Nartanam 135

PERFORMANCE REVIEWS

Mahagami’s Eighth Sarngadeva Festival

LEELA VENKATARAMAN

Unlike the usual run of institutions, Aurangabad’s Mahagami Gurukul established in a sylvan setup by the Mahatma Gandhi Mission with / dancer Parwati Dutta as director, has annually held a three day festival dedicated to the

Sarngadeva award conferred on (2nd from left) by Mahagami Gurukul great 13th century genius who hailed from this region – Sarngadeva, whose work Ratnakara represents, in many ways the central moment of Indian musical history, with its summary of sastra from earlier and contemporaneous periods, but also a paradigm for the organization of sangita sastra from subsequent centuries. And in the inter-disciplinary approach of Sarngadeva, the term Sangita included dance, to which separate status was given for the first time, unlike the Natya Sastra, where dance was a part of total theatre. Marking the landmark of twenty years spent in being informed and inspired by the sastras of our music and dance, and understanding their relevance through prayoga in the present 136 Some Significant Dance Events in the CapitalNartanam scenario, Mahagami gurukul, far away from the madding crowd, has worked quietly.

The morning sessions during the festival are dedicated to lec/dems on techniques of art forms regarded as classical and also desi forms to which pre-eminent space is given in in the form of popular traditions, separated from what is identified as marga (which we have, perhaps inadequately identified with classical).

Darshana Jhaveri’s talk with demonstration on Manipuri dealt with her late Bipin Singh’s artistic journey in taking Manipuri from temple to proscenium, ‘without polluting classical identity’. Emotionally, recollecting history when four sisters (she is the only surviving one to-day) Nayana, Ranjana, Suvarna and Darshana formed the group, she spoke of the period from 1949-1956 when the senior sisters went to to get a first hand idea of this tradition built round Gaudiya , with its and Nata Sankirtan traditions, woven into the life style of a people – along with Lai Haraoba inspired by the ancient indigenous Meitei practices. She mentioned how Vaishnava texts were collected, and how her guru worked at trying to co-relate oral traditions with the sastras like Sangita Ratnakara, Natya Sastra, Sangita and so on. The body technique with the torso sway running from navel to neck, with a shifting of body weight creating the gentle up and down wave like movement, is very controlled, with hand movements contained and held close to the body, not allowed to rise beyond a certain height or go below a certain body level. Referring to the nritta bols, Darshana spoke of how were taught to play the versatile percussion instruments according to the Mrdanga Sangraha, Nartana Nirnaya and several other tala oriented texts. The Mridanga , nibadha and anibadha played on the Pung, is believed to be sacred – evoking an idol of God with certain specific bols impregnating these with life. Not bound by any tala system but by metrical patterns or chhand, so much a part of the tradition that Darshana mentioned how any number of Pung players performing simultaneously would play the same way.

The explanation of Manipuri tala system, quite unlike other traditions, was one of the most lucid, one has heard – for with the communication gap, one rarely comes across a Manipuri guru who is able to paint a proper picture to non-Manipuris. Referring to stresses or accented beats in a metrical cycle (avarthana), Darshana mentioned unaccented beats like ‘nishabda anga’ bringing out patterns of rhythm. But in Manipuri two or more talas can form one avarthana in Tala-Prabandhas, which are of two types – one in which the tala composition is complete in itself and the other one in which incomplete compositions of talas are grouped. Shalaga or Phertal is a combination of two talas and Sankirna, which has more than two NartanamYashoda Thakore 137 talas grouped together, can be a 54 matra cycle with 22 stresses or with 16 stresses.

Prabandhas, mentioned in Sangita Ratnakara are used in plenty in Manipuri. Darshana mentioned her guru’s special compositions like Tanum (like Thillana), Kirti Prabandha in praise of , Cymbal dance and various nayikas like Vipralabdha, Utkanthita, Khandita, expressed through lyrics – which she presented in excerpts with her student the very pleasing dancer who acquitted herself superbly, Vinita Singha. One saw that the face was involved in abhinaya though very subtle. This was Guru Bipin Singh’s way of looking at the dance, different from the other Manipuri gurus, who allowed nothing beyond a peaceful and serene countenance, with all emotion shown through the entire body movements. The performance part too was very well organized.

Pandit Arun Kashalkar in recital

Hindustani vocalist Pandit Arun Kashalkar's insight into the Agra gharana highlighted some interesting points of how each gharana develops an individuality and specialty, like the Bol Baant of Agra gharana and Gwalior gharana’s Kedar raga which is considered the signature of this school. Bol Baant demands a perfect sense of laya, with the starting point on different matras, and when word in the sahitya gets displaced in the singing, finishing on the sama accurately, requires years of practice. The singer’s evening concert gave plenty of proof of this in the bandish in Khayal. The discussion on what inspires the musician more 138 Some Significant Dance Events in the CapitalNartanam

– word or music, had the musician remark that ultimately it is not word by itself but the music to which it is set that gives it life. A bandish is created through words urging a musicality or musicality having to be given a body dressed in words. He gave his own example of the words “too hi daata…” which kept ringing in his ears and how he could not rest till he wove it into a score in raga Bairagi.

Parwati Dutta with her disciples

Parwati Dutta referring to Mahagami’s work based on the Sangita Ratnakara mentioned shushkaakshar and how abstract bols and sounds are used to represent Devas and Devatas and how the Natya Sastra’s poorvaranga vidhi also evoked through abstract sounds (perhaps as a means of pacifying the demons who were displeased about being painted in a poor light in the first play staged for the entertainment of heavenly beings). Nirgeet with just sounds can evoke different types of energy. Working in close association with tradition and the Pakhawaj bols which were a part of old Kathak, Parwati Dutta in the course of her research had wondered about the absence of Pallavis in a form like Odissi, which delights in Swara pallavis. Wisely, she enlisted the help of Odisha’s , the Mardal expert (who has contributed to the training of a whole line of Mardal artists in the state) to work with her on a Vadya Pallavi (he composed a 14 matra Jati tala Pallavi). The inspiration of using fractional talas with half matra came from Sangita Ratnakara's desi talas and Parwati discovered certain similarities in Gyaneswari’s Ovi (from the same region NartanamYashoda Thakore 139 and coeval with Sarngadeva) which is traditionally sung in 3 ½ matras. The maatric chhand of Gyaneswari's Ovi inspired Parwati to work on other combinations for Kathak of 10 ½ matras, the arithmetic in the theka being 3+3+3+1 ½. In Odissi too, she tried 5 ½ matras and 3 ½ matras. This is all work based on abstract syllables and can be used to represent something too. She and the students presented the Vadya Pallavi.

Kathak dancer Prerana Shrimali’s evening concert shone with her confident grasp over the Jaipur Kathak form starting with the “Rangila Shambho Padharo” invocation. Thaat was a delight of how the dancer gets into the performing mood allowing the lehra or musical refrain to seep into the body and mind, expressing it in very minimal gestures to start with and then slowly expanding into more complicated movement. This coming into being of the complete dancer is one of the most subtle and difficult parts of a Kathak recital – unfortunately given very elementary performance space by most dancers of the day. Uthan with the unexpected arrival on the sama in the style of her guru Kundanlal Gangani was again very different from the run of the mill type of presentations. The short recital ended with the piece de resistance of the verses as base for abhinaya – with a non-Kabir prelude, setting the tone, with the imagery full of contradictions “ram bin tanki taapu na jaye, jal me uthi dhikayi” says the protagonist

Prerana Shrimali with her disciples about that burning desire for ‘Ram’ which never leaves one which is like flames which exist in water without being doused. Like the fish in the waters of the Lord, inevitably the devotee cannot live if separated. “You are the cage and I the golden parrot in it,” says the devotee and while entreating the guru to listen to his chela and give the person darshan, the final realization sinks in that in this journey 140 Some Significant Dance Events in the CapitalNartanam searching for the ultimate, even as part of the cosmic whole, one is alone. Sringar or desire just takes on the tone of desperate search for the other, the whole. The two disciples of Prerana, Arthi Srivastav and Nishtha Budhlakoti, in a rendition of 10 matras and 11 matras were clean, absolutely confident dancers, whose parhant was as good as the nritta display. Definitely youngsters who if they continue thus, have a good future!

Prerana’s talk the next morning on her guru Kundanlal Gangani’s teaching methods dwelt on how he would insist on disciples humming the nagma or lehra tune and dancing and this method of practicing from 7-30 to 10 a.m. without the sangatkars (accompanists) instilled a feel for rhythm and laya which became a part of one, cutting out conscious personal effort to be in immaculate sync with the tala. In fact while doing Tatkar, guruji would urge the students to talk and chat with one another, making the adherence to rhythm automatic. "Guruji asked me to go to the Pakhawaj guru for the theka for the 13 matra tala. This type of self doubt and criticism was a measure of the great gurus of the day”, not lost in self importance. The nagma melody for him had to clearly indicate khand and tala structure. Teental and chautal were followed by instruction in 10 ½ matras, 11 matras and 10 matras. Jaipur is famous for Lamchandparans. She remembers an occasion when guruji with Ram of Raigarh gharana, with Murad Ali playing the presented 64 matra teentala in ati vilambit laya with Ganesh Paran – the kind of holding of each moment for so long, required in the dance, almost beyond the understanding of today’s dancers with their fast paced performances. “One needs to get soaked in the tradition and learn without questioning – with the churning of inquiry and curiosity emerging out of later practice. Guru Kundanlal’s approach in interpreting a lyric like “Aaj maika kuwar karn bharje” was to have a montage of a kavit type of verse for a start before proceeding with the interpretative art.

Ranjana Srivastava scholar/art administrator/Kathak dancer referred to the notion of ‘darshan’ which the west now is imitating and which we seem to have forgotten. Referring to our arts as revealed rather than inferred wisdom (which she referred to as having come from the rishis), she called arts as paths of receiving and giving out positive energy. Ranjana Srivastava Thus the bare feet tapping where energy NartanamYashoda Thakore 141 from the earth and from the dancer meet (like a namaskar where energy of one hand comes into contact with that of the other), abstract syllables are the nirakar (formless and tat for instance represents formless ), their dhwani filling space with positive energy. The Shank dhwani has been found to be a therapy. The bells with the tapping feet are a kind of acupressure and have a therapeutic value. Even ornaments worn on certain parts of the body are dictated by pressure points. Thus the body in dance was dealt with by Sarngadeva who mentioned science of in the Sangita Ratnakara. The decorative, the therapeutic and the artistic are blended in forms.

The Sangita Ratnakara has a whole chapter on instruments of music and many instruments which are no longer in use are mentioned. The festival every year makes it a point to have performances and interactions with lesser known forms and what we know as people’s art forms.

Esraj, a vanishing instrument which was known as Ishwari Raj which became , was one of the instruments featured in the festival under the artist Buddhadev Das. This sweet toned stringed instrument is in the category of Mandrabahar, Taarshehnai, Dilruba and the like. It resembles the Taos played in the Punjab. Clear sounds emerge with the played on the strings, without the vibrations produced on the . With the instrument’s tomba resting on the left foot and rest of the instrument resting on the left shoulder, is how one played till changed to be placed straight resting on the right shoulder, thereby enabling the playing fingers to reach with ease the strings while playing the mandara sthayi. The artist’s teacher Ashish Buddhadev Das playing Esraj Bandopadhyaya belonged to the Vishnupur gharana in the gayaki style. Thanks to the meend which this instrument lends itself to so well, Esraj is ideal for Rabindra Sangit which formed a large part of the demonstration.

