Immersed in the moment

Kathak exponent Pandit Arjun Mishra talks to Anjana Rajan about his chosen path

September 11, 2014 03:45 pm | Updated 03:45 pm IST

Pandit Arjun Mishra performing at the Haridas Sangeet Evam Nritya Mahotsav, Vrindavan.

Pandit Arjun Mishra performing at the Haridas Sangeet Evam Nritya Mahotsav, Vrindavan.

When Pandit Arjun Mishra performed at the recently concluded Swami Haridas Sangeet Evam Nritya Mahotsav in Vrindavan, it was a rare opportunity for those not resident in Lucknow to witness the art of this veteran Kathak exponent. Some of the specialness of the occasion came from his taking the stage after several years away from the stage due to illness. He began the performance sitting on a specially created platform for baithaki bhaav (executing abhinaya for a song in a simple seated position instead of using the entire body, footwork and postures). As he came to the end of a particularly emotive rendition of “Bihari ko kaise bas kar paoon” he was inspired to get off the pedestal and bring his presentation to a close with some brisk footwork. What was impressive was the strength of his thaap, unaided by ankle bells. As he left the stage to his disciples, he told the audience in a choked voice that he could not put into words the joy he felt at dancing after some three years.

But even before his health took a knock, he was not much seen on big festival platforms, though this might not seem right for an illustrious alumnus of New Delhi’s Kathak Kendra. In fact Pandit Arjun, who was sent by his guru Pandit Birju Maharaj to revive the fortunes of Kathak in Lucknow back in the 1990s, and is now a stalwart there, says he has not been invited back to Delhi since 1998.

Meanwhile, as a guru he has produced a large number of accomplished dancers. After Delhi, the buzzing capital of Kathak and the headquarters of its national academy the Kathak Kendra, Lucknow can be considered a major seat of the dance form, but the veteran says when he first arrived in the city, Kathak was all but finished there.

“Lucknow was the seat of power of several kingdoms. They promoted Kathak. Then during British times it declined. Family members (like Pandit Shambhu Maharaj and Pandit Lachu Maharaj, whose forefathers were the legendary architects of Kathak) moved away to earn a living elsewhere. When I moved here there was no Kathak to speak of in Lucknow.”

Sent as director of Kathak Kendra, Lucknow, he says he faced bureaucratic hurdles like not being given the promised post. Finally, he says, “I was removed from the post in 1998.” Why? “Because people had a feeling that my talent was a threat,” he says simply. “I faced this all my life. But I have kept working. I set up my gurukul at home. I would sit from 7 in the morning till 10 at night. I produced a large number of students. But I did have a lot of people to support me. They helped me set up the Kathak Academy with no government grant,” he says, and laughs, “Institutes that are getting government grants are employing my students!”

It has been observed that when his students perform they make a mark for their clarity of form and crisp footwork. In his own performance, one could see the devotion and steadfastness of the immersed artist not deterred by lack of invitations to perform. But in today’s competitive times, students often fret when they see few opportunities for themselves while their counterparts in other cities make it to the limelight more quickly. Some would say spirituality alone is not enough to sustain an artist.

“Without adhyatma , there can be no creation in art. When we think of the good, only then creation will occur,” he replies, maintaining that if negativity enters the thought process of an artist, the art suffers. “Look at the government institutions, where has their art gone?”

Do his disciples, then, never get disheartened as practitioners of classical arts commonly do, when they see themselves in contrast to, say television and film celebrities? In the one world, riyaaz is counted in terms of lifetimes, whereas in the other, glory is quickly attained thanks to mass reach. “Those who get recognition fast also get forgotten fast,” he says mildly. His advice is to have faith. “Only those artists get disappointed who have no depth,” he says.

“Keep creating new things. If you keep on repeating the same compositions you will get bored. To me it is a puja,” he explains, adding, “And people do look for artists of calibre ( sahi aadmi ). I remember I saw Kelucharan Mohapatra at his first performance in Delhi when he must have been about 55. I remember I was very young and so impressed by him. And no one had ever seen him before, but once he was discovered, there was no looking back.”

A festival wishlist

The annual Swami Haridas Sangeet Evam Nritya Mahotsav that takes place in Vrindavan has been spearheaded by Gopi Goswami for the past several years. The family of the Goswamis, who maintain the famous Bankey Bihari Mandir, are believed to have run the festival for the past century and a half. Pandit Arjun Mishra is all praise for the festival. “It has been running for 153 years, and every artist feels it an honour to perform there. I like the fact that it functions without government aid.” Problems such as the uneven sound quality due to its open-air venue can be ironed out, he feels.

With the significance of Swami Haridas to Indian classical music and the large sponsorship the festival attracts, it would seem in order to build a quality auditorium in his name in Vrindavan. With the Mahotsav performances held at a large temporary venue, the speaker volumes are unbearably loud in the audience section — resulting in even louder talking among spectators — but not audible to artists who are unable to gauge the quality of the sound they are producing. Tens of creaky fans add to the din. Also, to those in the back rows, the performers are too far away to appreciate any facial expressions, so close circuit screens could be helpful.

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