I am grateful to the Uttar Pradesh Government, the Department of Culture, and the Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Akademi, Lucknow, for giving me a wonderful and once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to perform a solo dance and present choreographies at Maha Kumbh 2025 – the celestial event occurring after 144 years, as per our Hindu scriptures. It was a pilgrimage of a lifetime for me to visit Maha Kumbh through my dance performance.
My performance took place on 17 February at Birsa Munda Manch on Triveni (Sangam), near Nandi Dwar and 14 Ratna Katha Dwar in Prayagraj, and was organized by the Department of Culture, Uttar Pradesh. The stage was beautifully designed with an audiovisual display of Maha Kumbh, and the lighting and sound were perfect. I performed pieces on Lord Shiva –Gangadhar, Basant, Hori, Tarana, and Sargam.
I could feel the purity, spirituality, and powerful energy of Sangam – Ganga, Yamuna, and Saraswati – during my performance! My co-dancers, Vrinda Baheti and Bhoomi, performed alongside me in my choreographies. They are from my repertory, Saniddhya – A Cultural Society, Delhi. The music was pre-recorded.
I experienced an amazing spiritual connection while performing Kathak at Maha Kumbh, as I believe our classical dance is one of the strongest and most profound ways to connect with god.
After my performance, I took a Dip of Faith in Sangam. Even though the water was freezing, I instantly felt a surge of positive energy. There was no sign of fatigue at all.
As a classical performing artist, it felt as if I had stepped into the divine world of dance. I was deeply emotional while leaving the sacred grounds of Maha Kumbh.
(Author is an internationally acclaimed top-grade artist, Doordarshan, Government of India; Uttar Pradesh Sangeet Natak Academi Awardee; and senior Fellowship Awardee, Ministry of Culture, Government of India.)
