Vande Jyotirmayam – Gatha Somnath Ki is a Kathakathan presentation performed by Sunil Sunkara, Dr Piyush Raj and Natanam Repertory. The production brings together Kathak, narration, music and theatre to present the story of the Somnath Jyotirling, tracing its origin, destruction, revival and reappearance.
Written and directed by Mahamahopadhyay Dr Puru Dadheech, the production features music composed by Kartik Raman. The role of Nati, with narration penned by Pratyush Dadheech, was enacted by actress and television personality Sharmilee Raj, known for her portrayal of Balpari. Dancers Preety Bandekar, Padma Bodekar, Kshitij Kowe, Swapneel Patil and Sonali Chandrana from Mumbai brought alive the inner emotions of the temple devotees.
The costumes for the production were created by Sainoor Ahamad and Chand of NataRavi. The songs composed by Kartik Raman were accompanied by Anirudh Sharma on percussion and Dr Akash Thakkar on flute.
Vande Jyotirmayam – Gatha Somnath Ki was premiered on 7 September 2026 at Vande Somnath. The presentation was curated by IGNCA, Vadodara, with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Somnath Temple Trust and Gujarat Tourism, as part of the celebrations of Shravan Somvaar.
The performance began with a shloka describing Prabhas Kshetra as one of the five holy tirthas where the sacred River Saraswati flows and manifests its divine purification energies. The story then moves to the origin of the Somnath Jyotirling. It recounts how Somadeva, or the Moon, undertook penance after being cursed into oblivion. Mahadev Shiva adorns himself with the Moon, creating the cycle of waxing and waning and giving rise to the name Somnath.
The production then turns to the history of the Somnath temple and its repeated desecration and destruction. The destruction of the temple by Mahmud Ghazni forms part of this narrative, which goes on to present Somnath as a symbol of resilience and hope. Among the personalities associated with the restoration of the temple, the production recalls Raja Bhimadev of Saurashtra, Raja Bhoj of Malwa, Punyashloka Ahilyabai Holkar and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. It also acknowledges the contribution of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar in connecting devotees across the world to the glory of the Somnath Jyotirling.
The production also pays tribute to those whose stories have received less attention, including the devadasis, soldiers and pandits who, according to the narrative, perished in the numerous battles fought to protect Somnath.
Dr Piyush Raj is a Kathak practitioner, choreographer, curator and researcher, and a disciple of Sri Bireshwar Gautam. He has trained in Kathak under Dr Vibha Dadheech and Mahamahopadhyay Dr Puru Dadheech. Through Natanam Studio of Performing Arts in Goregaon, Mumbai, he is involved in Kathak training and the presentation of classical arts. He has also been associated with the development of a diploma course in Kathak Shastra.
Sunil Sunkara is a Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskaar awardee in Kathak and has been involved in performance, teaching and research related to the form. He has also been researching temple traditions of Kathak. Through NataRavi, he works on research-based music projects for Kathak, publications and educational initiatives. He is the dance academic head at the World Forum for Art and Culture, the culture wing of the Art of Living Foundation. He trained in the Guru-Shishya Parampara under Pt Birju Maharaj, Guru Saswati Sen and Guru Renu Sharma at Kalashram and is currently pursuing his PhD in Kathak under Dr Vibha Dadheech and Dr Puru Dadheech.
Both Sunil Sunkara and Dr Piyush Raj are immediate disciples of Dr Vibha Dadheech and Dr Puru Dadheech and have been working with Kathakathan under their guidance. Their work in this area is part of the effort by Dr Puru Dadheech and his disciples to further develop and present Kathak’s storytelling dimension.
With its combination of dance, narration, music and theatre, Vande Jyotirmayam – Gatha Somnath Ki presents the story of Somnath through Kathakathan, bringing together the mythological and historical narratives associated with the Jyotirling and the people connected with its long and eventful history.
