Pragjyoti International Dance Festival 2014

Kalpa in association with Sivasagar District Administration Presents:

                              

6th Pragjyoti International Dance Festival 2014

The Pragjyoti International Dance Festival is conceptualised to exhibit the wide range of Indian Dances together on one platform to sing in unison and also to celebrate the richness of Heritage in this part of the north-eastern region which has throughout the ages promoted art and culture from the vantage point of being crowned with diverse traditions of its own. The Pragjyoti Festival in its own way spreads the message of peace and social harmony and creates a dialogue among the artists hailing from various places breathed with their own regional flavours and the masses of Assam. With a celebration of these young energies representing Margi dance styles, the festival is also a humble tribute to all the masters of the Indian Dance Traditions who have been contributing immensely towards the panoramic beauty of Indian cultural heritage. Aimed at celebrating living art and creativity, the festival contributes towards integration and harmony through art. The Festival has received great accolades from the connoisseurs of Indian Arts all over and is regarded as one of the prestigious dance festivals of the country. (Outlook India, 2011). During the last five years dancers from different parts of India and abroad (Bangladesh, Nepal, UK, US, Ukraine, Poland, Russia, France)  and from various parts of Assam have taken part in it. The festival over the years has tried to reach out to more and more young minds and art cognoscenti and discussed with them various perspectives regarding the relevance of Indian art in the present period. The Pragjyoti International Dance Festival: A View of Indian Dance by Young Proponents – is an attempt to undertake a holistic journey of aesthetic and spiritual joy in the land of Pragjyotishpur. The festival aspires to create a new milieu in which artists and the masses of Assam will re-experience and re-search the nuances of Assam, its land and heritage through the movements of dance.

     

HIGHLIGHTS OF THIS YEAR’S FESTIVAL

This year Kalpa invites renowned young artists from Poland, Russia, Germany to represent Bharatanatyam, Odissi and Mohiniattam along with other brilliant young exponents of India representing forms like Chau, Theyyam, Kalarippayattu, Kuchipudi and Sattriya . Through the movements of dance, music and rhythm Kalpa in its 6^th version intends to take up following themes to which it Festival will be dedicated:

Revisiting Heritage through Dance

·        
Assam since its pre-historic days has been a heritage site taking nature, land and people in harmony. It has seen over the millennium a plurality of cultures making the entire region a living site of heritage. The festival will also be a tribute to the age old harmony among nature, land and people and their cultures.

·         The festival is a genuine attempt to offer a kinaesthetic experience in re-visiting land and nature, history and heritage and art and culture. In celebrating and sharing the glory of its heritage, Kalpa through Pragjyoti International Dance Festival would reach out to masses and would offer a holistic vision of the land by connecting nature, history and cultural expression together in a singular forum.

·         The Festival in its inaugural session at Guwahati in Rabindra Bhawan responds to two major concerns of the land. It opens up to the audience about the connection of Ahom History and its contribution in the cultural enrichment of the region. Also, attending to the need of the hour, the festival speaks up for the preservation of rhinos and conservation of the nature, making the masses aware and rethink about the pertinent issues of the land and its heritage by dedicating the evening of dance to the cause.

·         A photo exhibition reflecting the themes of this year’s festival will also be arranged.

·         Morning hour sessions in various educational institutions will be hosted in which the dancers would speak about these concerns through the expressive language of body and mind.

  

 Date:  15^th February, 2014 Inauguration and 16^th Second evening

 Venue:  Rabindra Bhawan

 Morning Hour Session: Educational Institution on 16^th February, 2014.

Revisiting Assam History through Dance

·         
Assam has travelled a long way in the alleys of history since its prehistoric times to that of the present.  The Ahom dynasty which loomed this region for over 600 years made tremendous contribution towards cultural enrichment along with political consolidation.

·         While consolidating the diverse political forces, the Ahom rulers made a sincere effort in the process of glorifying the diversity of cultures prevailing among the multiple ethnic groups inhabiting the region. 

·         However, the world outside is yet to hear about the gloried past of the Assam and the Ahom dynasty and momentous contribution of the kingdom towards Indian History.

·          The festival in responding to the cause of the Land and its History, will offer a tribute to the contribution of the Ahom rule towards society and culture of Assam by hosting the festival in the cultural site of Siva Dol, Sivasagar sculpted and spaced by the aesthetic vision of the Ahoms.

·         Through the movements of Dance in its unique expression of a dancers language of the mind perceiving the world and its cosmos, the Pragjyoti International Dance festival in association with the District Administration of Sivasagar, would aim to reach out to the world sharing the glory of the Assam the land and its history with the kinetics of Indian Dance Traditions.

Date:  18^th and 19^th February

Venue: Siva Dol Precincts, Sivasagar

19^th February, 2014, Interaction in  Educational Institution.

Reason behind selecting the site and the theme:

·         The Ahom Kingdom and its supremacy continued for six centuries. The buranjis chronicles, speak in volumes about the military and administrative structure that enabled them to wield power for so long.  The Ahom kingdoms began to expand rapidly under the headship of the great ruler Suhungmung (1497-1539). Known for their indomitable spirit and patriotism, the Ahoms, continuously challenged invasions of the lands by the outside political powers. The Chutiyas were subjugated, the power of Kacharis was crushed, the neighbouring Nagas were cowed down and three Muhammadan invasions were successfully repulsed.