The Nakshyatra group led by Kumar Sahu of Odisha, comprised under teenage boys performing the popular tradition – noteworthy for providing the movement corpus for the nritta technique (stylized into classical finesse) when Odissi was being restructured. Turned out in female garb, these youngsters perform songs and dance to Krishna/ during the Jatras in the Jagannath temple. 142 The Festival CircuitNartanam

A disciple of Guru Mahadev Raut for Gotipua and for Odissi, Kumar Sahu has wisely concentrated on running an institution for Gotipua with about fifty students being coached in the gurukul system. He spoke of how vigilant the guru had to be in guarding these youngsters who given a chance would run away to A demonstration by Kumar Sahu of Nakshyatra group their village to while away the hours in idleness. The evening recital with the Bandha acrobatics and the Sa re ga ma Pallavi totally charmed the audience and the children dressed to look like young girls were charming in their natural bearing with no hint of stage consciousness. The vocal support though full of off-key notes left much to be desired.

One of the festival highlights was Parvathy , her singing with the in one hand which she called the lifeline of her art, with the other hand playing the anchored on to the other side of her body, making a strong impression. A sookshma yantra, whose body is like the sharira, with the bells and bamboo chain attached it ‘representing the Soorya and Chandra, which when united produce anahad nada playing inside you – for that is the state you are in when all the 32 main nadis in a person are activated to produce complete inner peace.’ “The conscience becomes clean and transparent without a veil – with in the throat and the natak of nirvan starts.” Parvathy Baul Nartanam 143

Darshana Jhaveri and her disciple

Bhai Baldeep Singh 144 Nartanam

Gotipuas of Nakshyatra group

Parwati Datta's Kathak recital with her disciples Nartanam 145

Prerana Shrimali

Parvathy Baul 146 Nartanam

Ratan Thiyam

Madhavi Puranam

Parwati Datta's Odissi recital with her disciples Nartanam 147

While under the Guru, observation (smaran ) to see what happens between tala beats of music and rhythm is a must said the artist. “Success or failure is of the Ektara, for you are not important”. Meant for people from all castes the Mahajan Pad which really comprises what and mention, has no bols for tala for it is more like Dhrupad music, or Shabad . are revolutionary poets, all part of the Udaasi Parampara of East . The Bauls of old would hold a Duggi played with the left hand, and Parvathy’s little was given to her by her guru. The ashta satvik sounds or 8 subtle sounds coming from thunder (), snake representing our senses, mayur our chetana, elephant representing chitta and the diksha of the guru cannot be had in shops. There are kriyas which you have to do diligently and Baul music is very disciplined and coded, with one deciding on the time oneself. “One needs to delve into the depths of the body and when you hit that core, it rises up like a ping pong ball. I wanted so much to know who I am, to be in that state of bliss – to be in that flow which reminds me of the Divine – I found that in Baul. This is not a skill, but a going beyond – a deep knowledge of body, breath and . It is unique and not ‘folk’. Do not put it into any category.” The recital the evening before had proved her words of what such searing involvement meant. It began with “Esho He” a song of Panju Shah in Phekta. “Amar Gauranga sundar nachiaa Ta ta Thoiya thoiya,” “Jiya Sahaj Soona Sampoorna ,” a song by Parvathy’s guru Kanhopad, a lyric by to the Mother Goddess Janani who is both “Poison and nectar” and who is asked to throw away her sword and take the instead, a lyric addressed to “Shonar Pakhi” were all sung with total involvement. Parvathy’s own efforts at bringing a Chariageet Buddhist song beyond all boundaries into her performance wherein the song says that like wave after wave follows and the ocean never dries, so too in this world the consciousness of man does not die even when the body does. And of course, the famous Lallan Fakir songs – the mainstay of the Bauls.

One more fascinating artiste to be featured in the festival was Bhai Baldeep Singh who belongs to the 13th generation of a traditional family connected with Gurbani Sangeet. His main work of reviving the ancient Punjab the Jodi Pakhawaj on which he played a brilliant spell of shaan or naandi rendered as a kind of Mangalacharan before an actual performance. Sounding more like the Pakhawaj with a heavy sound, was this instrument looking like the , as he played naandi in chautaal. He mentioned how late scholar S. K. Saxena on listening to this instrument called it as “inclined to waywardness”. Then Bhai Baldeep Singh’s vocal rendition treating Kalyan the raga in its late 16th century manifestation (he called it raga alap and not sur alap) on what is the 350th year of Guru Govind, was most fitting, demonstrating how it was presented 148 Nartanam when Gurbani Sangit evolved. It was so like Dhrupad, which is how Gurbani Sangeet was sung. To-day as this devotional music is sung has very little to do with the old type of rendition. The manner in which Tej Bahadur Singh would have rendered a raga like Jaijaivanti, was also demonstrated. Bhai Baldeep Singh described the entire ancient approach as the difference between composed music and revealed music, preceding durbar singing and paramparas. From ‘Bhog to Jog’ these men were realists, with Tej Bahadur speaking of Hind ki Raksha, and how important the freedom of Indic civilization was for these people. Gurbani was one style along with Brindavan Sangeet which was the biggest vaishnav , with the name of Swami Haridas and there was music in Multan where again the Prabhanda Geet singing was the tradition at that time. This is mentioned in Sangita Ratnakara too. It was interesting that many of the speakers spoke about chhand rather than tala, which was very much a part of the musical contribution – Darshana Jhaveri had mentioned it while speaking of Manipuri, and in Odisha’s traditional music too, chhand singing was a very important part. And from what was said about Gurubani also, chhand singing was the mode, where the music was sung keeping the metrical pattern of the verse in mind. There was an outpouring of raga after raga, and it was obvious that the allotted time of an hour was not enough for Bhai Baldeep Singh. The festival was concerned with revival of Gurbani singing as prevalent in the past and not in its politics that the speaker brought in during his talk.

Parwati Dutta’s Kathak recital with her students began with a Krishna Vandana followed by Vasant, both based on Sant Gyaneshwar’s 9½ matra keertan, which was on Vasant ritu. The poet makes a metaphor of new life springing under the earth during Spring as new wisdom dawning on people. Woven into this was a Parmelu and a Tihai comprising the bols of the theka and the entire gamut of intra forms in Kathak. Uthan had bols like “Dha Dha Thin Ta”. Next was an interpretative item based on one of the Ashta Chhap poets from Raas Adhyaya “Pheri Ayi yahi Suraa Rutara Sundara” where under the shade of the Kadamb one hopes for scenes of Krishna with the . In all the items while Parwati danced in front, the students formed the group in the hinterland. While they performed very correctly, one wished that one could get a more substantial solo rendition of the students. The best part of the Mahagami team however was their musical support. Rarely does one get to hear such sur perfect music, with Manoj Desai’s vocal, Sukhant Munde on Pakhawaj, Charudutt Phadke on Tabla, Sunil on Flute and Rudraka Sakshikar on Sarangi. In pitch, modulation, completely synchronized performance and verbal clarity, the accompanists were in a class by themselves. Nartanam 149

The artist selected for the Sarngadeva Award this year, Ratan Thiyam, in his morning lecture spoke of the actor’s need for always being on the edge, taking risks with every production – for anything predictable cannot be part of his creation. Tradition gave one the training but its use had to be individualistic in any artistic venture in theatre. Once he had created something and given it full shape, he had no more interest in it – for him it was now dead art not exiting his creative energies. While theatre persons slogged throughout their life, Ratan Thiyam was sorry that the country still had no large, buzzing theatre company which could live with an assured income – enabling artists to concentrate their energies on new work. Even a state of the art auditorium was not to be found in India. How could one live a whole life in theatre which hardly paid?

While there were so many speakers for various traditions, both margi and desi, the only talk on the Darshak or audience was by Madhavi Puranam, editor of Nartanam the quarterly journal. Right from the civilization of Greece with philosophers like Socrates and Plato, Cicero and Longinus, and Augustine and later philosophers like Kant from the West, not to leave out the Indian philosophers like , Anandavardhana, and Japanese aestheticians like Zeami all have discussed theory of aesthetics in art and one quality which Socrates too refers to is harmony. When Abhinavagupta mentioned as close to brahmananda when relished by the spectator, how did this happen? Sangita Darpanam a 17th century text mentions Sarira in the very first chapter, discussing the mechanism of spectatorship, namely a metaphysical apparatus in the human body consisting of primordial energy and an assortment of energy centres, which together appear to become an instrument for perceiving the essence of music and dance. Swara Adhyaya of Sangita Ratnakara mentions supersonic sounds and insight into the vibratory awareness residing in the energy centres which through various can be activated. Cosmic energy is believed to reside in the base of the spinal cord and when this energy gets activated a sharpened sense of awareness makes the body specially sensitised. What was significant was how all knowledge systems coalesce in this theory and in oral traditions what is not mentioned openly has to be inferred through experience. This kind of heightened bodily awareness involves both art and science. Ayurveda, , metaphysics, creativity and all art streams come together – how these antennae of special awareness respond to poetry, to music, to dance and to all arts has to be experienced. So viewed in simple terms, it means that the apparatus to be able to experience rasa is present in the sharira, and through sadhana a sahridaya is one who has the wherewithal to experience rasa. The speaker mentioned certain sounds, (which is how one conceives of Bija ) and even letters of the language which can stir responses in the Subtle Body. And the lecture 150 Nartanam underlined very well the composite nature of Indian knowledge streams which all aim at sensitizing the artist and spectator , thus aiming at elevating the inner man and discovering the Self through a perception of universal truths.

Altogether a festival, both elevating and informative! Kakatiyam

MADHAVI PURANAM

Recently, the Telangana Government sponsored a production "Kakatiyam" choreographed by Padmaja Reddy to encourage dance at the very basic level of competence and performance. The ballet put on stage about 150 children with a wide rage of mediocre dancing skills. The dance technique used was not discernable distinctly as classical or folk or tribal. With the rigour, the stance, the movements, the gestures, the expression all very indistinct the ballet did not qualify to be claimed as a traditional dance style of Telangana, as was hailed by the propaganda material.

Telangana is blessed with myriad folk, tribal and classical forms. , which was patronized by the Golconda nawabs, is as much a classical form of Telangana as of Andhra. Mere lines acting as borders between states do not divide the art forms as belonging to one or the other region. Thus there is no urgent need to reinvent in haste a dance form in the classical idiom to give an identity to the new state of Telangana. The haste with which the Perini dance form is being pushed into the syllabus of the music and dance colleges by a recent government order is another example of trying to forge urgent identities which may be faulty in their basic conception.

The newly reconstructed dance form, as it was claimed, allegedly encompassed a few desi dances from the Nrttaratnavali – Prerani, Kanduka, Kollata, Rasaka and Dandarasaka. The Kollata as described by Jaya is a pure acrobatic performance on a rope and involves swinging, wheeling round, etc., it was also performed on swords, while the presentation Kakatiyam, whose press coverage claimed that it showed "Kollata" actually showcased "Kolatam" played with sticks. This stick dance was called "Dandarasakam" by Jayapa, which was too simplified in its depiction and would have to stand academic scrutiny. The Kandukanrityam which is still found in the repertoire of Mohiniattam and finds a mention in Svapnavasavadattam and Dasakumaracarita according to V. Raghavan, was simplified to copying the poses of the sculptures of the Ramappa temple; while Nartanam 151

Jaya has said that the dancers have to form a lotus-like figure, make wavy lines and other formations (the interpretation has to be a subject of an intensive academic analysis) executed to rhythms played on instruments (again a matter of enquiry as to what the rhythms of those times were).

