Adivasis, is for folk dances, and for the last 60 years, he has been a dedicated dancer and singer with his local dance troupe, which he subsequently came to a head as well. A recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2019, Shri Shankarbhai Hakabhai Dharajiya will present the folk music and dance of Gujarat.
Shrimati Mamata Shankar was born to Uday Shankar and Amala Shankar, a family of dancers. She trained in dance at the Uday Shankar India Culture Centre in Kolkata under her parents. She also received training in Bharatanatyam under R. Gyanprakasham; Manipuri under Tarun Singh; Kathakali under P. Raghawan and Kathak under Rajen Bose. In addition to being an actress, she is a dancer and choreographer. She has various choreographies to her credit and has travelled extensively within the country and abroad for performances with her dance troupe. A recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2019, Shrimati Mamata Shankar will present Contemporary Dance.
Sunday, 5 March 2023, 6:00 p.m.
Shri Ram Lal received his initial training in music from his grandfather Shri Dharam Ram, and later was groomed under the guidance of his father Shoban Lal. Shri Ram Lal soon achieved prominence as a percussionist of Dhol, performing in many prestigious music festivals within the State and other parts of the country. He also has a rich repertoire of folk narrative, Jagar, as well as Pandav dance of the Garhwal region, and can play folk music instruments like the Hudka with dexterity. A recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2019, Shri Ram Lal folk will present the folk music of Uttarakhand.
Shrimati Urmila Pandey inherited music from her mother Janki Devi Pandey and is also proficient in Bundeli songs. She has done B.Music from Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad (now Prayagraj), and has received training from Krishna Kumar Shastri and Ramprasad Mishra in classical music, from Janardan Khare in folk music, and from Ramesh Khare in light music.
Urmila Pandey is an 'A' Grade artist of All India Radio and is widely popular in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. A recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2019, Shrimati Urmila Pandey will present the folk music of Madhya Pradesh.
Shri Nathoo Lal Solanki received training in Nagada playing from his brother Shri Ramkrishan, a noted Nagada player of Rajasthan. Shri Nathoo Lal Solanki hails from the prestigious Pushkar Sangeet gharana. He has given innumerable performances within the country and has collaborated with many internationally acclaimed singers and musicians and bands like Kailash Kher, Sivamani, Papon, Krishna Mohan Bhatt, Prem Joshua, Indian Ocean, and Susheela Raman. He now teaches the Nagada to people of all ages from all around the world at his own school in Pushkar, Rajasthan. A recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2019, Shri Nathoo Lal Solanki will present the folk music of Rajasthan.
Shri Brajendra Kumar Pattanayak received training in the Chhau dance of Seraikella under his father, Shri Chittaranjan Pattanayak. Later, he received advanced training under Harishankar Pattanayak, Kedarnath Sahu, and Lingaraj Acharya. Shri Brajendra Kumar Pattanayak has performed in many of the prestigious dance festivals within the country and abroad. He has imparted training in the art form to numerous artists as an instructor of Sangeet Natak Akademi's project support for Chhau dances. A recipient of the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award 2019, Shri Brajendra Kumar Pattanayak will present the Chhau dance of Seraikella.