As we headed towards the auditorium, we passed by Rohini Bhate Chowk, a city square on Pune’s famous Pravat Road, named after the legendary Kathak artist Rohini Bhate, which is home to several prominent cultural and educational institutions such as the Film and Television Institute of India. Naming a city square after an Indian classical dancer like Rohini Bhate reflects the deep admiration and respect the people of Pune have for their beloved Babytai – as she is fondly called – the renowned dancer, scholar, choreographer, author and reformist change-maker.
The auditorium was buzzing with energy at the inauguration of the two-day event. All the 900 seats in the auditorium were full half an hour before the event began. On the second day too, which coincided with the India-South Africa World Cup final cricket match, the number of spectators was the same as the previous day.
Performance by Rohini Bhate’s disciples at the two-day Nritya Rohini Mahotsav in Pune. | Photo courtesy: special arrangement
The occasion was the birth centenary year celebrations of Guru Rohini Bhate. Titled ‘Nritya Rohini’, the event was organised by the Guru’s disciple Prajakta Raj through her Arohini Kala Kalyan Sansthan. Prajakta had roped in 11 eminent disciples of Rohin Bhate, namely Roshan Datya, Neelima Adhya, Amala Shekhar, Prerana Deshpande, Rajshree Javadekar, Asawari Patankar, Abha Vamburkar, Sharvari Jamnis, Rujuta Soman and Manisha Abhay – who are established and renowned gurus or exponents, and have their own Kathak institutes in Pune. Three more senior dancers who carry forward Rohini Bhate’s legacy – Abha Auti, Dhanashree Natu and Ketaki Wadekar – were also part of the presentation, which saw over 160 dancers perform.
The evening also featured a special screening of a fascinating film ‘Time and Space’ on the life and times of Rohini Bhate, made by her German disciple and renowned filmmaker Caroline Dussel.
![Kathak guru Rohini Bhate, who nurtured Kathak with her dedicated efforts and made Pune a major centre for this art. She was the first singer in the Kathak world to use doha to enhance the emotional depth of dance performances. Kathak guru Rohini Bhate, who nurtured Kathak with her dedicated efforts and made Pune a major centre for this art. She was the first singer in the Kathak world to use doha to enhance the emotional depth of dance performances.](https://zeennews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/1720185872_360_Celebrating-Kathak-dancer-Rohini-Bhate-through-dance-music-and-film.jpg)
Kathak guru Rohini Bhate, who nurtured Kathak with her dedicated efforts and made Pune a major hub for the art. She was the first figure in the Kathak world to use dohas to add emotional depth to dance performances. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The thoughtfully organised festival featured 23 rare choreographies by Guru Rohini Bhate, a pioneer of Indian classical dance in Maharashtra, who has dedicated seven decades to nurturing Kathak and establishing Pune as a major centre of Kathak.
The Tansen composition ‘Pratham Man Omkar’ choreographed by Rohini Bhate as an invocation to the gods and gurus was chosen as the opening performance of the festival. It was premiered in Africa in 1998. A trained musician, Rohini has given excellent vocal performances and also composed music for her choreographies. Her choreographies at the festival highlighted her expertise in raga, taal and laya.
Ragasagar presented a bouquet of 10 popular ragas used in her choreographies – Vasant, Bahaar, Kedar, Malhar, Sohoni, Adana, Maikaunsh, Lallat and Puriya Dhanashree. Besides, Chaturanga was another unique exploration of musical nuances in Kathak which included four ragas – Patdeep, Jhinjhoti, Chandrakauns and Kalavati – along with four talas – Adchoutal, Ektal, Matta tal and Teental. Similarly, it was a delight to watch two of Rohini’s choreographies, named after her favourite deity Ganesha and her first guru Sohanlal – Taal Ganesh and Taal Sohan.
![Rohini Bhate during one of her performances. She was known for her revolutionary works that broke the boundaries of convention. Rohini Bhate during one of her performances. She was known for her revolutionary works that broke the boundaries of convention.](https://zeennews.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/1720185872_589_Celebrating-Kathak-dancer-Rohini-Bhate-through-dance-music-and-film.jpg)
Rohini Bhate during one of her performances. She was known for her revolutionary work that broke the boundaries of convention. Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
A gifted genius in poetry, music and dance, Rohini Bhate also brought out her creativity in the scripting, music composition and choreography of many memorable performances. One of her notable works was ‘Doha’ (rhyming couplets in Hindustani musical tradition), staged during the festival, which brought out her unique abilities. She was the first artist in the field of Kathak to use doha to enhance the emotional depth of the dance performance. The presentation of a medley of five dohas by her disciples – Prajakta Raj, Manisha Abhay, Sharvari Jamnis and Rujuta Soman – depicting the emotions of five different heroines with profound intensity left a lasting impact.
Renowned choreographer Rohini Bhate was known for her groundbreaking works that broke the boundaries of tradition. Her performance of ‘Time’ at a prestigious dance festival in Delhi in 1986 received widespread acclaim, setting a new standard for contemporary dance in India.
As a choreographer, Rohini Bhate was known for her groundbreaking work that blended tradition and innovation. Her production ‘Time’ received a standing ovation at a major dance festival in Delhi in 1986. It was a watershed moment in India’s contemporary dance scene.
The clear and convincing interpretation of an abstract concept was the hallmark of this outstanding performance, performed at the centenary celebrations, with German composer Gustav Mahler’s composition ‘Fragmented Forest’. The concept of time was skillfully portrayed as a sequence, a flow, a rushing moment, a still frame, an inspiration and a witness to the passage of time.
During the two-day festival, the productions stood out for the originality of the movements, geometric structures and rhythmic patterns used in the choreography, none of which were repeated in any other production. None of the patterns were predictable; nor was there any attempt to impress the audience with unnecessary displays of spins, as is often seen today.
The festival concluded with a collective singing of ‘Vande Guru Rohini Ke Charane’, which was the most appropriate Guru-Dakshina given by all the dancers. This was called ‘Aarti’, which shows their immense love and respect for the revered Guru.
As the curtain fell, “It feels like she is with us today,” said Nilima Adhye, director of the Nritya Bharati Kathak Dance Academy in Pune, founded 76 years ago by guru Rohini Bhate.
Great men are immortal. They may disappear from this world, but they live on through their lasting legacy. Like Guru Rohini Bhate.