The multi-media projections of various sculptures and the dancers striking similar poses do not authenticate the performance as the reconstruction of the dance forms. Harping on the term "Kakatiyam" does not make a presentation representative of the imaginary classical form of the Kakatiya times. Guru spent a lifetime researching one form "Perini" from the Nrttaratnavali and the form still has no substantial pedagogy or even a handful of quality performers.

The ideal platform to present a reconstruction of a dance form would be an academic seminar with all the stakeholders of dance present in a diligent scholarly exploration into the forms concerned and arrive at a reasonable agreement as was done with Odissi in the late 1950s under the banner of Jayantika – a consortium of all eminent gurus of Orissa at the time. The result of such deliberation as in the case of Odissi is likely to be more close to tradition and could be claimed as a reconstruction of a form, and thus could stand the test of time. The dance form of the Kakatiya times, if it can be reconstructed at all, will be the job of many scholars and performers coming together under a serious project under a Center for Kakatiya arts. Such an initiative will be welcome but has to be done after careful thought.

The music of Kakatiyam was raucous to put it very mildly. It would be interesting to know how the music of Kakatiya times has been reconstructed and which were the traditional instruments in use during those times for the various dances mentioned in the text.

The state government's good intentions are appreciated that any venture that has the term "Kakatiyam " or "Telangana" tagged to it gets their undivided attention and generous financial support. The state of Telangana has a distinct identity with many dance forms including the classical form Kuchipudi. Telangana definitely does not need the crutches of any half-baked resurrection to give it an identity.

One wished that Padmaja Reddy had restrained from declaring that her presentation is the new (Old) classical form of Telangana reconstructed by her. 152 Nartanam The Aadi Rang Mahotsav

MADHAVI PURANAM

Hyderabadis got to witness a visual and aural treat of Tribal arts and culture during the Aadirang Mahotsav (3-5 March, Shilpa Kala Thoranam) presented by the National School of Drama (NSD), New Delhi jointly hosted by the department of Language and culture, Government of Telangana. About 600 dancers presenting a variety of tribal dances was a delightful spectacle. Secretary, Culture, Burra Venkatesham announced the intentions of the Telangana government to make Hyderabad a national and international hub of art and culture through such initiatives. He added that the culture of Telangana will be showcased grandly

The inauguraiton of Aadirang Mahotsav across the country as was done during the Surajkund Mela where Telangana was the theme state and created quite a stir. Mamidi Harikrishna, Director, Culture, announced that this is a step towards making Hyderabad the global city as envisaged by the Telangana government.

Waman Kendre, Director, NSD, shared how the festival is expected to provide a platform to explore the beauty and richness of the unique identity of India through tribal art and culture. Ratan Thiyam, Chairman, NSD, in his message in the brochure, stressed upon unity in variety which is the hallmark of Indian culture. The seven sister states of the northeastern India have their own unique identity. Nartanam 153

Tripura, Nagaland, , Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Sikkim, and the host state Telangana were brought together with a majestic display of their tribal culture and art forms.

A bazaar with fascinating variety of handlooms and crafts was set up apart from the performances of various tribal dances. A seminar with scholars such as Anup Ranjan Pandey, B. K. Mohanty, Kanu Patil, O. Mutthaiah, V. V. Bhedekar, Jayadheer Rao, Kailash Patnaik, Prakash Kandle, Subramanya Naidu and others provided for valuable analytical inputs on a variety of topics on tribal arts and culture. This writer could not attend the seminar for the simple reason that the event was not advertised enough and the department forgets to invite the media, artists and the scholars in the city when they do such events. The simplest of PR machinery fails and the events mounted at such costs fail to reach more people, which they could have easily. The audio and video recordings of such seminars and events, if any, are fossilized in almost all culture departments across the country and never see the light when required by the scholars or the artists themselves or the media.

A group of charming Chero dancers from Mizoram trooped on to the stage while the audience watched with bated breath their quick paced dance negotiating the fast clapping bamboo sticks. It created a fantastic rhythm for the agile dance maneuvers. The petite Mugyanta dancers from Nagaland danced with dexterity. The Kabui Nagas who collect honey in the forests of Manipur were at their very best. With horns as their headdress, they danced to invite beasts to come up the hill to dance with them. The huge tribal , high pitch tremolo singing, exotic and colorful handloom dresses, all brought alive the earthy connection of the tribal dances to the land and culture of northeastern India. The elaborate neck pieces worn by the women were exotic.

The Biju dance of the Chakma adivasis from Tripura ushering the new year, the delightful Lambada dancers of Telangana in all their regalia dancing vigorously to exciting rhythms were a sight to behold. The Gadiya Lohar Lambadas are believed to have originated in Rajasthan. The dances depicting rivalries between tribes of Mizoram and the ferocious contest leading to enslaving of the dead warriors’ souls were feisty and fierce. It is said that the defeated leaders of the tribes were beheaded and their souls became the slaves of the winning communities. The Pavi and Muras performed the Solkia; the spears, knives, and the shields and the war cries added to the ferocity of the dance. Hoza Giri from Tripura, as always, had the spectators awe struck with the girls performing difficult feats and acrobatics with lamps on bottles balanced on their heads. The Magar and Gurung tribes from Sikkim, the Moirang Nagas from Manipur with the Lausha 154 Nartanam warrior dance, the Wah Buddhist dance from Tripura, Veer Bhushri from Assam, the amazing antics of the Manipuri warrior dancers with their bamboo sticks and human pyramids in Chorol Jogoi, the Misi Solzong from Meghalaya were all a window to a rare and world of the rich Indian tribes.

The Wah dance depicts the dancers offering the light (with lamps) and water (signified by silver vessels) and respect (symbolised by umbrellas) in front of the Buddhist shrines. The Veer Bushri is the dance depicting the valour of a mother who protects her children and the entire family. The Manipuri dancers who manipulated the bamboos deftly with their sticks actually exhibited the practice and concentration that is developed through these exercises which prepares them to finally learn the martial art forms. The practice exercises in themselves have attained the status of an art form. They also built human formations and pyramids exhibiting their training, strength and dexterity which are essential for mastering martial arts.

The Gusadis with their majestic hedgear made of Peacock feathers and Oggu Dolu from Telangana which included the antics of the Potharaju had the audiences watching them wide-eyed. The Misi Solzong from Meghalaya is a harvest dance thanking the gods in which the women offer rice beer to their men. The warrior cries and moves, the long drums, the head gear and the petite dancing women all made for a great spectacle. The Tiba tribe from Assam presented a competitive dance by girls and boys where the girls wish for a great husband. The singing was excellent in high pitch tremolo vocals. The musical instrument Borat and the Flute made heavenly music. The Adi Bori tribe from Arunachal pray to an imaginary god and the newly weds are blessed in a traditional dance. And thus went on the evening performances every day of the festival.

A well-choreographed festival with the best of dancers from across the northeastern states and Telangana made for a fulfilling event. Kudos to NSD and Department of Culture, Government of Telngana. Nartanam 155

Tribal dance from Nagaland

Dancers from Sikkim

Dancers from Meghalaya 156 Nartanam

Top & Bottom: Wah dancers from Tripura

Hojagiri from Tripura

Oggu Dolu dancers from Telangana Nartanam 157

Lambada dancers from Telangana

Gusadi dancers from Telangana

Photos Courtesy: Department of Language & Culture Telangana Martial arts from Manipur 158 Nartanam

Astad Deboo Photo Courtesy: Ritam Banerjee Nartanam The Festival Circuit 159 : New Challenges

SUNIL KOTHARI

Ever seeking new challenges and scaling artistic heights, contemporary dancer Astad Deboo with traditional drummers from , Manipur, in collaboration with Shree Govindji Nat Sankritan headed by Guru Seityaban Singh, Astad Deboo choreographed "Rhythm Divine II- River Runs Deep". Presented by Astad Deboo Dance Foundation and Raza Foundation at Kamani, the show was a runaway success from the word go.

Astad has been working with Manipuri martial artists and drummers for the past 16 years. Ten years ago Pung Cholom drummers and he started working together. Young, vigorous, steeped in their own cultural traditions performing in a comforting cycle of familiar security, Astad interacted with them with the help of Guru Seityaban Singh, planned contemporary work, exploring the tradition of Pung cholom, with eight drummers drawing inspiration for their movements, extracting the essential movements minus drums, resorting to abstraction, choreographing sections which reflected, as Astad explained in his programme note, more open articulation of old fears through bold, new creative with music and movement, a brasher engagement with restlessness and frustration. North East is a heart breaking amalgam of natural beauty and militant aggression, of lightening moves and glacial response, of the turbulence of politics and the calm pace of tradition, flowing below other like twin rivers.

Opening with a stunning visual Astad in the centre and on either side the drummers with stream of light from top on them and drummers slowly moving in front, the slow pace, their bodies half in dark, half in light, the images suggested serene life below which there was restlessness. The gradual build up against fear and prolonged silence to music by Takashi Kako, Keith Jarett and Nik Bartsch evoked soothing feelings of quiet and also of disturbance.

Astad’s solo in flaring skirt like specially designed costume by Archana Shah, Monica Shah, Krishna Mehta, with extremely slow but controlled movements, bending backwards, using minimal hand gestures, and quivering fingers, may be praying to powers divine, was hypnotic. He has devised these movements which have a stamp of Astad. The groups of drummers performed some times to silence and sometimes to music beats, in circles, holding arms, forming a long chain, moving in a manner suggesting wave, water flowing, at times whirlpools and at time gentle flow. The graceful movements had special regional quality and with slow pace the images of running river were conveyed.

In one sequence they all crept on floor, moving slowly towards each other, 160 Nartanam crossing each other, slowly rising in half sitting position and suddenly standing up with crescendo and moving powerfully giving a loud sound as if they were establishing their heroic position conveying the feelings of anger.

Interspersing with such group compositions were solos of Astad full of feeling and holding palms near face, body moving backward with astounding balance.

The virtuosity of drum playing, aerial somersaults, taking breathtaking pirouettes and landing on perfect sam, final beat, were mind blowing. In one s equence with cholom, two drummers with round drums and others with performed in two parallel rows, with such vigour, placing round drums on floor, the two drummers, beating drums and taking aerial somersaults; one marveled at their amazing skill.

Astad has in recent years mastered the technique of pirouettes, chakkars, drawn from classical Kathak which he studied at a young age, which creates a hypnotic effect. He takes continuously countless chakkars, round and round for nearly 20 minutes without ever losing balance. Around him drummers took circles, performed their acrobatic skills, brought Mandila (cymbals with red tassels), but did not strike them except in the end. The movements from Karatal Cholom also were used imaginatively. So were movements from Thang Ta, the martial arts. The traditional numbers like Kartal Cholom, minus clapping, and then clapping, all merged well in overall choreography.

Towards the end the drummers arrived in their traditional white dhotis and pugrees. They unleashed energy, while playing drums in Pung cholom numbers with intricate talas, at times mere murmur of drums and then spasmodic release of sounds, dancing in circles, and in perfect co-ordination with a little jerk of head, threw pugrees on the floor, continuing their performance. It instantly won rounds of applause.

