Sonal Mansingh's 'Kala Yatra' Enthralls Delhiites on Opening Day; Dance Legend Says, 'Delhi Should Be Culture Capital of the World'

New Delhi: Living legend Dr. Sonal Mansingh’s dance festival, Kala Yatra: Festival of New Choreographies, opened to a full house on Tuesday (January 13) at Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi.

Audiences were mesmerised by stunning performances in Padma Vibhushan awardee Dr. Sonal Mansingh’s new production, Amrut Manthan, based on an episode from the ancient holy Hindu scriptures -the great churn of the cosmic ocean for nectar- Amrut, which conveys the universal message of the triumph of good over evil.

Conceptualised and choreographed by Dr. Mansingh, the production was a visual treat for the enthusiastic audience. The harmonious confluence of music and dance kept viewers completely engrossed throughout the performance.

The dignitaries in attendance included iconic artists such as Uma Sharma, Malini Awasthi, Geeta Chandran, Dr. Sachchidanand Joshi, Vanashree Rao, Wasifuddin Dagar, Sharon Lowen, Saswati Sen, Ranjana Gauhar, among others.
 

The five-day dance festival brings together artists from across India to celebrate traditional Indian dance, Sanatan Dharma, and Indian ancient history through innovative choreography. Classical dance forms from seven different states are being represented at the festival.

The programme is presented by the Department of Art, Culture & Language, Government of Delhi, NCT, in collaboration with the Centre for Indian Classical Dances (Shri Kamakhya Kalapeeth) and Dr. Sonal Mansingh.

The remaining festival dates are January 14, 15, 28, and 29, with performances beginning at 6:30 pm each evening at Kamani Auditorium, New Delhi. Entry is free for all, with a first-come, first-served seating policy. Viewers are advised to be seated by 6:15 pm.

During the curtain-raiser event on January 6, Sonal Mansingh underscored the importance of new choreographies in traditional dance forms and elaborated on her vision for the programme.

“There will be presentations of ten new compositions. Through this, I want to highlight that traditional dances remain vibrant and relevant. They are evolving, moving forward, and actively nurturing a new generation of artists. This tradition is thousands of years old, and it deserves to continue for thousands more,” Dr. Mansingh said, emphasising the fusion of traditional and modern elements in dance styles.

K Mahesh, Secretary (Art, Culture & Languages), Government of Delhi, NCT, praised the support of the Delhi government.

“Chief Minister of Delhi Rekha Gupta ji and Minister of Art, Culture and Languages Kapil Mishra ji are absolutely dedicated to making Delhi a global centre for the promotion of culture. It is in this spirit that our government has collaborated with Sonal Mansingh ji,” he said.

“It is a great fortune for the Government of Delhi to be associated with a living legend like Sonal Mansingh,” K Mahesh added.

Indian instrumentalist N. Ravikiran, who was also present, said, “Talking about Sonal Mansingh is like talking about Mount Everest. That's her stature. She brings perfection to everything she does. Everybody should emulate this for our nation to go forward.”

Sonal Mansingh expressed delight at the Delhi government’s commitment to art and culture, which she said had been lacking in recent years. She credited Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Culture Minister Kapil Mishra for this positive change.

“Under the leadership of CM Rekha Gupta and Minister Kapil Mishra, the Delhi government is doing great work for artists,” she said.

Discussing how the festival came together, she added, “Kapil Mishra readily agreed to collaborate with me when I shared the idea with him.”

Speaking on the importance of culture, she said, “Culture is the life of a nation. Civilisation lives through culture.” She quoted the popular Hindi phrase “Man changa toh kathauti mein Ganga,” meaning that when the mind is pure, the sacred flows within, to reflect how clear intentions guide one toward divinity.

She also spoke passionately about her lifelong dedication to her art. Responding to questions about why she continues her work despite having achieved numerous milestones, the dance legend said, “It is my passion that keeps me going even at the age of 82. Every year, I do something different. New ideas come to my mind, and I execute them. My pagalpan helps me push my boundaries.”

While signing off, Dr. Mansingh invited viewers to enjoy the magic of classical dance during the festival and placed a responsibility on the audience: “Delhi should be the cultural capital of the world. I place this responsibility on the audience.”

Dr. Mansingh began dancing at the age of four and has never taken a break, except for the time she was bedridden after a fatal accident in Germany that badly damaged her spinal cord. Despite being told she might never dance again, she made a miraculous recovery, bounced back stronger and reclaimed her throne--the stage--with her unflinching commitment and discipline.

In recognition of her contribution to Indian classical dance, the Government of India conferred upon her the Padma Bhushan in 1992 and the Padma Vibhushan in 2003—two of the country’s highest civilian honours. She has also received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award and the Assam government’s Srimanta Sankaradeva Award (2023).

For her role in popularising Indian classical dance globally and shattering glass ceilings for dancers, she was nominated to the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of the Indian Parliament, by the President of India in 2018.

She was also selected as one of the Navaratnas for the Swachh Bharat Mission (Clean India Mission) by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014.

Beyond her illustrious career as a dancer, Dr. Mansingh is an accomplished author. Her books include Classical Dances of India and A ZigZag Mind.

She divides her time between travelling across India and the world for performances, lectures & talks, training her students at her academy, the Centre for Indian Classical Dances, Delhi (established in 1977), practising yoga, and writing.