Echoes of My Mind

COMMENTS FROM THE ART CONNOISSEURS : MOMENTS OF INSPIRATION · “….spontaneous portrayal of tradition….” The ‘Amar Asom’, Guwahati · “….scintillating presentation with chiseled body movements and rare sense of rhythm and space….” The Assam Tribune, Guwahati · “….with her rich and sculpturesque footwork, Anwesa widened the vast possibilities of Sattriya Dance in terms of talasrayi and abhinaya compositions….” The Telegraph · “….a rare moment of joyful experience….” The ‘Goriyosi’ · “….with her light footed grace, animated face and eyes Anwesa Mahanta made a lively dancer….” The Hindu · “….Anwesa rendered the passage from Rukmini Haran with unsurpassed intensity of inner involvement….” The Hindu · “….An accomplished dancer, her excellent abhinaya and controlled nritya made her recital very special, particularly for one who was not yet twenty….There is clarity in her movement which is well-defined, stylized and elegant. There is sophistry not only in her nritta but also in her abhinaya. If ...

Performing Traditions of Assam and The Role of Sattras Anwesa Mahanta Assam, often described as a paradise for linguists and anthropologists, is a land replete with richness of ethnic diversity, as well as racial, socio-economic, religious, and artistic manifestations. With its proverbial plurality at all levels of human existence, this land, situated in the northeastern part of India, has contributed immensely towards the treasure and panoramic beauty of Indian Arts. Ranging from literary, plastic as well as performing, the heritage of Arts in Assam taking both synchronic and diachronic views encompasses an amorphous structure of cultural scenario. And hence a conceptual model to perceive and encapsulate these manifold realities of human aesthetic response becomes difficult. Transcending temporal conditions, several art forms have survived and continue to influence human existence in a socio-cultural atmosphere. Assam, being a land of diverse cultures comprising both tribal and non tr...

YouTube - Sattriya -Anwesha Mahanta

The Telegraph - Calcutta : Northeast

The Hindu : Friday Review Hyderabad / Dance : Devadasi fest delights audience

Photo: Avinash Pasricha The National Devadasi Festival: A Treat to the Mind The image of a trip to a particular place itself sounds arresting and adventurous. Apart from acquainting us with a new atmosphere and apprising us of vivid identities of our socio-cultural milieu, a trip at times also provides us spiritual delight. And why not? Especially when someone is getting an opportune moment to share some great ideals of the Vaisnava faith, transcending all the boundaries of caste and creed, community and other religions, the journey takes a shape of an ensuing pilgrimage. Like many other pilgrims I felt blessed with the invitation from Devadasi Nrutya Mandir, to perform Sattriya Dance in the 3rd National Devadsi Festival. The thought of visiting the punyabhumi of Lord Jagannath itself, uplifts one to the height of utmost satisfaction and adding to it, when one gets an opportunity to offer Nrityanjali, joy overshadows all bounds. Indeed the fest provided a right set of circumstances to...

Blooming Towards Maturity Movements of mind with its spontaneous emotional beats set the mystic yet rhythmic pace of our life to a new direction -- a journey of hope replete with the qualities of fresh ideas and finer impressions. And gradually they culminate in a unique feast of the soul leading us to a journey so beauteous and truthful. John Keats undertaking that voyage of mind perhaps had truly spoken of art as the best medium to eternalize a particular moment of life. When he wrote, “Beauty is Truth, Truth Beauty…..” Keats did it through his art of poetry while musicians, dancers and the painters do it with the shades of true emotions and sentiments with their respective genres of art. The truth again perhaps, is the continuance of the artistic journey of the artist celebrating the eternal moments, with fresh blooming, extending to the realm of beauty and the grandeur of human art. ‘Prerona’ was such an event of beauty and joy, initiated for the promotion of the new blossoms in mu...