The audience by then was eating out of their hands. The drummers suggested audience to clap in rhythm, which the enthusiastic audience did and the entire auditorium was all agog with sound of claps of audience and the drumming by the drummers. Such audience participation was infectious. The traditional Pung Cholom brought down the house. Playing two conches an artist transported one to the temple in Manipur. The finale was so captivating that the audience rose to their feet and gave them a standing ovation. The entire presentation was thoroughly professional and of international level, with excellent lighting by Milind Srivastav. Those fortunate ones who attended the show shall remember the performance for long and those who missed have indeed missed it. It was a show to remember. Nartanam 161 Mahasati Chandanbala

SUNIL KOTHARI

Three have been few dance-dramas based on Jain stories. In the early sixties in Yogendra Desai had produced and directed Roopkosha, a theme of a Virangana, from Jain literature. , the celebrated musician had given music to the Gujarati libretto and had performed the main role. In Toronto, dancer and choreographer Janak Khendry has used Jain stories for his dance-dramas.

Recently Shila Mehta, produced and choreographed a dance drama Mahasati Chandanbala, based on a Jain myth. Based in Mumbai, running her Nupur Zankar Academy of Kathak for more than 30 years Shila Mehta was based in where she was trained by Prahlad Das, father of Chitresh Das, and also by Chitresh Das, and later by Vijai Shankar, a disciple of Pandit . When she moved to Mumbai, she took advanced training under . Today Shila has branches of her institution in Belgium and New Jersey.

Being a Jain, she has explored the dance-drama under review, using multi- media and also resorting to semi classical and folk dances. And in keeping with the Jain canons she has succeeded in conveying the message succinctly.

The story is as follows:

India boasts of a galaxy of ideal women, who with their devotion, tolerance, righteousness, virtuousness and sacrifice have enriched our social, cultural and religious heritage. One amongst those great souls was princess Vasumati, popularly known as Mahasati Chandanbala.

In 529 BC when Lord Mahavira was in the Angad region of Bihar in a city known as Champapuri, an intelligent and brave king Dhanavah ruled over that region. His wife queen Dharini and their daughter Vasumati were pious by temperament. Soon a war broke out between Dadhivan and Shatanik, the king of Kausambi. He was married to the elder sister of Dharini, King Dadhivan's wife. King Dadhivan lost the war. A soldier took Vasumati and Dharini captive. The shocked queen died.

The soldier took Vasumati to the slave market to sell her. A merchant by name Dhanavah bought Vasumati out of and took her home. Dhanavah told his wife Moola to treat Vasumati as their daughter. Vasumati did not disclose that she was a princess. She told them that her name was Chandanbala. One day in the absence of a servant, Chandanbala was washing Dhanavah's feet and her 162 Nartanam

long hair slipped and touched the ground. Dhanavah lifted her hair thinking that it might get dirty. Moola happened to see this and was outraged. When Dhanavah was out of town, Moola got Chandanbala's long hair cut and tied her legs with iron chains and locked her in a room and left.

Chandanbala had tremendous faith in God. She constantly recited Navakarmantra. She desired to become one with God and leave this world. On his return, Dhanavah found Chandanbala in the most horrific situation. He consoled her, and went to get some food for her but could find only some dry lentils in a pan. He gave it to her and rushed to a blacksmith to cut her chains and free her. Before Dhanavah returns with the blacksmith, Chandanbala offers the lentils to a monk.

The monk was Mahavir who was on a fast since last 5 months and 25 days. Mahavira had taken 13 adhigrahas, meaning 13 conditions to be fulfilled before breaking the fast. No one had succeeded in fulfilling his adhigrahas, so the villagers were curious and worried. Mahavira goes to Chandanbala, who fulfilled all the conditions of adhigrahas, except one. She did not have tears in her eyes. Therefore Mahavira did not accept her offering. Chandanbala was distressed and started NartanamSunil Kothari 163 crying. Mahavira, after seeing the tears in her eyes accepted the lentils.This great historical and auspicious moment was celebrated even in the heaven by the Devas showering flowers on the enlightened soul of Chandanabala. The message conveyed is by thinking and meditating about great souls people can elevate their souls to a higher spiritual level. In her choreographer's note Shila mentions that her aim was to reach out to the general public and make such a story known, and subtly suggest the principle of Jainism through the medium of dance.

The production was on a grand scale with more than 20 dancers and a lot of back stage supporters. Divided into several scenes, the story unfolds using Kathak technique principally but also resorts to semi classical and folk dances. There are also dialogues used to forward the narrative. The costumes were opulent and dazzling. The projection of background scenes for palace, gardens, and the slave market scene were dramatic, but verged on realism. Shila in the main role of Chandanbala performed with elegant Kathak.

Kathak offers traditional thumris for performance in court scene. However, in a scene where slave market was depicted, one of Shila's foreign students performed a dance of a slave girl with movements of a belly dancer, which looked incongruous and could have been avoided. Also Chandanbala's feet and hands tied with chains looked exaggerated and could have been avoided as it gave a filmy touch.

On inquiry Shila explained to me the 13 conditions, adhigrahas, which in the absence of a synopsis, one was not able to make out, even when they were enacted, as Shila explained, in the sequence of Mahavira accepting the alms. The story in that part remained inaccessible through dance and mime.

The music by Somnath Mishra and Shivam Bagchi was melodious and dramatic in war scenes and when maidens danced in the garden with princess Vasumati. Pallavi Gujjar's technical production and design were quite challenging, as the canvass of the story is vast. Lights by Dhiren Merchant were effective highlighting the story and also the mood. The teamwork was praiseworthy.

Though one could see the tremendous work, which had gone into the production, the overall impression the dance-drama left was more of a popular appeal. It would help to have a dramaturge whose consultation could save the work from several shortcomings to raise the level from popular to aesthetically artistic level. Many dancers have not yet grasped the role of a dramaturge in India. Among dancers, Mangaldas gets help from Morag Dyes as a dramaturge. Since Shila traverses internationally, it would help her to take this suggestion for future large-scale productions. 164 Nartanam Shrimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra

SUNIL KOTHARI

Recently, I happened to visit Srimanta Sanakadeva Kalakshetra in Guwahati When preparing the book : Classical dance of Assam (Marg Publication, 2013), Avinash Pasricha and I had been to SS Kalakshetra to photograph some of the masks in a museum there and few manuscripts paintings. But this visit gave me the opportunity to see it in detail and meet the new Director and Secretary Konwar Narayan, a young dynamic IAS officer. Earlier, the renowned exponent and SNA Awardee for Sattriya dance Sharodi Saikia was the Director and Secretary. Now Konwar Narayan too has moved to Sibsagar, and the SS Kalashetra is awaiting the arrival of a new director, yet again.

The very first information I gathered during my visit was of Ankiya Nat Parijata Haran by Sankaradeva being staged by a team of French actors from France under the direction of Bhabananda Barabayan, who regularly visits France, presenting Sattriya dances at Musee Guimet in Paris and other places. He also teaches Sattriya to French and also to some Italian and Mexican female dancers. His has been a great influence in France on Sattriya dances.

The entire play has been translated into French. The artists came to Guwahati and for two months rehearsed and performed it in French, delivering dialogues in French. It was held under 1st conference of Srimanta Sankardeva International Festival between 2-8 January 2016. SS Kalakshetra has brought out a special edited commemorative volume, containing articles both in Assamese and English. It contains excellent photographs of Parijata Haran performed by French actors. The French version with Assamese text and photographs is under print. This experiment seems to be quite colourful and also interesting in terms of international cultural exchange. I was also told that in July Bhabananda will lead a troupe to London to perform Parijat Haran, with Sattriya dancers from Uttar Kamalabari Sattra. It is indeed heartening to see Sattriya making waves abroad. Two Sattriya exponents Menaka PP Bora and Shatarupa Chatterjee, (a disciple of Gorima Hazarika), are now settled in London and are presenting Sattriya regularly in UK and in Europe.

Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra was conceived as a living epitome of Assamese Culture. The Cultural Advisory Committee meeting of the Government of Assam held on 6 August 1986 visualized it as a complex to serve as a centre of activities in the field of dance, drama, music, fine arts, literature etc. The foundation was laid on 2 February 1988. It is a Registered Society with a General Council Nartanam 165 and Executive Council. The construction of it was fully funded by the Ministry of Human Resources Development, , costing Rs. 19.05 crores. It was inaugurated by President of India K.R.Narayanan on 9 November 1998.

Shrimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra

Spread over a sprawling campus of 10.28 hectares at Panjabari, Guwahati, the Kalakshetra has Sahitya and Sangeet Natak Bhavan, a Lalit Kala Bhavan, a Cultural Museum Bhavan, a Heritage Park, an Open Air Theatre and an Artists' Village. It is a nerve centre of cultural activities in Assam.

Sahitya Bhavan has a library of rare books and manuscripts. I saw four large sized illustrated volumes to be soon published with rare miniature paintings and text in Brajbauli, with translation in English under each painting edited by the present Vice Chairman, the distinguished scholar Surjya Kant Hazarika. The volumes are: Sankaradeva's Kirtan Ghosha, Madhavadeva's Ratnavali, Sankaradeva's Ashtam Skandha, Ekadasha Skandha and I also saw Banamali Charit by Ramakant Dwija, the scribes are Jadav Das and Das. These are fabulous volumes illustrated and treasure troves of Assamese bhakti literature. There were other well-maintained manuscripts with interesting illustrations. It was interesting to learn that there are tribes of one thousand people 166 Nartanam

Sunil Kothari with Secretary Konwar Narayan and their language has to be preserved. There are so many tribes in Assam and SS Kalakshetra is actively involved in preservation of their languages.

The visit to Lalit Kala Bhavan with Maneswar , in charge of Lalit Kala Bhavan, was rewarding. It has spacious galleries for exhibition which under the supervision and suggestion of Professor Rajeev Lochan of National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA, New Delhi) have the latest state of art facilities and equipment. Brahma informed me that recently Lalit Kala Bhavan had organized at SS Kalakshetra an international paintings exhibition in which 47 artists from 33 countries including Africa had taken part and sent their paintings. Besides exhibition workshops were held, the most prominent among it was North East Paintings and Sculptures on Contemporary Art. Painters and sculptors from Bodoland, Sikkim, Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland and also artists from Baroda and Delhi had participated.

The most fascinating is Purbajyoti Sangrahalaya, the museums and the galleries of Sankari culture. It is ethnographic as well as a heritage museum. A collection and display of art objects representing the age old culture of the people of Assam and the North East India which includes cottage industries products, textiles and costumes, Sattriya masks, musical instruments, terracotta and clay art, basketry and wood products, bell metal and brass objects, is quite fascinating.

There is also a Portrait Gallery of the prominent figures of Assamese literature and culture. Along with the portraits there are rare specimen handwritings of the stalwarts. And as a tribute to the Bard of Brahmaputra the late , Nartanam 167

A French actor memorizing his dialogue

A French actor performing Sutradhar

a special Dr Bhupen Hazarika Cultural Museum has been set up. Rare photographs of his life, books written by him, his songs, photos of films in which he has rendered music, several awards including Padma Vibhushan and Assam Ratna are on display. It is a "must visit" for anyone who loves this son of Assam.

