The Sangeet Natak Akademi award is a shot in the arm for Raghav and Mangala Bhatt from Hyderabad

Mangala Bhatt and Raghav Raj Bhatt
| Photo Credit: NAGARA GOPAL

Kathak dancers Raghav Raj Bhatt and his wife Mangala were recently selected for the Sangeet Natak Akademi award (2019) from Telangana. The couple is happy that their work has been honoured. “It is a proud and joyful moment when our efforts and commitment are recognised; this path is based on our gurus’ guidance, knowledge and philosophy. It feels nice that we have chosen the right path,” says Raghav. The dancers describe that they feel humbled by the award and it will inspire them to work harder in the field.

The duo is presently busy with Antarang, an annual music and dance festival conducted in memory of Pt Durga Lal (Mangala’s guru). Hosted by their dance institute, Aakruti Kathak Kendra, after a two-year hiatus, Antarang will be held on December 16 and 17.

Amid hectic practice sessions, the duo took time out to reflect on their journey.

Father and guru

Raghav grew up listening to the rhythm of folk dance around him. His father, Gopal Raj Bhatt, a pioneer of folk/tribal dance in Hyderabad, was his first guru. “His contribution to the dance culture in Hyderabad is immense,” says Raghav, recalling how his home reverberated with the beats of tribal dances of Lambadis and Gonds before their performances.

Exposure to art forms at a young age left a deep imprint on Raghav, turning him into a multi-faceted artiste with expertise in choreography, costumes and set design. He is also an artist who sketches with minimal lines.

On his father’s insistence, Raghav pursued Kathak and won a national scholarship instituted by the Kathak Kendra in Delhi in 1979. A chance to work with the legendary Pandit Birju Maharaj transformed into a lifelong guru-shishya bond.

Mangala, on the other hand, hailed from a family of non-dancers. A native of Maharashtra, she joined the Kathak Kendra in 1982, since her brother, Kiran Kulkarni, was a student of theatre at the National School of Drama. “He asked me to pursue something creative; I just believed in him,” she recalls.

Mangala Bhatt and Raghav Raj Bhatt
| Photo Credit:
NAGARA GOPAL

The two met at Kathak Kendra and their marriage in 1989 was a decision taken by their gurus — Pandit Durga Lal and Pandit Birju Maharaj. The duo got married in Hyderabad where they went on to establish the Aakruti Kathak Kendra.

Their lives have been seeped in dance for more than four decades now. Performances and choreographies in India and abroad are among their many contributions towards carrying the Kathak legacy forward. While they train budding dancers to take up the mantle at their institute, Raghav is also the principal of Sri Thyagaraja Government Music College at Ramkote in Hyderabad. “It is overwhelming to enter as a teacher into an institute where you have been a student ; It is a great honour to be the principal and I hope to fulfil the responsibilities that come with the role.”

Speaking on the changing dynamics of guru-shishya parampara, Raghav says, “It was an era when we believed in gurus and focussed only on dance. There was no other pursuit other than dance for us but it is different today when students take up creative arts since they want to pursue something else besides academics. We cannot lament about it, just accept it as the new way of life.”’

Raghav, known for his minimalist art works, is currently working on a music series.