Kaleidoscope

Few days back while playing with the TV remote, I
got a chance to watch a program titled 'Kaleidoscope'
in Indiavision channel. The title itself seemed to be catchy,
and the program too; being a weekly 30 minute news magazine
which brings us the various aspects of life in Kerala, which
will surely amuse, inspire, and inform and even provoke into a
thoughtful mood. It file best stories they zoom-on in camera
for the viewer to relish. The way of presentation by the anchor
is also quite different in his casual style.
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Actually I'm here to share about my curiosity behind the
title: 'Kaleidoscope'. I was hearing that name for
the first time, didnt get any idea about Kaleidoscope.
After googling I got some interesting fasts about this stuff
and I would like to share the same with my friends.

A kaleidoscope is a tube of mirrors containing loose
colored beads, pebbles, or other small colored objects.
The viewer looks in one end and light enters the other end,
reflecting off the mirrors.
Typically there are two rectangular lengthwise mirrors.
Setting of the mirrors at 45° creates eight duplicate
images of the objects, six at 60°, and four at 90°.
As the tube is rotated, the tumbling of the colored
objects presents the viewer with varying colors and
patterns. Any arbitrary pattern of objects shows up as
beautiful symmetric pattern because of the reflections
in the mirrors.

Read more about Kaleidoscope:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaleidoscope

Kathak

(Kathak by Mrudula Rao)

It was a great evening with the live Kathak performance
at 'Dharani Kalotsav', Fine Arts Hall, Kochi.
Mrudula Rao was on stage with her magical kathak movements.
She took audience hearts with
rhythmic footwork and spectacular spins.

KATHAK:
Kathak is the North Indian style of classical dance,
characterized by rhythmic footwork danced under the
weight of more than 100 ankle bells, spectacular spins,
and the dramatic representation of themes.
The Style includes use of elegant swirls,
lightning quick pirouettes, sudden poses and rapid
stamping of feet and subtle gestures through which
emotions are expressed.

The name Kathak is derived from the
Sanskrit word katha meaning story, and katthaka in Sanskrit
means s/he who tells a story, or to do with stories.

COSTUME:
More commonly, the costume is a lehenga-choli
combination, with an optional odhni or veil. The lehenga is
loose ankle-length skirt, and the choli is a tight fitting
blouse, usually short-sleeved. Both can be highly
ornately embroidered or decorated. The lehenga is sometimes
adapted to a special dance variety, similar to a
long ghaghra, so that during spins,
the skirt flares out dramatically.



About the performer, Mridula Rao.
Mridula has been intensively training in Kathak
and Bharatanatyam for 12 years.
She is a graded performer for India's National Broadcaster.
She has also given several performances for Indian Government &
Private Television channels and has won solo dance competitions
at the State & National levels.

Now she is on the teaching faculty of Abhinava School of Dance,
Bangalore., imparting Kathak training to young talent.