The Textile Gallery on the second floor has full sized models in what is called Dioramas, cabinets with glass displaying colourful costumes. I was told that Indian Museum at Kolkata, a nodal agency of Department of Culture, Government of India had helped in setting it up. They have also published a book on textiles of Assam, which has innumerable designs, a work done by a young scholar.

The handloom products of Assam have a distinctive identity in its variety, texture, motif, design, colour, and workmanship. Assam is famous for three varieties of silk viz., Endi, Muga and Pat apart from the cotton products. Riha, Mekhala, Chelleng Chadar, Churia, Gamocha etc. are tastefully displayed. There are 3 168 Nartanam

Dioramas depicting the various methods involved in the preparation of silk like Endi,Muga and Mulberry silk and also the implements used for the same.

On the top of a hillock a Namghar has been constructed. It is a replica of one of the Sattras. The Sankari culture centres on Namghar, without which Assamese culture cannot be imagined. Namghars, halls for congregational prayers, became the focal institution in the religious life of the people of Assam. It is open to all people irrespective of caste and creed. Worship was focused on the sacred text of Purana, which includes story of Lord Krishna. Later the text, the manuscript itself became an object of worship in lieu of an anthropomorphic form of the Lord. In some Sattras mural paintings and wood carvings are to be seen even today. Paintings are done on the wooden posts and post-plates, book rests, sarai (raised trays used for making offerings), koroni (trays) gosa (light stand) thapona (alter) and pleasure boats.

For me the most interesting places were the open-air auditorium, with a seating capacity for 2000, an indoor auditorium with a seating capacity 1,200 and also a chamber theatre for smaller crowd for projection of films and seminar. SS Kalakshetra had originally planned the auditorium for a National Theatre. There is an Artists' Village, with furnished accommodation for more than 100 persons and there is provision for additional accommodation.

When we enter SS Kalakshetra, we enter through a replica of the famous Da Parvatiya gate, a monument of indigenous architecture of Assam. There is a Heritage Park with two sides bounded by walls having murals depicting the cultural heritage of Assam. With beautifully cultivated and artistically designed lawns, one can see rare sculptures placed there. A replica of Rang-ghar at the centre of the Park is a reminder to visitors of the glorious regime of Ahoms who ruled Assam for about 600 years.

A Puppet Theatre at the complex holds regular puppet shows. A Doll Museum with more than 100 dolls and puppets from different regions of India and also from abroad, becomes an added attraction for the children.

A Children's auditorium specially meant for holding various programmes, covers an area of 12 bighas, and is known as Shishu Ban. It consists of a children's library, petrochemical gallery, friendship pavilion, children's play equipment like green transport, sky train, solar drum, solar waterfalls, and it has great infotainment that emphasizes on science, environment, education, culture, apart from various equipment. The Sabda-Jyoti – Light and Sound show at SS Kalakshetra takes one beyond the era of Assam's history up to the glorious day India achieved independence. Nartanam 169

I had learnt a few things form SS Kalakshetra staff members about Surjya Kant Hazarika, but had no idea of his multiple activities not only in literature but also in making documentary films and several publications in Assamese on vast literature of Sankaradeva. Surjya Kant Hazarika has interest in creative writing and also editing writings of Sankaradeva. His father Chandra Kant Hazarika was a man of literature and had established a printing press known as Bani Mandir.

He has been an editor and publisher of an Assamese daily Natun Dainik, an evening daily Sandhya Batori, Chitra Sambad, an Assamese cultural weekly, Khel Sambad, a sports fortnightly. He has compiled a transcripted autobiography of Bhupen Hazarika Moi Eti Jajabor, and his major work is Samyar Aa-Ge-Aa- Ge. It was published in 1993 and includes Bhupen Hazarika's activities till 2007. He has edited Gitawali, Dr Bhupen Hazarikar Geet Samagra, also his photo biography, and the under print work is Asmor Biswakosh, Adhunik Asamiya Biswakosh.

Visiting his personal library I saw his monumental work on Sankaradeva: Mahapurush Sri Sri Sankaradeva and Sri Sri Madhavdeva's Kirtan-Ghosha Aru Nam-Ghosha and Chari . He has been a documentary film maker and has made few on Bhupen Hazarika, also television serials and docu-serials on the legend of North East Jyotiprasad, – sinking of an Island, Namghare in Assamese, Roopkonwar Jyotiprasad Agarwalla, a legendary figure of Assamese literature and also of India cinema, In search of the lost City of Pragjyotishpur and also an feature film Srimanta Sankaradeva on his multifaceted personality and the trials and tribulations he faced during his long life of 120 years.

His achievement has been obtaining photographs and video footage of Vrindavani Bastra. It is now in V&A Museum. It is nearly 180 feet in length and 90 feet in width and has been preserved in the museum. Known as the Holy Cloth on which Sankaradeva had drawn various scenes of the performance of Shri Krishna. Sankaradeva had presented it to King Narayana of Cooch-Behar. He has been bestowed with innumerable awards. He received the in 2008. It was indeed a privilege to meet him and learn a lot about his activities in many fields besides his scholarship. 170 Nartanam Khajuraho: Beyand Dance

SUNIL KOTHARI

This is the forty third year of (Feb 20-26) with extended art activities transforming the venue into a multi-art event, engaging a cross section of visitors to Khajuraho, be they tourists from within India and abroad, performing artists, painters, sculptors, litterateurs, film buffs, photographers, musicians, event managers, bureaucrats, dance critics, or common men who out of sheer curiosity walk into the grounds where for seven days from ten in the morning till ten in the night there is enough for each one to savour, relish.

I am delighted to share with readers the magic spell the festival is casting with added activities. There are workshops with crafts people. The weavers weave magic with warp and weft, their looms. The exhibition Art Mart of painters mainly from Madhya Pradesh, the sculptors, the events at the venue Kalavarta, screening of documentary films not generally seen, are the attraction. There is a special enclosure Nepathya where each year the focus is on a particular state and its dance heritage with exhibition of costumes, masks, objects of rituals, floor paintings, designs, and performances between 6-7pm. The audience are then led to the main event of dance with the backdrop of temple transporting onlookers to a dream world.

When the dancer appears in solo from the side to strains of music it is visually is stunning. The temple provides a context, a setting for unfolding of mythological stories, which the dancer enacts, stringing the chords and evoking archetypal memories. Be it a prayer to Sun God, or or Lord , the audience gets ready to receive it in moments of bliss. What the rhetoricians call rasa, the relish is experienced with this God given setting of Khajaraho temples.

From among the organizers, it often happens that someone is bitten by the bug, as they say and brings his vision to fruition with likeminded persons, who are willing to stick their necks out, work tirelessly against all odds and difficulties, surmounting them and creating opportunities to expose those who visit Khajuraho to various expressions of culture besides classical Indian dance forms.

Having been associated with the festival from early years, I have seen its growth from mere presentation of the dance forms to dialogues with dancers, art historians, critics, thinkers, film makers, theatre workers, painters, photographers.

From this year the organizers have introduced a new series “Atithi Devo Bhava” of interacting with neighbouring countries, beyond borders, drawing attention to Nartanam 171 interconnectedness, sharing common traditions, that transcend gender, caste, religion and bring to one an awareness of human quality but also universal truth, offer space to reflect and elevate one through art to a higher level not only of enjoyment but also care and concern for people.

In a separate venue the artists from under the leadership of Lubna Marium, the leading dancer, choreographer, and scholar, activist presented folk music, dance performances and classical dances which are practiced in Bangladesh: Manipuri, Bharatanatyam, dances composed to the poems of Gurudev Rabindranatha Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam and Baul artists singing Baul songs of Lalan Fakir, and also Mansa Mangal and contemporary choreographic works.

In Kalavarta session the first illustrated talk was given by Lubna Mairum. She has studied Sanskrit in Sagar University in Madhya Pradesh and Bharatanatyam at Kalakshetra. She runs an institution Shadhona at Dhaka where trainng is given in classical Bharatanatyam and other dance forms, including folk since its inception for past 25 years. Lubna in her talk drew attention to common traditions and revival of lost traditions like Charya dances, lathi dances, and martial arts, prevalent earlier, ritual practices in which both Muslims and take part like Manasa Mangal. She laid stress on soft power and cultural diplomacy. Though practioners are Muslims they have adopted classical Indian dance forms and leading dancers from India regularly visit Dhaka and other cities to teach forms like Kathak, Manipuri, Bharatanatyam and Odissi. Some of the dancers from Bangladesh have acquired proficiency in these forms. Despite the fact that majority of people are Muslims, they do not find performing dances conflicting with religion. She laid stress on marginalized communities and brining them within the fold of mainstream.

One interesting lecture was by Ananda Shulka who was an engineer but has specialised for past 30 years in studying architecture of Khajuraho temples. His talk on Lakshman Temple also known as Vaikunth temple was most illuminating. He has studied works of Deevangana Desai, an authority on Khajuarho temples and brought to notice of those who attended the lecture how to look at the sculptures of Khajuraho. He also explained about tantric practices prevalent when temples were built. The erotic sculptures were discussed. His explanations about Jain philosophy and literature were illuminating.

Udayan Vajpeyi, poet and a thinker from Bhopal spoke on Crisis in Art and the various factors that have affected the works of art. Why the marketing has taken over and core values found in paintings are lost. The sensitivity, cultivating higher aesthetic values and need for spreading awareness were emphasised. The globalization has played a definite role but the artist has to be aware of the dangers 172 Nartanam involved which does not let work or art remain a work of art but become a commodity for sale.

Bhaumik a painter and a scholar from Delhi, an authority on Tagore’s paintings threw light on how to look at Tagore’s paintings, without associating them with Tagore’s poems. He showed slides of paintings and how they were original, creative and did not follow school of painting. How from doodles they turned into portraits, faces, scenes from plays, settings of theatre, how he used blank space and what a wealth he has left behind.

Deepak Kannal, former professor of Art History from MS University of Baroda in his illustrated talk spoke about interrelationship between paintings, sculptures, literature and how to look at them. The illustrations he showed with slides were interesting as he explained in detail how painters had tried to suggest space, time, and narrative and also in sculptures how the narrative was depicted. He also replied to a question from audience why Indian Modern Art is so different and has taken a different course.

In the evening Chala Chitra session from 4-5.30 pm with screenings of rare documentaries was another interesting feature of the festival. Documentaries on dance, painters, musicians, and poets, sculptors, carefully selected by film and television actor Bundela drew good response from audience. One most interesting session was of short films on poetry by a group known as Sadho, which aroused interest amongst painters, dancers, writers.

This year for Nepathya, the form selected was Chhau — all the three forms Seraikella, Mayurbhanj and Purulia and an exhibition of various masks, of Seraikella, Purulia and costumes, ornaments and geographical details were presented. From 6-7 pm in front an open air performance of all three forms took place.

The entry to the entire festival is free. Madhya Pradesh Government has been organising this prestigious festival and it is also telecast on DD Bharati nationally. Its reach therefore is very large. Those dancers who are billed around 9.30 pm or 10 pm often have meagre audience, but they receive great response on social media like face book, and Whatsapp. However the organizers would do well to rethink the main festival to feature NOT more than 3 dancers per evening. Nartanam 173 Devi Kshetra

SUNIL KOTHARI

In a series of Kshetra in two different dance styles, Usha RK has conceived thematic presentations. Earlier she had presented Brihadishwara with Lord Shiva in Bharatanatyam style by Sathyanarayan Raju from Bangalore and Lord Vishewswara from by Abhimanyu Lal in Kathak from Delhi. This series of Devi Kshetra was etched in two classical dance styles: Madurai Meenakshi in Bharatanatyam, performed by Arupa Lahiri, disciple of and Ambaji in Kathak by Vidha Lal, presented at Meghdoot open air theatre of in collaboration with SNA.

