Mangala Bhatt
{{short description|Indian dancer (1963–2025)}}
File:SNA Award MBK.jpg from Hon'ble President of India Smt Droupadi Murmu for her contributions to the field of classical dance (2019) - Kathak]]
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File:Mangala & Raghav Raj Bhatt receiving the State Award.jpg
Mangala Bhatt (1963 – 16 June 2025) was a Kathak dance exponent. She was the senior disciple of Kathak maestro Pt. Durga Lal Ji of Jaipur Gharana. She performed at many festivals in India. She was also the founding director of Aakruti Kathak Kendra.{{Cite news|last=Ramakrishna|first=Lakshmi|date=2019-12-27|title=Kathak in focus|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/dance/friday-review-telangana/article30413102.ece|access-date=2020-05-12|issn=0971-751X}}
Early life
Bhatt was born in Kolhapur, Maharashtra and received her initial education in Kolhapur. She applied to the prestigious Kathak Kendra institute in New Delhi, India and got through on a national scholarship. {{Citation needed|date=June 2023}}
Career
At Kathak Kendra, New Delhi, Bhatt initially trained under late Shri Kundanlal Gangani Ji and later took advanced training under the Kathak Maestro late Pandit Durga Lal Ji, from whom she absorbed his brilliant technique and mastered the dazzling cadence and subtle nuances of Kathak. Her work and sincere efforts received praise and took her to major productions choreographed by Guru Pt. Durga Lal Ji and Pt Birju Maharaj Ji. She also took guidance from Guru Smt Rohini Bhate Ji much later. Bhatt's abhinaya has been particularly appreciated because of her nuanced expression and inherent precision {{Citation needed|date=February 2024}} . She was particularly known to combine Kathak with other distinct art forms such as jazz drums, flamenco, qawwali, ghazals, performance poetry, kalaripayatu, modern dance, ballet, painting among others.{{Cite news|last=V|first=Swathi|date=2013-01-21|title=Poetry Slam artiste performs at Hyderabad Literary Festival|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/poetry-slam-artiste-performs-at-hyderabad-literary-festival/article4328329.ece|access-date=2020-05-12|issn=0971-751X}}
Personal life
Mangala Bhatt was married to Kathak dancer and artist Raghav Raj Bhatt,{{Cite news|last=Bhandaram|first=Vishnupriya|date=2013-02-14|title=Standing foot|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/standing-foot/article4414613.ece|access-date=2020-05-12|issn=0971-751X}} whom she met while training at Kathak Kendra. Raghav Raj Bhatt was a prime disciple of Padma Bhushan Pt Birju Maharaj Ji.{{Cite news|title=Kathak maestro Birju Maharaj enthralls city|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/2018/dec/29/kathak-maestro-birju-maharaj-enthralls-city-1917956.html|newspaper=The New Indian Express|date=29 December 2018|first=Srividya|last=Palaparthi|access-date=29 May 2020}} After their marriage, Bhatt moved to Hyderabad, India to continue her work in Kathak. The dance duo was synonymous with Kathak.{{Cite web|title=Captivated by Kathak|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/lifestyle/books-and-art/281218/captivated-by-kathak.html|last=J|first=Bansari trivedi|date=2018-12-28|website=Deccan Chronicle|language=en|access-date=2020-05-12}} They brought together the confluence of two distinct styles of Kathak, representing Jaipur Gharana and Lucknow Gharana.{{Cite web|title=3-day Kathak Utsav in city|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/chandigarh/archive/3-day-kathak-utsav-in-city-530870|last=Service|first=Tribune News|website=Tribuneindia News Service|language=en|access-date=2020-05-12}}
Bhatt died on 16 June 2025 at the age of 62.[https://telanganatoday.com/renowned-kathak-dancer-mangala-bhatt-passes-away Renowned Kathak dancer Mangala Bhatt passes away]
Works
In 1990, Bhatt along with her husband started Aakruti Kathak Kendra in Hyderabad, to take forward their mission of promoting, popularising and propagating classical Kathak dance. Numerous students engage with Kathak through a range of activities such as weekly dance classes, workshops, lecture-demonstrations as well as research into the interfacing of Kathak with other Indian and Western art forms.{{Cite web|title='Antarang 2019' dance festival in Hyderabad|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/2019/dec/19/antarang-2019-dance-festival-in-hyderabad-2078025.html|website=The New Indian Express|date=19 December 2019 |access-date=2020-05-12}}
Bhatt along with her husband received many state, national and international accolades and awards for her enormous contribution in the field of arts and culture,{{Cite web|title=Sruti Magazine: GURU DEBAPRASAD AWARD FESTIVAL|url=http://srutimag.blogspot.com/2020/03/guru-debaprasad-award-festival.html|date=2020-03-31|website=Sruti Magazine|access-date=2020-05-12}} and was also conferred the prestigious Telangana State Award by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. Bhatt was an empanelled artist of Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR), Doordarshan and was associated with Sangeet Bharti, Kathak Kendra and ICCR for national and international projects. She was also proactively a part of initiatives by organisations such as SPICMACAY, Heal a Child, Rotaract and others, which integrate art and culture into the upliftment of the society. She regularly featured in guest lectures at schools, institutions and bodies like the Centre for Cultural Resources and Training (CCRT). Besides this, Bhatt also was the director and curator and host of Antarang,{{Cite web|title=Kathak holds fort at Antarang|url=https://telanganatoday.com/kathak-holds-fort-at-antarang|last=AuthorTelanganaToday|website=Telangana Today|language=en-US|access-date=2020-05-12}} a music and dance festival held in Hyderabad every year.
