Friends,
Sutra’s India tour (New Delhi/Chandigarh/Vadodara) of Radhe! Radhe! in association with ICCR’s 11th International Dance & Music Festival, culminated with a grand performance at the Prof CC Mehta Auditorium, Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) of Baroda.
We were delighted that HRH Rajmata Subhangini Raje Gaekwad, Mdm Chancellor of MSU of Baroda, was present as the Guest of Honour. The Rajmata remembered previously attending Sutra’s Odissi performance (Krishna, Love Re-invented) some 13 years ago when Sutra performed in the same hall.
The Rajmata spoke elegantly off the cuff and emphasised on the ability of Arts & Culture to open one’s world view.
Sutra Foundation signed a Memorandum of Understanding & Cooperation Agreement with MSU of Baroda. This will augur well and pave the way for future knowledge exchange between the two institutions.
Sivarajah and Mathan, from Sutra’s technical team, excelled themselves in giving the production superb lighting in spite of little preparation time and limited availability of lights. (We were unable to have the LED screen for the lively Patachitra background but this did not deter nor diminish the audience from appreciating the exuberance and energy of the production.
Sutra dancers rose to the occasion, giving the audience a memorable experience of Odissi they’ve seldom experienced.
Early on in the morning, we had a lovely tour of the Lakshmi Villas of Baroda, one of the grand palaces of India, the residence of the Maharaja, housing one of the best collections of paintings of Raja Ravi Varma.
We then visited the MSU Department of Music & Performing Arts, one of the nation’s oldest. We remembered the eminent bharatanatyam dancer and teacher, the late Prof CV Chandrasekhar, former dean of the faculty, who had spent a major part of his creative life serving this department. Years ago, he had performed at Sutra and had had a long and distinguished career.
Now, as we hopped airports to get to our next destination, Chennai (to ready ourselves for another major event), for the launching of Sutra Foundation’s painting & photography exhibition, ‘Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom’ (Lalit Kala Akademi, Chennai), I marvel at our audacity to pack so much in this tour. At the same time, feeling blessed that so far we have managed to overcome touring challenges along the way, to not only survive, but thrive!
Ramli