Arupa Lahiry created rich imagery through Bharatanatyam in four items beginning with Pushpanjali in Gambhira natai raga and adi tala in Tishra nadai. It was followed by Kavuttuam describing Madurai as a mythical city which is surrounded by a divine snake with its own tail in its mouth. It is also the city which was created out of a drop of poison falling from the snake which resides in Shiva’s matted locks and was later cooled by the crescent moon. Set to raga Kalyani and adi tala, its music was composed by Sudha Raghuraman. Pushapanjali was choreographed by Chitra Vishweswaran. One could see in Arupa’s dancing typical lilt of that bani.

Arupa then through Alarippu in Mishra chapu tala, depicted the various verses sung in Revathi raga, the Bhakta’s reaction as he enters the famous Madurai temple. He is stunned by the vision and calls out to the goddess. Arupa performed with elan creating exquisite visions of the temple in effortless manner. The most complex was the major number Meenakshi Pancharatnam. The sahitya, by Adi Shankaracharya set to music in Ragamalika by Sudha Raghunathan describing the glory of the Goddess. A veritable feast for the eyes!

We were told a traditional unjal song is recited that evokes the ritual of Madurai temple where even today, every day the marriage of the divine couple is celebrated where they sit on the swing just after the marriage. The door closes at the evening after this last ritual of the day. Concluding her performance Arupa danced to the lyrics of Arjun Bharadwaj. The choreography of all items, barring Puhpanjali, was by Arupa and one would like to compliment her for detailed rendering of the rich Sanskrit sahitya in movement.

Nattuvangam by Vausdevan Iyengar, vocal by K. Satish Venkatesha, Mridangam by T A Mahadevan and flute by Rajat Prasanna enhanced the presentation. The research by Usha RK and the teamwork was praiseworthy. 174 Nartanam

As an observation I would like to suggest that since the text of Meenakshi Pacharatnam is full of various other names of the Goddess and her association with them, the performance would have become more interesting with Sanchari bhava, episodes from mythology. Else it becomes a list of various names of Goddess and does not give relief to audience to relish the number.

Amba Mata

Ambaji is a town within taluk Danta of district Banaskantha in north and it is 150 kilometers away from Ahmedabad. It is surrounded by Aravalli hill range. It is one of the 51 Shakti Peethas. At Arasur, Ambaji temple has no image or statue but Shri Yantra. Legend has it that when Lord Shiva picked up corpse of from Daksha’s , Sati’s heart fell here. The original seat of Amba mata is on gabbar hill top. Amba mata in garaba songs dedicated to her is known as Gabbarwali Maa.

Geetanajli Lal, SNA Awardee and renowned Kathak exponent of Jaipur gharana is also a qualified musician. With her natural familiarity, she chose the compositions related to Amba Mata. Vidha Lal, trained by her as her prime disciple, in the beginning performed in Kathak the Beeja with sounds of , Hrim, Klim, and Chamundaye Vichaye as part tantric worship. Resorting to the practice prevalent in Gujarat, a flag is offered to the temple of Amba mata. Vidha taking cue from Garaba moved with abandon to the traditional music used in worship of Mata Amba succeeded in creating a festive mood. The various names of Amba Mata found iconographic presentation. After establishing the kshetra of Ambaji, in nritta sequences, she displayed her virtuosity in Jaipur gharana Kathak performing to teen tala. The Jaipur gharana’s salient features through tala and chakkars, pirouettes showed Vidha’s mastery and split -second precision. The musicians, with special effects of drums and cymbals succeeded in creating the ambience of worship of Ambaji.

Geetanjali Lal for padhant, recitation, Yogesh Gangani on tabla, Mahavir Ganagni on , Salim Kumar on Sitar, Maneswar Parihar for special effects and Santosh Kumar Sinha with his booming voice sang the dohas in praise of Amba mata and garaba/arati with feeling. All artists deserve compliments for the respective presentations. Nartanam 175 Ankiya Bhaona in Spanish

MALLIKA KANDALI

It was a unique experience for the people of Guwahati to witness a performance of Ram Vijay Ankiya Bhaona in Spanish, performed by a group of talented artists from different nations like France, Italy, Mexico, Denmark and Slovenia. Srimanta Sankaradeva Kalakshetra Society, Guwahati had organized the IInd international Conference on Srimanta Sankaradeva, the architect of Sattriya culture, (15th century Assam), in January 2017. Ram Vijay is Sankaradeva’s finest Ankiya Bhaonas. It was efficiently directed by the young, devoted and talented ‘bhakat’ of Uttar Kamalabari Sattra, Majuli – Bhabananda Barbayan.

The Ankiya bhaona or the traditional Vaishnava theatre was introduced by the saint, poet, scholar, music composer Sankaradeva. He composed six Ankiya bhaonas – Haran, Parijat Haran, Patni-Prasada, Ram-Vijay, Keli- Gopal and Kaliya Daman. Ankiya bhaona is a combination of natya, nritya and sangita. The four types of abhinaya – angika, vachika, aharya and sattvika are actively illustrated. Dance has a dominant and active role too. The text of bhaona is written in a mixed language called Vrajawali. Sutradhar or the central narrator has a very important role. He must be a good actor, reciter, dancer, singer etc. as the entire drama is communicated or initiated by the Sutradhar. Following all these features, the group of foreign artists performed the drama very effectively to keep the audience spell bound.

The story of Ram Vijay is known to all. Srimanta Sankaradeva portrayed the story of Lord Rama from his childhood to his wedding with . The story has multiple characters like saint Biswamitra, king Dasharatha, king Janaka, Sita, Sita’s friend Kanakaboti and Madanamanjuri, various kings, demons etc. All these Indian mythological characters were very convincingly performed by all the artists. 176 Nartanam

Sutradhar was performed by Maltis Dalton, who did justice to the character. Dalton communicated the whole performance in Vrajawali, the original language of Ankiya bhaona, though the other characters used the Spanish. His acting, dialogue in Vrajawali and Sanskrit, and dance was captivating. The other characters of the drama were Betzabel Falfan (Sita), Zurlo Benedetto (Rama), Octave Pavte (Lakshmana), Nikos Appelqnist Dalton (Janaka), Amalic Hammershi (Kanakaboti), Babette Christensen (Madanamajuri), Sebastien corbiere (Dasharatha and Parashuram), Alex Moyroud (Taraka), Baptiste Drouillac (Bishwamitra), Andrej Antonic (Subahu) etc. Bishwamitra, Parashuram, Sita, Kanakaboti’s performances were praiseworthy. Bishwamitra’s role was wonderfully done. His expression and body language was convincing. It is worth mentioning that Betzable Falfan, who acted as Sita, also translated the drama into Spanish language. She is in fact the first Master in Sattriya dance from Paris VIII University. She is a disciple of Bhabananda Barbayan.

The drama was directed by Bhabananda Barbayan, a recipient of the Bismilla Khan Yuva Puraskar (SNA), who has dedicated his life to Sattriya dance. Besides being a bhakat and Barbayan (Expert in singing, dancing and playing – drum) of Uttar Kamalabari Sattra, he runs an institution of Sattriya in Delhi. Bhabananda is also a visiting Professor at Paris VIII University, Paris, and Dibrugarh University, Dibrugarh. Recently he has received the prestigious scholarship for Sattriya dance by the reputed institution of Paris – Beliashe Theatre.

Some sequences of the drama were subtly conducted by the director. For example – in the end of Ankiya bhaona all characters usually dance in kharman tal to beg forgiveness from the for any mistakes committed. Since all the foreign artists are not experts in this dance form, the director enabled the main characters (Rama, Sita, Lakshman, and Sita’s friends) to dance this portion making all other characters sing the prayer together at the end of the drama. The director handled the varied skills of the artists efficiently. Niranjan Bayan, and Borish Dutta, the two disciples of Bhabananda, aptly assisted him.

The Gayan – Bayan is an important part of Ankiya bhaona. Before starting the bhaona a group of male artists perform on the Khol (Assamese drum) and cymbals. A group of bhakats of Uttar Kamalabari Sattra performed the Gayan- Bayan very aesthetically. The bhakat artists were – Gobinda Kalita Bayan, Niranjan Bayan, Jagannath Barbayan, Nitul Barbayan, Pabitra Gayan, Krishna Kumar Bayan, Dipak Bayan and Sarbananda Gayan. The accompanying artists were – Muhikanta Barbayan, Bonti Devi Bora, Ritusmita Deka, Basanta Saikia (Singers) Golap Phanguru (Flute), Bhabananda Barbayan (Khol), Niranjan Bayan (Khol), Gobinda Kalita Bayan (Tal) and Borish Dutta (Tal). Nartanam 177

BOOK REVIEWS

Kuchipudi : Gurus, Performers and Performance Traditions M. NAGABHUSHANA SARMA / RangaSampada, Hyderabad/ 2015/ Hard-bound/ Rs 400/ 340 pp

The author dedicates forms and also the artistic the book to G.M. and performative transfor- SHARMA mations that the art forms (GARIKAPATI have been going through. MURALIKRISHNA His several articles over the SHARMA), Founder years on various Kuchipudi Publisher of Nartanam for Gurus and practitioners in his relentless service Nartanam formed the core rendered to Kuchipudi. content of the book. The book throws light on the Kuchipudi-born About forty illustrious dancers and gurus and masters in the field of their contribution to the art Kuchipudi dance and their during the last century and a half. work are discussed in the book. As the author puts it, the book mainly The author speaks of his fascination concentrates on the work of Kuchipudi- for the art form which began in 1967 born artists with the exception of four under the tutelage of his Guru non-Kuchipudi teachers belonging to Bhagavatula Ramakotaiah who taught the first batch of the new crop whose him . His association with work showed diverse expressive ways. great Kuchipudi maestros- from Vedantam Raghavaiah to Vedantam The book could have been better Satyanarayana Sarma gave him close produced by some sharp editing and insights in to the art form. subbing as well. More visuals could have added to the archival value of the As the Founder Editor of Nartanam, book. The following letter by a reader a quarterly journal devoted to the study of the book to Nartanam through which of Classical Indian dance forms, he has she sought answers from our founder closely studied the lives and Editor on his book is produced below to achievements of stalwarts of the dance raise some academic queries. Madhavi Puranam 178 Nartanam

From Leela Kumari c/o Dr. L. Mahesh Kumar 1A Easdale Enc. 111/2 Sterling Rd. MADRAS 600034

22nd Oct. 2016

Respected Sri Sarma,

After reading your book on Kuchipudi, these questions arose in my mind. Kindly bear in mind that I am eighty, only interested in dance and music from my childhood in Nuzvid, not knowledgeable. Please forgive my ignorance.

1. According to the Kaifiyat, the Kuchipudi Bhagavathulu were permitted to perform a Kelika or a Keerthana? On page 14.

2. “Kuchipudi artist must dance, sing and deliver dialogues. No other classical dance form demands this”. Page 50. In Kalakshetra, Madras, I have seen the main performer in Koodiyattom and Chakkiyar do all this. Are they not classical forms?

