Mathura: Young Kathak dancer and choreographer Ashish Singh (Nritya Manjari Das), who is originally from Varanasi, is currently living in Vrindavan and practicing his Kathak dance. Ashish, who has given his life to Lord Shri Krishna and Shri Mati Radha Rani, is going to remote places of Uttarakhand and imparting Kathak dance lessons to the students with the aim of taking forward his culture. Where the student does not know about this art at all, nor does he have any understanding. There is also terror of wild animals in Uttarakhand, but still they are engaged in doing their work with full energy.
Ashish goes to Meera Bai temple every day to do riyaaz.
A BHU student from Kashi, the city of Mahadev, came to visit Vrindavan about 10 years ago. After coming to Dharmanagari, he bowed his head in every temple. Student Ashish was impressed by Meera Bai’s devotion to Krishna. Ashish was interested in Kathak dance from the beginning. Ashish gained fame in Kathak in India and abroad. Ashish comes to Meera Bai temple of Vrindavan every day to practice Kathak.
Ashish stayed in Vrindavan
When the team of Local 18 talked to Ashish about coming to Vrindavan and Kathak dance, he told that after the death of his father Shri Chandra Kumar Singh ji in the year 2015, Ashish kept listening to the story of Shrimad Bhagwat Mahapuran continuously. There was a curiosity in my mind that I have to go to Vrindavan once. Came to Vrindavan in the year 2016 and his mind got so stuck that he decided to spend the rest of his life here. He also got a chance to take Kathak workshop.
At the same time in Mathura, he made arrangements for his stay in an ashram in Vrindavan, in which he was helped by Sushila Devi of Basant Kanya Mahavidyalaya, Banaras. What happened next, Ashish got engaged in Krishna devotion and started practicing his Kathak dance at the devotee Shiromani Meera Bai Sa Ji Bhajan Sthali, which is continuing till today.
Ashish got a new name in Vrindavan
Before this, Ashish also lived in Varanasi in Balaji Ghat (where Bismillah Khan Saheb used to do Riyaaz). From 2007 to 2012, she dedicated her dance art at the feet of the Lord in the temple of Tirupati Balaji located there. Ashish got another name in Vrindavan itself, ‘Nritya Manjari Das’. Today Ashish is a well-known name in Vrindavan, which he attributes to the blessings of Lord Baba Kashi Vishwanath. He made him a slave at the feet of Shri Radha Krishna.
Ashish considers Kathak as his life. After coming to Vrindavan, he started practicing Kathak with devotion. As people came to know about them, people started joining them. Ashish tells that he taught Kathak dance to Vrindavan, Mathura as well as foreign women. Dozens of foreigners have become his students and learned Kathak.
Workshop is being organized in Vrindavan
Kathak dance workshop is being organized in Vatsalya Gram of Vrindavan. Giving information, Ashish Singh said that I got a chance to teach Kathak to the students in this school of Vatsalya village. It is a matter of great pride for me. I am getting a chance to participate in such events in the city of Lord Shri Krishna, it is not an award for me.
While talking to Local 18, Ashish said that ‘Kathak Dance Workshop’ is being organized under the joint aegis of Birju Maharaj Kathak Sansthan, Lucknow (Culture Department, Uttar Pradesh) and Sanvid Gurukulam Girls Sainik School (India’s first and only girls’ school), Vrindavan, which is being organized in the school premises. The objective of this workshop is to awaken the dignity, culture and aesthetics of Indian classical dance among the girl students. This opportunity is an important effort towards the all-round development and cultural upliftment of our girl students.
Have done workshop here
Ashish Singh kept free Kathak workshops at some places and normal registration fees at other places, so that more and more children could be connected to this art. Along with the Kathak workshops in places like Nainital, Dehradun, Joshimath, Haridwar, Shri Nagar Pauri Garhwal, Pithoragarh, Almora, New Tehri, etc., now also in Tanakpur Banbasa Pachpakaria of Champawat region, children are going to be connected with their Indian culture through Kathak workshops. Its objective is that today’s youth should understand, see and imbibe this art. This art will give a new direction to the young generation.
