Vihang Gati

Choreography: Dr. Rohini Dandavate

Performed By: Dr. Kaustavi Sarkar

Notes: Vihang Gati is a solo work simultaneously inspired by the canonical Gatibhed Pallavi in form and the allegorical novel Jonathon Livingston Seagull (1970) in illustration. The fable is about a seagull who is trying to learn about flying, which becomes a metaphor to personal reflection, freedom, and self-realization. Gatibhed’s varying rhythmic progressions become variations of flight in Vihang Gati. The musical framework is based upon Jasrangi that is a technical innovation combining two melodic modes: Bhimpalasi and Madhuvanti, across Hindustani and Carnatic influences. The piece echoes the vastness of silence in the infinite blue sky, which becomes playground for the seagull to weave in musical innovation alongside formal play. She recently performed the work on January 17 2026 at Tradition in Context in Cuttack, Odisha, India.