Kathmandu:

He was graceful. He was a little hesitant. He was at times brash. He was coquetish too. But on the whole, he was graceful — from his hand movements to his facial expressions. That was Pundit Suresh Prasad Mishra as he danced with abandon much to the audience’s delight at Gurukul on December 17.

Accompanying him was Professor Homnath Upahyay on the tabla and Nirmal Bhattarai on the harmonium.

Pundit Mishra’s Kathak recital was part of the Shastriya Sankranti which is organised on the first of every Nepali month. This episode was organised by Arohan, Gurukul in association with BP Koirala India Nepal Cultural Foundation.

Dressed in a magenta kurta, a baby pink dhoti-like pyjamas and a blue dupatta with metallic weavings, Pt Mishra with his henna-dyed hair was able to win the audience’s applause early on in his performance. Prof Upadhyay’s introduction to each of the pieces proved to be helpful.

The Radha-Krishna episodes were the most delightful as one could see the two lovers in this master dancer’s movements. Radha a little shy, a little hesitant but nontheless naughty at teasing Krishna and headstrong in getting her way; Krishna, the ultimate lover, trying to win Radha’s attention, a bit brash, naughty here — this was the picture that Pt Mishra painted of the two mythological lovers, and with what grace.

The question-answer round of the tabla and the dancer’s ghunghroo also earned much applause.

The other very enjoyable part of the recital was the Tatkar or the part in which the feet and the legs played the major part. There were no hand or body movements as such. It was ‘legwork’ all the way. Prof Upadhyay drummed away on the tabla as Pt Mishra matched him taal to taal with his feet and chhum-chhums of his ghunghroo.

As the recital reached its crescendo, it came to a an end in a loud round of applause.