Jayanti Mala

Kathak Queen JAYANTI MALA known as the URVASHI is Petite, dynamic and Purity and Commands her position as the top exponent of Kathak Dancer of Banaras Gharana and lucknow Gharana of Uttar Pradesh. JAYANTI MALA, born in the Musical family founder of Banaras Gharana, lucknow Gharana - Acharya Pandit Sukhdev Maharaj. The Doyen among the Kathak Dancers. JAYANTI MALA is the torch bearer of Banaras and lucknow. Gharana daughter of Smt. Sitara Devi and Great Kathak Dancer Acharya Chowbey Maharaj. Jayanti Mala shoulders a great responsibility of carrying on her family tradition and it must be said to her credit that she has over a qaarter of century more tlian fulfilling her dutie s enriching the tradition by her outstanding contributions. Jayanti is ninth generation of Banara s Gharana. At the age of 2½ years she has given her first performance on the stage as Kathak Dancer on reputed under the guidance of Chowbey Maharaj, Sitara Devi and Guru Ganeshi Heeralal . She has been elevated as the most talented artist. She has now become Senior Generation in Banaras Gharana of Kathak Dance. She is the Chairman of KALA KRITI KENDRA. Due to this dedications and meditations of hers to the field of Great Classical Dance Kathak, Government and other Musical conference contact to the Government have honoured her with Awards. She has been awarded the following awards for her performances: Awards and Acheivements (1) SINGARMANI AWARD -by. Sur Singar Samad , Bombay. (2) NATYA NARTIKI AWARD ­by Maharan Kumbh Sangeet Sammelan, Uda ipur. (3) NRITYA VilAS AWARD -Harida s Sammelan, Bombay. (4) SWAMI HARIDAS AWARD -by Tansan Sammelan , Gwalior. (5) ORVASHI AWARD -by Maharashtra Government, Bombay. (6) SANGEET DEVI AWARD -by Ravindra Natya Sammelan, Calcutta . (7) KATHAK QUEEN AWARD -by State Finance & Parliamentary Minister, New Delhi 20 .01.94 . (8) BHARAT NIRMAN AWARD -Calcutta 28.01.95. She has also toured Hongkong , Fiji Islands, East Africa, U.S.A. , U .K ., Mauritius, Japan and many Gulf countries. She does many types of Kathak Dances such as mythological temple style, Tandav, lcishya, Pradosh & Natwari . She has performed Ekaki Nritya Natika, Sampoorna Ramayan, Geeta Updesh, Om Namash Shivaya, Shiv Puraan, Gayatri Mahima , Nao Durga Saptapti, Vishnu Puraan Mahima. She also does the Mughal style of dancing like Darberi N ritya . JAYANTI MALA is very versatile in Abhinaya & laikari, the clearity of her hand mudras and movements are just excellent. Her Kathak dance traditional and pure chakkaras are very clear cut and neat. Totally, she is a very graceful dancer. She combines both tradition and modernity in her presentations. She believes that enrichment of any art in dynamic process in which purity and innovation need not be mutually exclusive. She did direction for Bombay T.V. Krisan leela Dance and Maneka dance ballet and now she is doing the drama of Great Amarapali and Vasant Sena . She is truly a STAR in KATHAK DANCE . .She has given her best performance in every part of the world, in India as well as abroad for which she will be remembered forever about her Art in the Audience.