To celebrate the 62nd. Anniversary of India’s Independence the Indian Cultural Centre presented Samarpan, which consisted of glimpses of the Kathak Dance form. The programme which held the audience spellbound was danced by Hari and Chethna and their ensemble. This is the third visit they made to Sri Lanka and the first since they were married.

The Chief Guest were the Indian High Commissioner HE Alok Prasad and his charming wife Nandani.

It was obvious that dancing to Hari and Chetna was their inborn passion, and they danced through six items with a fluidity of movement and grace which was enhanced by the costumes of long flowing coats and fully flared swirling skirts in typical kathak style, with its strong mogul influence. The footwork Hari executed was a sight to behold. The five female dances from their dance school gave them all the support and was a display of the talent in this dance form they captured with grace and beauty.

Saree was favoured by Nandani who wore a shot oyster pink Kanchipuram silk with a weave of a border in a light gold with a necklace of pearls. A red saree with a red blouse featuring the once popular below the elbow length sleeve was Kalvi Jeganathan’s choice, to wear with a ruby studded attial necklace, while her friend wore a printed saree in a design of large flowers in blue on a aqua background delicately outlined in silver.