3. Is the Marathi song you referred to, on page 100, ‘Tandavanrityakarigajanana’?

4. What is the meaning of the word ‘Pandhamuttu’ on page 107?

5. I was under the impression that Vedantham Raghavaiah’s first film was “ Rukmangada”(1937) in which he performs the tarangam ‘Balagopala’ in female dress. You say, on page 190, that it was “Raitubidda” released in 1939! And he played the lead role in “Garudagarvabhangam”, not that of a dancer.

6. Basavaraju Apparao’s widowed wife Rajyalakshmamma gave me a book, ‘Basavaraju Apparao Geethalu’ saying that it contained all songs written by him. That does not have any ‘Yenki Patalu’. You said so on page 211. Was his wife mistaken?

7. On page 224 you refer to ‘Lavana Raju Katha’. Isn’t it ‘Lavana Raju Kala’?

8. Many scholars have remarked that ‘kuchi’ in Kuchipudi, refers to dance. I know for certain that just a little distance away is Pedapudi. In which case ‘kuchi’, here, can only mean small. Am I right?

Yours sincerely, V. Leela Kumari Nartanam 179

THE DANCE QUOTIENT OF ANNAMAYYA & KSHETRAYYA’S SONGS - TWO SCHOLARLY BOOKS 1. THE NAYIKAS OF ANNAMACHARYA – An Interpretation for Dance ANUPAMA KYLASH /2016/Rs.750 / Hard-bound, 300pp

2. NAYIKAS IN KSHETRAYYA’S PADAMS - A Dancer’s Interpretation of Their Classicism, Uniqueness and Range Through Abhinaya ANUPAMA KYLAS/1999/ Rs.300 /Hardbound, 135pp

Deep, difficult and ultimately Just like Krishna; easy to access! delightful for the daring! Today many kinds of books are learnt Kuchipudi and Vilasini from available in English about dance. Some dedicated gurus, Uma Ramarao and are showy, coffee-table tomes that Swapnasundari, respectively. Her contain beautifully printed colour dance expositions, on the two occasions pictures on art-paper. Sometimes, the I saw them, show her reading between text matches this visual quality. Some the lines and weaving them into the main are serviceable suppliers of concrete fabric, the text. This is what every information about who, what, where, senior dancer should do. when and why; a few of these contain Take for instance, the padam of reliable information. Ghanam Seenayya, ‘Sivadeeksha Very few are logically structured paruralanura’ (Kuranji), a favourite of purveyors of theory, taken from singers and instrumentalists for its Bharatha’s Natyashastra and other such melodic content and dancers of all art-science sources. The Nayikas of feathers for its lode of innuendo. Annamacharya is one such. Its author, Innuendo? But of course! Is she really Anupama Kylash, is a dancer having 180 Nartanam asking him, Mannaru Ranga, to get lost? Even a cursory examination by a Or baiting him, teasing him, drawing his dilettante would show that Annamayya attention to her wet-saree draped was truly incomparable in the range of contours, the fact that she is his imagination and the way he ‘temporarily’ occupied (how long can expressed it. Whatever he chose to say, a woman’s pooja take, whatever kind it had only one aim – to enchant the laity may be!), keeping him on a tempting and the literary with the magic of his leash! words and turn them heavenward by making them realise that This is the way the author dissects -Krishna was their only the erotica of Annamayya. A few points salvation. In his songs of the spirit need to be made before going into the (Adhyatmikasankeertanalu) he cajoles, mainstream. The five divisions of the threatens and wins over the listener to book are for clarity. The first is about his way. In the erotica the padam, the song form. Second is (Sringarasankeertanalu), he baits the about Annamacharya. The third floats ordinary wayfarer, not with the over- out the essence of various diluted buttermilk but with fresh- Sastras before supplying Annamayya’s pressed sugarcane juice. take on erotica. In the next, 52 songs of Annamayya are taken up for minute To enjoy his lyrics, one need not be dissemination. The last is the a believer. A knowledge of Telugu Bibliography. In most books this is just suffices. And if one happens to love the a list of the volumes referred to by the language at any level, he is enslaved, author. Here she lists, apart from six first by Annamayya and only then by important articles, 103 books. Just going the two Dark Ones, one who lifted a through the titles is an education and hill and the other, standing pretty on an indication of the author’s devoted another. pilgrimage. Kshetrayya (end l6th C-mid-17th C) Annamayya (1408-1503) is the first gave the lyric a modified form by giving known writer of the Telugu song. Yes, it a secondary refrain (anupallavi). This there were songs before him, but in the influenced the singing of it too. To be hearts of the common folk. Palkuriki honest, we don’t know how Somanatha in his ‘Panditharadhya Annamayya’s songs were sung then; Charitra,’ has mentioned many kinds of yes, on the copper-plates the are songs prevalent at that time, 12/13th C., mentioned but it is questionable if the and most of them have been given a Sankarabharanam of six hundred years definitive form by Annamayya. By ago was sung like it is today. We are a going through his matins, lullabies, songs little more certain of Kshetrayya’s of colour-spraying revelry etc., one can tunes. imagine their original folk form. Nartanam 181

Today a padam means an erotic isn’t a pillow-side volume to dip into and song meant for dance. And mostly it is drift off into pleasant dreams. It needs Kshetrayya’s, even though there are basic knowledge of dance-lore and a dozens of composers like Sarangapani, desire to hitch oneself onto a higher Ghanam Seenayya etc. That is platform. It needs composure to read, Kshetrayya’s achievement. sit back, ruminate and assimilate the riches. I don’t think a non-dance What is Anupama Kylash’s? She enthusiast will go to all that trouble. takes songs of these two highway- layers, and examines them through the Both the books, beautifully lens of a balletomane. She pores over produced, are bereft of competent each word, tests every statement, reads editing. A pity, really.Such gold, such between the lines and provokes the lovely fashioning into priceless diligent reader into getting inside the ornaments, and such carelessness in mind of the composer. putting them together.

Kshetrayya’s intent was to delve Just two points about Annamayya. deep into the hearts of lovers, male and He died in 1503 and not in 1507. This is female, evaluate the stress of affairs, confirmed by the song, draw conclusions and spread it like a ‘Dinamudwadasi’ by his descendant. rich repast before the connoisseur. Someone said that he was born in Tallapaka and others repeat it. There is Seventeen years separate the no documentation of this. I think he was writing of these two books. The one born in Madupuru, his mother’s native about Kshetrayya is more accessible. village; there is no record of this either A dancer of average ability can read it but the long-standing practice of a with pleasure, glean bits and pieces woman going to her mother’s for the from it and enrich her own exposition. first confinement, suggests this. There She need not understand all the is no index of the songs in either book. implications. Even a surf-ride will leave That’s the dessert! behind the perfumed spray of Anupama’s reasoning.

The Annamayya book needs a lot - V A K RangaRao more commitment from the reader. It 182 Nartanam New Release Dance-Theatre K.K. GOPALAKRISHNAN/Niyogi Books/2016/Rs.3500/Hardbound/296pp Kathakali, a relatively recent performing art with a 400 year old heritage, is one of the great artistic wonders of the world. Originating in in the southwest corner of India, it vividly unveils the stories of larger-than-life characters – god and demons – of Hindu epics with an aesthetic combination of dance, theatre, mime, acting, instrumental and vocal music, and above all the pageantry of extremely bewitching costumes. Kathakali Dance-Theatre records the art of Kathakali comprehensively, right from the scenario that paved the way for Kathakali’s origin and development to its present history. The Book chronicles its various facets – the acting, music and costumes, crucial contributions of the masters, momentous incidences, evolution of styles, riveting anecdotes, and related socio-political issues affecting Kerala. The first-hand personal rendition of the author’s experience and the detailed glossary make it immensely readable. Full of photographs depicting the masters of the art, green room activities and the vibrant theatres of Kathakali, this book is a treasure trove of information for uninitiated readers, arts scholars, theatre buffs, potential researchers and students keen about the art and its future. The author K. K. Gopalakrishnan is a well-known connoisseur and writer- photographer who specialises in Kerala (India) performing arts traditions. For the past two decades and a half he has been writing for periodicals such as their Sunday Magazine, Literary Review, various editions of the Friday Review, and Sruti and Nartanam magazines. He is an advisor to Nartanam. An officer of State Bank of India who chose to resign to focus on art studies, from 2010-2016 he served as the Director of the Centre for Kutiyattam, , of the Sangeet Natak Akademi, Delhi. He is also the Governing Body member of the South Zone Cultural Centre of the Ministry of Culture and a member of the General Councils of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi and Kerala Folklore Akademi. Popularly known as both KK and KKG in the Indian arts scenario, he is a significant source of information/reference for artists, scholars, media and research students. Nartanam 183 NEWS & NOTES

www.natyarambha.com

India is home to an incredible variety of classical dance styles: Bharatanatyam, Kathak, Odissi, Kuchipudi, Kathakali, Mohiniattam, and Manipuri are some of India’s greatest gifts to the world. Bharatantyam, like any other dance form demands regular immersive and extensive practice. In today’s fast paced lifestyles, formal training in Bharatanatyam, by the teacher, is only feasible for a few hours a week, making practice at home by the student an imperative essential. Many, find this difficult, for want of guidance at home.

To bridge the gap between class room training and essential home rehearsals, for Bharatanatyam practitioners and students, and simultaneously recognizing the need to link technology and art, for the larger purpose of sharing the rich Indian cultural heritage globally, 's Shankarananda Kalakshetra has conceived and created Natyarambha, an interesting digital arts education initiative. It is interactive and engaging and can run on any device. It provides students and dance performers across the world, digital access to detailed guidance and practice modules for home practice.

Link to a brief promo : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQJgE4PeiSs Its salient features are :

Readymade routines For all skill levels While Natyarambha bootstraps you with Natyarambha is easy for beginners, you a wide range of handpicked routines yet powerful for pros. tailored to all levels, it also allows you to create your own routine for that perfect personalized practice session.

Anytime, Anywhere Easy sharing All that it takes is a favourite device Whether you are a student or a and a little bit of space to stretch teacher, Natyarambha lets you share your limbs. Natyarambha on and the personal routines you created with practice on. No excuses please. others.

CONTACT +91-9848016039, [email protected], www.anandashankarjayant.com 184 Nartanam Lasyotsavam 2017

Kalamandalam (left) and Pallavi Krishnan in Rugmangadacharitam

The sixth edition of Lasyotsavam, a national festival of and theatre traditions of Thrissur based Akademi was presented at the Regional Theatre of the Kerala Sangeetha Nataka Akademi on March 25-26. Mohiniattam dancer Pallavi Krishnan is the curator of Lasyotsavam. The inaugural day presentation was Rugmangadacharitam in Kathakali, with thespian in the role of Rugmangada and Pallavi Krishnan, an alumnus of Santiniketan and Kerala Kalamandalam, as Mohini. Pallavi, who graduated from Santiniketan with Kathakali as the main subject, was performing Kathakali after a gap of 25 years. She was trained by Kalamandalam Harinarayanan in the role of Mohini under the guidance of Kalamandalam Gopi.

“Since 1992, after coming to Kerala, I started watching more Kathakali performances though my training at Kerala Kalamandalam was in Mohiniattam. I am an ardent fan of Gopi asan. It is the dream of every Kathakali artist to perform with Gopi asan at least once in their life time. When I expressed my desire to Gopi asan, he encouraged me by arranging Harinarayanan to train me and prepare me to perform outside my comfort zone, Mohiniattam,” said Pallavi after the performance in the packed hall. Gopi, who will shortly turn 80, was sharing the stage in a Kathakali performance with a dance exponent as the heroine for the first time.

