On 3rd November I saw a dance programme TV channel. The background was quite good. But at first I was amazed by the anchor, what a change? I was not able to recognise Smt Arshiya initially, I was watching her after a gap of almost 20 years. At home in black and white TV (UPTRON) she used anchor the national programme of dance on Sundays. But I saw her at the triveni in Delhi, when a festival called as VIDESHI Kalakar utsav was organised and also various other programme used to be performed in that MANDI HOUSE campus, housing not only TRIVENI but also the KAMANI, BHARTI, so many others. At one programme a dancer from HUNGARY was performing and I was siting on the stairs of TRIVENI, there I saw her also among the audience. It was way back in 1992 or 1993 around that time. So almost gap of 20 years was there. Then once the camera also paned and guru Munnalal Shukla was visible. I had met him at the Kathak Kendra, when I used to visit kathak Kendra almost everyday, in search of my god Pt BIRJU MAHARAJ. Those days his room was I think on ground floor. The main office used to be on first floor. Just next to the staircase was the gallery that lead to the door of his room. I used to roam around that door, in hope that atleast once I could catch hold of his darshan. Lots of many used to visit him there but mostly the students. Those times once he also served as director of kathak Kendra. I had once an opportunity of watching the HOLI choreographed by him. That was performed in the lawns of kathak Kendra, since national school of drama was also there in same campus, and on the ground floor the CCRRT, was housed. Puppet workshops and similar activities used to go on in this campus. And given my kind of MIND I used be there as a WANDERER. Most innovative dance sequence was there in HOLI, the dancers were throwing the colors from the first floor on persons sitting on groundfloor. Whole concept was very good. The regular item in HOLI the DAPli item was also there. But Shri Munna Shukla ji never tested me nor shown any interest in teaching, He could have asked me to perform something or he could have said you come in my school on such and such day and time I will take an examination and if you pass I will admit you. But alas I could not impress him, My appearance must not have impress him, I come from very poor background I could not afford very good quality of cloths, perfume or car etc so.
The dancer was Smt Nisha Mahajan. I have never had seen earlier nor I knew anything about the dance 20 years back. But the costume told that the dancer was from conservative school, since the mughal court attire was used in performing the kathak bols etc and the dress usually is worn while performing the tarana, however nowdays dancers have started innovating in the costumes also. I was impressed by the persona of Smt veena shroff. Many used to talk about her as the collector of accessories of hair dressing. And the kathak Kendra students have changed the attire fashion also.
Doordarshan should enhance time and quality of dance and music programmes so that new generation gets exposure to our national heritage and that too having a quality.
