London 17th October, 2016
For the first time in the history of Jammu theatre a fifteen member artists team of Natrang Jammu rocked the stage at historic Trafalgar Square, London with their highly energetic dance and mesmerising performances.
According to the statement of Natrang Jammu, “Amazingly, the troupewas greeted by over 50,000 world audiences, cheering and dancing to the vibrant Dogri and Kashmiri tunes and rhythms. Led by iconic figure of the state of Jammu & Kashmir, Padamshree Balwant Thakur.”
The fifteen member group of artists would be in London for a fortnight to present variegated variety of the cultural presentations in Jammu & Kashmir Festival being held in various parts of London.
The statement added, “Today’s first performance transported over 50,000 world audiences to a mesmerising journey of Jagrana performed by women folk in Dogra region of Jammu & Kashmir. This marriage song-cum-dance has the elements of theatre”.
While the men folk of the bridegroom’s house have gone with the marriage procession, womenfolk are left alone in the house. The bridegroom’s mother, aunts and grandmother and other relations indulge in gossips revelations of their martial life and the behavior of their husbands. But sometimes in the right earnest, they reveal some intimate incidents and spent the night in the atmosphere which is interrupted by men folk in its flow of unending gossip and the movement of frolicking feet.
The second dance ‘Bhumro’ took the programme to the ultimate heights when a mix number of Bhumro and Rindposhmal enthralled the audiences by a joint group of male and female performers. Not only the scenic beauty of Kashmir but the soulful traditional Kashmiri folk music tunes have always been the attraction of Bollywood. The rich folk music of Jammu & Kashmir inspired series of Bollywood film music composers to let world audience have its flavor.
“The dance item presented by Natrang artists glorified the supremacy of Kashmiri music in Bollywood. History has never witnessed this kind of global appreciation and recognition for the variegated variety of the cultural strengths of the state of Jammu & Kashmir, ” the statement noted.
Natrang Jammu has done fairly a great job by bringing artists representing over 10 different districts of the state of J&K. Supported by Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) Ministry of External Affairs, these programmes are locally hosted by Jammu & Kashmir festival. Lakshmi Kaul, Manu Khajuria, Lalit Sharma and many cultural enthusiasts of the state of Jammu & Kashmir based in London have made it possible.
The proud team of Natrang artists which came all way from Jammu include Mohd. Yaseen, Rahul Singh, Gauri Thakur, Shazia Batool, Sunny Mujoo, Nikhil Manhas, Ankush Bhasin, Jyoti Kumari, Bindia, Aarti Slathia, Naina Sharma, Saloni Verma Simran Kaur and Rakesh Kumar Kona