·         The history of 17^th century Assam was in fact the history of Ahom Mughal conflicts. Chakradhvaj Singha, another powerful king challenged a war to the Mughals by refusing to the meet treaty obligations with them and under the leadership of Lachit Barphukan, the Ahoms were successful in 1667 in retrieving their lost territories up to Guwahati. The Saraighat battle in 1671 is one of the historic wars of the region in which the Mughal invaders put their weapons down surrendering before the courage, power and supremacy of the Ahom rule.

·          The Ahom power reached the zenith of its glory during the reign of Rudra Singha. The period of six hundred years with Ahoms brought in a new chapter to the history of Assam with its remarkable influence in the geography and demography, life and manners, society and culture of the region. During their reign artistic expressions attained a new introduction with application of a new aesthetic vision and understanding. Visiting Gargaon, the capital of Assam, in AD 1662-63 the Mughal chronicler Shihabuddin Talish wrote about the royal audience halls: “My pen fails to describe in detail the other arts and rare inventions employed in decorating the wood work of this palace. Probably nowhere else in the whole world can see wooden houses be built with such decoration and figure –carving as by the people of this country.”[1]

·         The Ahoms were renowned for their contribution towards the artistry of temple building.  Against the normative style of the Hindu temples of the earlier period, the artisans under the Ahom royalty incorporated new conceivable shapes, indigenous and exotic in nature. Rudra Singha built the Keshab Narayan Vishnu Doul alias Joy Doul on the bank of the large Joysagar in memory of his beloved mother Joymoti.  Rudreswar Temple, fakuwa doul , Rangghar Nerghereting doul are some of the finest creations of the kingdom that celebrates their brilliance of artistry, creativity and architectural excellence. King Rudra Singha was the first Ahom monarch to have built a well-planned and brick built city named Rangpur, the remnants of its magnificence can be still seen in the Sivasagar district.

·         The art and expressive patterns of the sculptures hold its own grandeur with a youthful vigour. With the patronage of the Ahom kingdom, several art traditions already prevailing in Assam flourished and extended the wing of its creative innovations with new improvisations. The Sattriya Tradition incorporating music, dance, theatre and other allied arts is one of the prominent examples in this regard. Similarly the Devadasi dance tradition practiced in the temples of Assam also flourished to a great height during the Ahom rule.

·         Performance site for the Festival:

Keeping in view the contribution of the Ahom Kingdom in the field of temple architecture, Siva Dol precincts have been decided.  The site imbued with its rich scenic beauty celebrating the glory of Ahom rule and local history through the rhythms of dance would remain as perfect site from the tourist point of view. Situated in the central area of the town with well transportation facilities, a large number of crowd is expected to attend the festival.

   

Revisiting Nature through the Dance

·         
The plurality of cultures in Assam is a reflection of the natural diversity including its flora and fauna.

·         The land serves as the gateway through which the Oriental as well as Palaearctic fauna spread across the country.

·         The region is also an important site of natural history with a distribution of many rare species such as great one horned Rhinoceros. 

·         While, the world is yet to experience the heritage site of natural history constituted of rare species of flora and fauna, as citizens of Assam it’s our utmost responsibility to take care of Natural resources of Assam.

·         Since last few years, rhinos have been poached and killed for the mundane commercial benefits and hedonistic gains of few enemies of the Assam’s pride.

·          In responding to the cause of the land and its rich flora and fauna, Kalpa through Pragjyoti International Dance Festival would like to spread a message to speak about the rights of peaceful existence of the animals.

·         The festival will aim at creating awareness of Assam’s natural resources by extending its movements in revisiting the natural history with a message for its conservation of its pristine glory.

·      Dance to the Tune of Rhinos

 A special choreographic presentation will be prepared by the artists from various parts of the globe participating in the festival, singing in unison to save the rhinos from the ongoing onslaughts. Dancers belonging to various nations representing various Indian Dance forms will put their voices of support to the preservation of Assam’s pride through their movements. Dramatised actions reflecting conservation of Assam’s natural heritage will be inserted in the course of performance. The aim for putting forward such a choreographic presentation is that the spokesmen could in their own ways also share the awareness of the Assam’s pride in their own land. Moreover, the voices through the movements by delegates representing various nations would also leave an impact in the hearts of the people of Assam about their responsibility towards the preservation of their natural heritage.

 Music Direction: Sunita Bhuyan, Dance Choreography: Anwesa Mahanta

Date: 17^th February, 2014.

Venue: Kaziranga National Park

Outcome of the Festival:

·         Holistic focus of Assam the land and its heritage.

·         Drawing attention to the panoramic beauty of Assam from the tourism perspective.

·         Spreading awareness amidst the masses about the History of Assam, and the Ahom Kingdom.

·         Echoing the archaeological richness of Assam

·         Celebrating the vibrancy of Assam’s natural resources.

·         Speaking for the conservation and preservation of Assam’s natural heritage.

·         Reaching out to the youth and generate awareness amidst them about their local history, heritage, art and culture.

·         In responding to these major concerns the festival would help in opening up to the world a new horizon of mutual interactions sharing the glory of Assam: the land and its people, history and heritage, art and culture.