When Navtej danced for his people

CHANDIGARH, Feb 26: Clad in the traditional brocade, wearing the ghungroo and the kada8217;, with long hair tied in a topknot, Navtej danced the dance of exultation. As he explained the intricacies of Bharatnatyam in chaste Punjabi, the expressive Navtej stood as a prime example of national integration.

His varnam8217;, which is considered to be a test of expertise and which blends the body with the soul, provided the sublime experience. And in the ashtapadi8217;, when he portrayed Radha8217;s plight, her agony, her exultation and her loneliness became those of the viewer too. For Navtej8217;s expressions and movements were so gripping that at one point when he described the kadamba tree8217; under which the Blue Flautist did his natkhat leela8217;, one strangely felt the smell of the kadamba flower.

And Navtej had a strong accompaniment, led by Sadanam Rajgopal whose voice complemented his each bhava8217; and mudra8217;. The rhythm of natuvangam8217; was given by Sudha Jagannath and if his lasya8217; had B.S.K. Panigrahi8217;s violin notes to boost, then his swiftness was enhanced by Lalgudi Sriganesh8217;s mridangam taal8217;.

When he commenced the programme, Navtej said, quot;I am happy today because I am dancing for my own people.quot; Unfortunately, only about 50 of his co-Chandigarhians could witness their own boy who made the entire Punjab proud.