The scene by scene power point support explaining the entire act and almost all the hand gestures and expressions was useful for the audience not exposed to Nartanam 185

A still from Nadi the intricate acting techniques of Kathakali (and at the same time very distracting for the well informed). Pallavi acquitted herself well but to match Gopi asan's overpowering performance is a tough act for even a seasoned Kathakali exponent.

On the final day of Lasyotsavam, the Kerala premier of Nadi – the River, was staged. A thematic group choreography by and her group underscored the idea that the river is the very source of life. The production explored the love and longing, the physical changes and the deep philosophy that the river inspired through the centuries-old voices of India’s poets – from Sufi fakirs in the North to Baul singers in Bengal to Sangam poetry and classical composers in the South – vast realms of poetry has been penned inspired by the river. The production has been reviewed earlier in Nartanam by eminent critic Leela Venkataraman. The evening also saw Kalamandalam Veena Warrier present a Mohiniattam solo recital. A promising dancer Veena presented a Cholkkettu, a Pancharatna kriti and a Swati Thirunal composition. Madhavi Puranam Veena Warrier 186 Nartanam Nupur's 23rd Edition in Goa

Goan Kathak artists

The 23rd edition of ‘Nupur’ – Classical Dance Festival of Kala Academy, Goa and West Zone Cultural Centre was held in the precincts of Shree Mahalsa Saunstha, Mardol village, Goa from 18-20 March 2017 with the participation of renowned dancers of the country. The festival which started in the year 1994-95 under West Zone Cultural Centre scheme has espoused keen interest of Goan performers and also dance lovers towards classical dance forms of India. The conscentious efforts of the organisers has taken this festival to greater heights.

The festival is organised at the Mahalasa Temple on a specially erected stage. Shree Devi Mahalasa is believed to be the Mohini incarnation of Lord during Samudra Manthana (Ocean churning) who enticed the Daityas and (Demons) with a divine dance performance.

This year’s dance festival was inaugurated by Sushant Khedekar, Vice Chairman of Kala Academy. The inaugural performance of the festival was by Goan Kathak artists Varada Bedekar, Prerna Palekar, Arpita Shirodkar and Tejaswini Loundo with the choreography and padhant by renowned Kathak Guru Shama Bhate. The accompaniment was lent by Vikrant Naik (Vocal), Amar Mopkar and Swapnil Mandrekar (Tabla), Prasad Gawas (Harmonium) and Sonik Velingkar (Flute). Nartanam 187

Neha Bhatnagar, a disciple of Guru and Guru Rama Vaidyanathan gave a scintillating performance of Bharatanatyam. She was accompanied by Saroja Vaidyanathan on Nattuvangam, K.Venkatesh on Vocal, Rajat Prasanna on Flute and Thanjavur R. Kesavan on Mridangam.

The second day of the festival opened with the exquisite Kuchipudi dance recital by T. Reddi , disciple of Guru Jayarama Rao and Vanashree Rao, who showcased her Kuchipudi repertoire to prove why she is regarded as one of the most promising Kuchipudi exponents of the present Deepti Gupta generation.

The concluding performance of the second day saw artists of Lok Chhanda Cultural Unit from Delhi, presenting Mayurbhanj Chhau and Kathak performance, choreographed by Maitreyee Pahari. Their performance did not live upto the expectations.

The concluding day of the festival witnessed Kathak performance by Deepti Gupta in Jaipur gharana style of Kathak under the guidance of her guru Rajendra Gangani. Deepti Gupta showed promise as a skilful dancer in nritta items with speed and virtuosity. Guru Rajendra Gangani (padhant and Pakhawaj), Mahendra Parihar (Vocal), Mayank Bedekar ( Tabla) and Nafeej (Sarangi) provided excellent accompaniment.

The concluding performance of the festival by Arushi Mudgal in Odissi was delightful. Her talented sister Sawani Mudgal complemented the dance presentation with her mellifluous singing with equally commendable instrumental support by Pradeepta Kumar Moharana (/Pakhawaj), Ravinder (Flute) and Yaar Mohammad (Sitar). D. L Amonkar 188 Nartanam National Dance Festival of Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University

A three- day National Dance Festival from 20th March to 22nd March, 2017, was organized by Potti Sreeramulu Telugu University, Hyderabad. The artists were – Priti Patel and her group (Manipuri), Yamini Reddy (Kuchipudi), Mallika Kandali (Sattriya), Dharani Khanna and others. There were seminars in the morning sessions which were very poorly publicized and hence Nartanam could not send a correspondent to cover the same. However, this writer witnessed the performances on the last day of the festival.

Mallika Kandali

Mallika Kandali from Guwahati performed Slokor nach and Ashta Nayika, which were ably choreographed by her. The music composed by late Murari Sarma was excellent. Slokor nach is based on the various slokas – some have definite meaning while others have only rhythmic mnemonic syllables. The “Ashta Nayika” number presented by Mallika is based on the eight nayikas or heroines– Vasakasajjika, Virahotkanthita, Swadhinabhartrika, Khandita, Kalahantarita, Vipralabdha, Proshitbhartika and Abhisarika. She used eight different postures for the eight nayikas. The songs of Ashta Nayika are sourced from Srimanta Sankaradeva’s Ankiya Bhaonas and were beautifully sung. Sattriya, a traditional form with the bhakti rasa as the mainstay, is often believed to be limited in its scope to present the sringara rasa or for the portrayal of the variety of nayikas. However, Mallika chose the songs and their contexts well from the Ankiya Bhaonas. With a mature and enchanting performance Mallika won resounding applause from the spectators.

The dance drama “Rudramma” by Alekhya Punjala was disappointing to say the least. A dancer of her stature has a responsibility to live up to the accolades won by her in the past which includes prestigious awards. Madhavi Puranam

MADHAVI PURANAM Nartanam 189 TRIBUTE

Ranjana Jhaveri - the well-known Manipuri exponent

The second elder sister of the famous Jhaveri Sisters (the eldest was Nayana Jhaveri), Ranjana Jhaveri, the well-known Manipuri exponent passed away on 17th January 2017 in Mumbai after protracted illness.

Guru Bipin Singh in Mumbai trained the four sisters Nayana, Ranjana, Suvarna and Darshana from early forties. They formed a group by 1950 and started performing in Mumbai. They were closely associated with Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and the Indian National Theatre (INT) in Mumbai.

Their father Navnitlal Jhaveri was a progressive person and encouraged his daughters to learn dance. The early forties were not very conducive and in favour of young educated girls to take to dancing. Dancing was still looked down upon as an art form. But the entire family were great admirers of Gurudev and his love for arts. From Mumbai several young artists visited Santiniketan. Among them were Govardhan Panchal who studied painting under Nandalal Bose and also studied Manipuri dance. Another Gujarati artist was Yog Sundar, son of Darbar Gopal Das, from an erstwhile princely state.

Yog Sunder when he returned to Mumbai, participated in a dance-drama Jay Somnath, based on K.M. Munshi’s novel, along with Govardhan Panchal and Guru Bipin Singh. Nayana Jhaveri played the role of Chauldevi. It was produced by INT and staged at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan.

Guru Bipin Singh extended the borders of classical Manipuri dance and choreographed several numbers – solo, duet, group dances for the four sisters and also dance-dramas. They received excellent response from the audience and Jhaveri sisters began to perform all over India and also in Imphal, Manipur.

Ranjanaben, as she was known, was a graceful dancer. The form of classical Manipuri dance suited the sisters’ personality. Guru Bipin Singh’s choreographic works suited them well. Besides solos, duets, group dances 190 Nartanam

Guru Bipin Singh also edited night long versions of various traditional Rasalilas of Manipuri dance. That contributed a lot to popularizing Manipuri dances.

Among the individual solo numbers Ranjanaben’s abhisraika nayika was popular. Her angikabhinaya and undergoing various tests to walk in the dark, on wet land etc. to meet Lord Krishna were noteworthy. Her delicate frame and attractive visage created an image of a dignified Radha.

Guru Bipin Singh also choreographed solo numbers some of which Ranjanben used to perform. ’s "Kahe dahat tanu Madan hamar?”– “O cupid, why do you harass me mistaking me for Lord Shiva?" The entire song with its poetic conceit was much appreciated. Manipuri is essentially in nature a dance- drama form, a group dance. But Guru Bipin Singh selected from Vaishanav padavali, suitable songs for solo and duet presentations.

All four sisters received uniform training. And therefore each one was adept in performing the songs for abhinaya in solo format. Ranjanaben was a versatile dancer and did justice to the character she was asked to portray in dance authentically.

Khubak ishai, clap dance, Prabandha nartan, Kanduk khel, and other numbers were presented in order to showcase the variety in Manipuri dance. The entire presentation was so devised that during the programme each dancer got a special number to perform. Ranjanaben used to perform the ashtapadi from Gita , in particular portraying the Khandita nayika, "Yahi Keshav, yahi Madhava.”

I have happy memories of demonstrations that Ranjanaben gave of Vaishnava padavali. To demonstrate various meanings through hand gestures, Guru Bipin Singh had taken a stanza from Vaishanava Padavali and many a times Ranjanaben used to demonstrate it. Nartanam 191

I remember their choreographic work of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s Bhanusingher Padavali in Brajbauli specially choreographed for a presentation. It was staged at the centenary celebrations of Gurudev Tagore in Mumbai.

Rukmini Devi Arundale choreographed the dance-drama Bhanusingher Padavali in Baratanatyam, choreographed Tasher Desh, in Kathakali and Bharatanatyam. All these dance-dramas were presented at the Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai.

There was such rapport among the four sisters that whatever numbers they were asked to perform by Guru Bipin Singh they could perform easily. Ranjanaben with her other three sisters created harmony. I was closely associated with Jhaveri Sisters for forty years and I saw them working as a perfect team.

Unassuming and self-effacing by nature, Ranjanaben was shy, but loved to perform Manipuri. Very fond of other classical dance forms, the four Jhaveri Sisters appreciated other dance forms and artists. Their residence was often a meeting point for visiting dancers.

When I was Professor and Head of Department of dance at Rabindra Bharati University, Darshana and Ranjanaben had visited Kolkata for workshops organized by Priti Patel, a disciple of Guru Bipin Singh and she also studied under Darshana Jhaveri and Kalavati Devi, wife of Guru Bipin Singh. Ranjanaben’s demonstration was much appreciated by the dancers who joined the workshop. As a matter of fact, I always found that there was such deep understanding among the four sisters under the leadership of Nayana Jhaveri that off stage and on stage one always noticed and admired their love for Manipuri and there were no ego hassles.

Ranjanaben was very fond of Gujarati literature. She had a BA degree and her Gujarati Professor was very fond of her writing in Gujarati.

Her husband Bhaskarbhai Lakhani was also fond of arts and always supported Ranjanaben. Their daughter Lalana studied Manipuri and used to perform along with the Jhaveri Sisters. But later on she specialized in glass ceramics and is now a renowned artist creating artistic works in glass.

Ranjanaben’s passing away is deeply mourned by the dance community. Jhaveri Sisters with their devotion, aristocratic, cultural background, and humility have provided a role model to young generation. The dance community will miss her. Sunil Kothari