Ease and élan: Dancers belonging to Birju Maharaj's troupe performing at ISKCON, in Bangalore on Monday

BANGALORE: As master Kathak performer and septuagenarian Birju Maharaj took the side stage, his disciples descended on the centre stage in co-ordinated movements, achieved with ease and élan, while taking the audience through the gripping tale of Krishna. The dancers wove their own rhythm by producing beautiful sounds with their ghungroos and brilliant feet movements .

An evening of dance and music at ISKCON on Monday began on a humble note but the immaculately dressed gopikas and gopas had one say “wow!” as the Nandagokula celebrated the birth of Krishna with the background song, “Aaj ko badhaayi bajaaye nanda mahala mein…”

Young Krishna's “chaturayiyaan” (mischief) had many gopikas worried. As for the romantic Krishna, of course he charmed the shy gopikas. When the spellbound gopikas apply sandal paste on him and shower him with their love, Radha is struck by jealousy. When he goes to her that day, one found oneself empathising with the angry and helpless Radha as she sought to know “Kaahe ko more ghara aaye ho?...” As he pacifies her with the tune of his murali (flute), Nandagokula celebrates their union with kolata (stick dance) as the Holi festivities begin. And when the gopas and gopikas threw flower petals at one another to the rhythmic beats of drums, it looked as if they were actually playing Holi on stage.