In the celestial ambience of the Domakonda Fort, the audience was a witness to the Kathak dancer Sanjukta Sinha’s “Angika”. As the saying goes, “Katha Kahe so Kathak”, Angika is a manifestation of the tukra, a celestial pirouette of the seasons of the heart — hope, anguish, joy and longing. The dancer and her troop took the spectators through four dance sequences – Aamad, Ghazal, Shiv Tandav and Tarana. Aamad, translating to “entry” in Persian, is the introduction of spoken rhythmic pattern into a Kathak performance. It is the guide and trendsetter. Ghazal is named after the ancient form of poetic expression and talks about the pain of separation and the beauty of love in spite of that pain. Shiv Tandav is an ode to Shiva’s power and divine dance set to the pulsating rhythm of Shiv Tandava Stotram. Tarana exemplifies the choreographic finesse characteristic of the Lucknow Gharana of Kathak. Technically challenging, it demands swift movements, complex intricate footwork and rapid turns. The different ragas to which the nimble footed dancers danced, were a sheer bliss and drew applause from one and all. It was a divine blend of dance and spirituality, cutting across all borders.