E-Paper
Celebrating Shovana Narayan's dance journey of 50 years with grace and emotion
The evening included a discussion on her biography and a performance by her disciples, with Shovana joining them on stage as a surprise.
Just like every art form, dance at its core is a dialogue of aesthetics, technique, and expressive depth. That essence came alive on Tuesday evening at Gunjan: The Rhythm of Grace, a Kathak dance tribute to legendary music composers late Pt Jwala Prasad and Pt Madho Prasad by the disciples of Padma Shri Shovana Narayan.
At the heart of the evening was the celebration of more than five decades of Kathak instruction by Shovana. Reflecting on her journey, Shovana shared what Kathak has meant to her over the years. “Kathak has grounded me, and at the same time, it has allowed me to live my imagination, explore and express myself. Kathak also helped me overcome the difficulties that I faced in my life. It has given me so much,” she said.
The evening began with a panel discussion, during which Shovana's biography, I Am A Fleeting Moment in Time, written by author Maya Parijat, was discussed. Speaking about the process behind the book, she shared, “I watched all her live events, and while on the way to all these places, I would bombard her with questions and record them. We had long hours of discussions and collecting notes. Eventually, the whole thing came out the way I thought it would.” She also read out a few excerpts from the book.
The evening then unfolded into a magical night where her disciples, including the most senior ones, put up a theatrical Kathak performance.
It drew to a close with a surprise as during the final act, Shovana herself joined he disciples on the stage. Sharing her feelings after more than 50 years of dancing, Shruti Gupta Chandra, one of Shovana’s first disciples, said, “I am actually feeling very overwhelmed today, and at the same time, I am very emotional. It has truly been an honour all these years.”
