Continuing the legacy

Uma Dogra and Pt Durga Lal

On Saturday, the Sam Ved Society will host the 31st edition of the Pt Durga Lal Festival in its first-ever digital format. The evening will feature performances by renowned maestros of Indian classical dance, including Odissi dancer Arushi Mudgal who is a disciple of Madhavi Mudgal, and Kathak dancer Swati Sinha, disciple of Rajendra Gangani.

Speaking about the festival, Uma Dogra, respected kathak exponent, founder and managing trustee of Sam Ved Society, says it was incepted in 1991, after the untimely demise of her guru Pandit Durga Lal.

Arushi Mudgal

"My guru was a legendary performer in the Jaipur gharana. He is perhaps best remembered for playing the title role in the 1989 dance drama Ghanashyam, the music for which was composed by Pt Ravi Shankar and produced by Birmingham Opera Company. His contributions to the field of Kathak dance were recognised with the Padma Shri award. In fact, he played a leading role in helping to dispel the stigma around kathak in the ‘60s and ‘70s. After his passing in 1990, I vowed that I would never let the memory of his contributions to the field of Indian classical dance and his inclusive approach to the performing arts fade away," she says.

This festival is a tribute to the artistic excellence that has been achieved in Indian classical music and dance. Over the years, the society has showcased the finest names, from Pt Jasraj to Hariprasad Chaurasia, to Birju Maharaj, on this platform with the goal of introducing younger generations to Indian performing arts. In the last five years, the festival has been showcasing second-generation maestros who are continuing the legacy of the masters, Dogra signs off.

On February 13, 7 pm
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