Gurus are more than just teachers, they help shape a student’s character and outlook. Ghungroo Dance Academy embraced the ‘guru-shishya parampara’ through its Nritya Sanggam Festival 2024. This event with My Kolkata as the digital media partner, held in collaboration with the ministry of culture, aimed to celebrate and revive the ancient tradition of guru (teacher) and shishya (disciple) at Gyan Manch, Pretoria Street.
Madhumita Roy Misra, secretary of Ghungroo Dance Academy, underlined the importance of learning Indian classical dance and music. “I have performed at various festivals, I started this dance academy 20 years ago and now we organise two to three festivals. Our aim is guru-shishya parampara, which mainly values Indian culture. We look forward to reviving this relationship as it is a selfless relationship such as a mother-child relationship. For the programme, we even asked some of the gurus to recommend their shishyas and hence, this way we are promoting thought process and bringing it to life,” she said.
Ghungroo Dance Academy secretary Madhumita Roy Misra and (right) Souvik Chakraborty stands with Sriyanka Mali.
The guru-shishya tradition has been a cornerstone of Indian education and spirituality for centuries. It has influenced various fields, including music, dance, martial arts, and spirituality, where disciples learn through close, personal instruction.
“I started learning Kathak when I was 7-8 years old and I am still continuing. As we are celebrating this guru-shishya parampara today, my solo dance recital will shed light on surya srotam as surya is Adideva which is there from the beginning of the universe. I am connecting this guru-shishya parampara with the sun as I strongly believe with gurus no one can move forward and transform,” said Souvik Chakraborty, one of the performers.
The Ghungroo Dance Academy's Nritya Sanggam Festival 2024 featured various Kathak dance performances under the theme of ‘Guru-Shishya Parampara’. The event showcased the traditional relationship between teacher and student, presenting a blend of veteran gurus and young artistes. Each performance portrayed Kathak’s unique style and storytelling, encompassing classical compositions and innovative choreography.
Kathak dance performance at Ghungroo Dance Academy.
“I started learning Kathak ever since I was a toddler and today I am a national scholarship holder and today I am performing a duet with a friend in traditional Kathak. Our dance will majorly throw a light on guru-shishya bonding and what we have learnt in the past so many years from our respective gurus,” said Sriyanka Mali.