Bhatt and Raghav Raj Bhatt were conferred with the prestigious Central Sangeet Natak Akademi Award for their lifetime contribution to the field of Kathak.
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
- https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/telugu/movies/news/love-legacy-kathak-raghav-mangala-bhatts-love-song-in-hyderabad/articleshow/108498551.cms
- SNA Award https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/chen-arts/chen-dance/the-sangeet-natak-akademi-award-is-a-shot-in-the-arm-for-raghav-and-mangala-bhatt-from-hyderabad/article66237978.ece
External links
- www.mangalaraghavkathak.com
- https://narthaki.com/kathak/ktk1ai.htm
- https://narthaki.com/info/rev18/rev2163.html
- https://narthaki.com/info/prv19/prv1349.html
- https://narthaki.com/newsletter/archive/nl_nov19.html
- https://narthaki.com/info/rev16/rev1888.html
- https://www.iccr.gov.in/cultural/list-of-empanelment-artist/bharat-folk-arts-academy"-shri-raghav-raj-bhatt
- https://www.lamakaan.com/index.php/event-page/?event_id=6495
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- {{cite web|url=https://telanganatoday.com/kathak-holds-fort-at-antarang|website=telanganatoday.com|title=Kathak holds fort at Antarang|accessdate=2020-05-11}}
- {{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/standing-foot/article4414613.ece|title=Standing foot|website=The Hindu|date=14 February 2013 |accessdate=2020-05-11}}
- {{cite web|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/150816/lifestyle-booksart/article/meet-kathak-queen-0|website=Deccan Chronicle|title=Meet the Kathak queen|date=17 August 2015 |access-date=2020-05-11}}
- {{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/events/hyderabad/rang-an-immersive-kathak-experience/articleshow/63363047.cms|title=Raghav Raj and Mangala Bhatt: Rang: An immersive Kathak experience | Events Movie News|website=Times of India|date=19 March 2018 |accessdate=2020-05-11}}
- {{cite web|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/lifestyle/books-and-art/281218/captivated-by-kathak.html|website=Deccan Chronicle|title=Captivated by Kathak|date=28 December 2018 |access-date=2020-05-11}}
- {{cite web|url=https://www.odisha360.com/2019/10/29/13th-guru-debaprasad-award-festival-2019/|title=13th Guru Debaprasad Award Festival – 2019 | Odisha 360 - News, Events and Complete Information About the State|website=odisha360.com|accessdate=2020-05-11}}
- {{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/dance/toile-extraordinaire/article18179033.ece|title=Anitha Lama reflects on her journey in choreography|website=The Hindu|date=21 April 2017 |accessdate=2020-05-11 |last1=Chowdhary |first1=Y. Sunita }}
- {{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/events/hyderabad/a-kathak-tribute-to-spring-summer/articleshow/69130758.cms|title=A Kathak tribute to spring-summer | Events Movie News|website=Times of India|date=2 May 2019 |accessdate=2020-05-11}}
- {{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/dance/celebrating-an-art-form/article23381943.ece|title=Mumbai Dance Season: Celebrating an art form|website=The Hindu|date=29 March 2018 |accessdate=2020-05-11 |last1=Kumar |first1=Bhanu }}
- {{cite web|url=https://www.mid-day.com/articles/witness-kuchipudi-and-kathak-performances-at-this-festival/19003181|title=Witness Kuchipudi and Kathak performances at this festival - mumbai guide|website=mid-day.com|date=February 2018 |accessdate=2020-05-11}}
- {{cite web|url=https://www.deccanchronicle.com/entertainment/music/250416/dancing-through-time.html|website=Deccan Chronicle|title=Dancing through time|date=25 April 2016 |access-date=2020-05-11}}
- {{cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/2018/dec/29/kathak-maestro-birju-maharaj-enthralls-city-1917956.html|title=Kathak maestro Birju Maharaj enthralls city|website=The New Indian Express|date=29 December 2018 |accessdate=2020-05-11}}
- {{cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/hyderabad/2019/dec/19/antarang-2019-dance-festival-in-hyderabad-2078025.html|title='Antarang 2019' dance festival in Hyderabad|website=The New Indian Express|date=19 December 2019 |accessdate=2020-05-11}}
- {{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/dance/friday-review-telangana/article30413102.ece|title=Antarang: Kathak in focus|website=The Hindu|date=27 December 2019 |accessdate=2020-05-11 |last1=Ramakrishna |first1=Lakshmi }}
- {{cite web|url=https://www.thehansindia.com/posts/index/Hans/2015-11-12/25-city-artistes-to-perform-in-Russia/186111|author=The Hans India|website=thehansindia.com|title=25 city artistes to perform in Russia|date=13 November 2015 |accessdate=2020-05-11}}
- {{cite web|url=https://www.hydlitfest.org/speaker/mangala-bhatt/|title=Mangala Bhatt - Hyderabad Literary Festival 2020|website=hydlitfest.org|accessdate=2020-05-11}}
- https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/chandigarh/3-day-kathak-utsav-in-city-530870
- https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Hyderabad/poetry-slam-artiste-performs-at-hyderabad-literary-festival/article4328329.ece
- https://www.sakshi.com/news/features/kathak-dance-raghav-raj-bhatt-couple-is-best-couple-166191
- https://www.thehindu.com/society/arshiya-sethis-poems-on-depict-human-crises-amid-during-the-pandemic-go-visual-and-dancers-of-varied-forms-have-presented-her-poems-in-videos/article32182495.ece
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Category:Indian female dancers
Category:Dancers from Maharashtra