Her Ghungaroos Echo in Eternity

The world of Indian classical dance has lost a radiant star. Guru Mangala Bhatt, an acclaimed Kathak dancer and teacher, passed away recently, leaving behind an irreplaceable void in the cultural and artistic heart of our nation. Her passing has shocked and saddened not just the Kathak community but the larger world of Indian arts, where her legacy of grace, innovation, and deep devotion continues to inspire.

Mangala Bhatt was not only an exceptional performer but a deeply revered teacher and a cultural visionary. A senior disciple of the legendary Pt. Durga Lal, she stood tall as one of the foremost representatives of the Jaipur Gharana, while also absorbing the fluid nuances of the Lucknow style. She embodied the powerful footwork and rhythm of Jaipur and the delicate abhinaya and lyrical beauty of Lucknow, a duality she navigated with grace and mastery.

Together with her husband, the equally distinguished Guru Raghav Raj Bhatt, she co-founded Aakruti Kathak Kendra in Hyderabad—a space that became a nurturing ground for hundreds of aspiring dancers and a confluence of cultures. Their work as co-directors enriched Kathak not just in the southern part of India, but globally. Through lectures, workshops, festivals, and collaborative performances, they built bridges—between gharanas, between disciplines, and between generations.

As Dr. Sandhya Purecha, Chairperson of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, expressed in her message of condolence, “Her radiant presence in the world of Kathak—marked by brilliance in both technique and abhinaya—left an indelible impression on every stage she graced. While her absence leaves a profound void, her legacy resonates powerfully in every disciple she trained, every performance she choreographed, and every cultural bridge she built.”

Remembering Guru Mangala Bhatt

Those who watched her perform were witness to a soul in flight. Her stage presence was commanding yet full of warmth. With every graceful chakkar, every nuanced glance, and every intricate tihaai, she brought stories to life—stories from the epics, from folklore, from human emotion. But it wasn’t only in performance that her artistry shined. It was equally luminous in her teaching, where she passed on tradition with both rigour and compassion.

Her fellow Guru sister and lifelong friend, Kathak exponent Uma Dogra, movingly says, ‘“I am totally shocked and heartbroken. For me, it’s a very personal loss. She was my Guru Bahen. Guru ji did Mangala ka kanyadaan kiya thaa. For me, she was more than a sister. Remembering all those beautiful days, chats, and laughter. Can’t believe Mangala has gone. My deepest condolences to dear Raghav Raj Bhatt and to her son Madhav.”

Indeed, the artistic bond between Uma ji and Mangala ji was more than camaraderie; it was a shared inheritance from their Guru, a sisterhood shaped by rhythm and reverence. This kind of connection, beyond the boundaries of gharanas and geographies, is what makes classical arts so profound—and what Mangala ji lived and breathed every day.

She was not just a dancer but a torchbearer of values—grace, humility, and a fierce commitment to excellence. Her style reflected a woman rooted deeply in tradition but also unafraid to evolve. Whether performing a traditional Vandana or collaborating on contemporary productions, she danced with integrity and soul.

Anand Satchidanandan, Bharatanatyam dancer and Lead for Dance Programming at NMACC, captured this beautifully when he said, “Mangala Bhatt ji’s grace and poise shined beyond the stage to life itself. In my short interaction with her, I saw grace and graciousness in life, family, and students.”

It is this grace beyond the stage that endeared Mangala ji to so many. Her home was a welcoming space, her smile a calming presence, and her conversations filled with wisdom. She was a guru who nurtured not only dancers but human beings. For her students, she was a second mother. For fellow artists, a collaborator and friend. For audiences, a beacon of what true classical art can achieve.

Receiving the Sangeet Natak Akademi award

Her passing leaves behind not only her husband Raghav Raj Bhatt and their son Madhav, but also a vast family of students, rasikas, and admirers. In them, her spirit continues. In their feet that strike the floor in tatkaar, in their eyes that speak a thousand stories in abhinaya, in their hearts that beat with rhythm and devotion—Guru Mangala Bhatt lives on.

In the Indian tradition, we believe that an artist never dies—they simply merge back into the cosmic rhythm from where they once drew their inspiration. Mangala ji now dances among the stars, her ghungroos echoing in the heavens.

Let us remember her not in sorrow, but in celebration of a life so beautifully and rhythmically lived. Let us honour her by continuing to uphold the values she stood for—discipline, grace, humility, and boundless passion for dance. May her soul find peace, and may her legacy continue to guide generations to come.

Sandip Soparrkar holds a doctorate in world mythology folklore from Pacific University USA, an honorary doctorate in performing arts from the National American University, He is a World Book Record holder, a well-known Ballroom dancer and a Bollywood choreographer who has been honored with three National Excellence awards, one National Achievement Award and Dada Saheb Phalke award by the Government of India. He can be contacted on sandipsoparrkar06@gmail.com