Dream girl casts spell:

Hema Malini's aura has not faded over the years and her inspiring dance performance during on-going Kumbh bears testimony to that ::

P.S. Chauhan

While lakhs of devotees took dip of faith in the Ganga on the auspicious occasion of Navsamvatsar on March 16, the celebrated cine star and dream girl of yesterday Hema Malini, added more hues of faith to the Kumbh Nagari by her mesmerizing presentation of Gangaavtaran (the descent of the Ganga). It was followed by her one hour ballet on Shiv Parvati Vivah. The celebrated danseuse gave her brilliant performance before audience at state culture department auditorium on the evening of Navsamvatsar, as serene Ganga gurgled nearby. Padmshree Hema Malini, accompanied by her daughters, Isha and Ahana and her troupe, had specially come to Haridwar to take part in the on-going cultural programme during the Kumbh.

The film actress and the noted classical dancer started her performance with a brief masterly presentation of the descent of the Ganga from heaven to the earth. The brief dramatic presentation was specially prepared for the Kumbh at Haridwar where the Ganga is at the centre of the mega event.

This consummate dramatic presentation was followed by an equally consummate ballet on the mythological story of Shiv Parvati Vivah. The ballet assumed special significance, as it was presented on the first Navratra which is devoted to the adoration of Shail Putri (Parvati). The first part of the ballet depicted how Sati (Parvati's name in her former life) immolated herself after the humiliating behaviour of her father, King Daksh Prajapati of Kankhal towards her consort. The presentation at once struck a deep chord in the hearts of the audience, since the epochal event of the first marriage of Shiva with Sati and later on her immolation took place at Kankhal here. The second part of the ballet vivified how Parvati, by her long and rigorous worship, pleased Lord Shiva, who ultimately agreed to tie a nuptial knot with her for the welfare of mankind.

The flawless dance postures of Hema Malini, the perfect poise and rhythm of her body and her mastery over the niceties of classical dance forms, accompanied by rendition of scriptural texts and powerful music, virtually cast a spell.

In the ballet, which was directed by Bhushan Lakhandari, the role of Shiva was played by K.N. Murthy, while music was given by the famous music maestro, Ravindra Jain, with Kavita Krishnamurthy, Suresh Wadekar and K.C. Desiraju as playback singers.

In a brief speech after her performance, Hema Malini said that currently she was preparing a full fledged ballet of about two hours, depicting the journey of the Mother Ganga, right from her coming down from heaven on the earth to her present miserable plight. She told the cheering audience that next year she would perform the full ballet at Haridwar.

Giving her message on the first Kumbh of the century at Haridwar, she said, "On the sacred occasion of the Kumbh we should take a pledge to save the mother Ganga. I have taken up the mission of making Ganga pure and clean and my objective in composing the ballet on the holy river is also to create social awareness on the issue. Haridwar and Rishikesh have always fascinated me. I shall continue my association with these two cities." During her two-day stay at Rishikesh and Haridwar, the cine star met some leading saints to take their blessings and also took a dip in the Ganga.