Durga Lal

Pandit Durga Lal (1948 - 21 January 1990)[1] was a renowned Kathak dancer of the Jaipur Gharana. He was born in Mahendragarh, Rajasthan. He is known for playing the main role in the 1989 dance drama Ghanashyam, the music of which was composed by Pandit Ravi Shankar and was produced by Birmingham Opera Company.[2] He received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1984.[3]

Pandit Durga Lal
Born1948
Died21 January 1990(1990-01-21) (aged 41–42)
NationalityIndian
OccupationKathak dancer
Children2

Lal was a disciple of Sunder Prasadji. Along with being a Kathak dancer he was also a singer and would play Pakhvaj. He taught Kathak at the National Institute of Kathak Dance (Kathak Kendra), New Delhi. Lal's brother Pandit Devi Lal was also a renowned Kathak dancer.[4] Devi Lal's wife Geetanjali Lal is also a Sangeet Natak Akademi Award winner (2007).[3] Both brothers died at an early age.[5]

After Durga Lal's death his children and other art fraternity members organised the annual Pandit Durga Lal Memorial Festival. In 2021, the festival was in its 31st season.[6]

Pandit Durgalal's disciples include renowned dancers Uma Dogra,[7][8] Jayant Kastuar[9][10] and Mangala Bhatt amongst others. Nighat Chaodhry is Pandit Lal's notable student in Pakistan.

In memory of Lal, Dogra had arranged the "Pandit Durga Lal Samaroh" for more than 15 years as of 2005.[11] She also made the documentary Nirvana Through Dance on him.[12] Mangala Bhatt through her dance school Aakruti Kathak Kendra curates and organises "Antarang" every year in memory of Pt.Durga Lal Ji.

Early life

Pandit Durgalal was born in 1948 in Mahendragarh, Rajasthan. He took his formal training in kathak from Pandit Sunder Prasad. He was the brother-in-law of a famous kathak dancer, Geetanjali Lal.[13] He has two children, elder daughter Nupur and younger son Mohit. Nupur is a Kathak performer and vocalist and Mohit is a percussionist.[14]

Awards
  • Padma Shri Award
  • Sangeet Natak Akademi Award[15]

References
  1. Malini Shah. "Homage to Guruji". Nritya Kala Kendra. Archived from the original on 25 October 2009. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  2. Anjana Rajan (3 March 2003). "Krishna's journey... with Ronu Majumdar". The Hindu. Delhi. Archived from the original on 20 October 2003. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  3. "Sangeet Natak Akademi Puraskar (Akademi Awards)". Sangeet Natak Akademi. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  4. Anjana Rajan (25 February 2008). "On their dancing feat". The Hindu. Delhi. Archived from the original on 4 March 2008. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  5. Anjana Rajan (2 August 2003). "Drama in dance". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 27 January 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  6. Kumar, Bhanu (25 February 2021). "The 31st Pt. Durgalal festival was all about dance". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
  7. Leela Venkataraman (11 February 2011). "Repose in rhythm". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  8. Kunal Ray (26 April 2012). "Step Up". Pune: Pune Mirror. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  9. Pankaj Thakur. "A Cultural Voyager". Assam Tribune. Archived from the original on 31 July 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  10. Rupa Srikanth (31 December 2008). "Rhythm reigned supreme". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 27 January 2009. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  11. Kavita Shukla (28 January 2005). "In Praise of the Guru". The Hindu. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  12. "Moving stories". Indian Express. 26 April 2012. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  13. Service, Tribune News. "Where words fall short". Tribuneindia News Service.
  14. Anjana Rajan (3 September 2010). "Beyond familial bonds". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 25 January 2013. Retrieved 25 May 2012.
  15. "Shloka Shetty - The Art Of Expression". www.theartofexpression.in. Retrieved 24 November 2021.


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