Masjid dha de, Mandir dha de,
Dha de jo kuch dainda,
Par kisi da dil na dha,
Rab dilan vich rehnda
(Break down the mosque,
Break down the temple,
Break everything that can be broken,
But don’t break somebody’s heart,
For in hearts does god reside.)
Bulleh Shah
“Imagine these powerful lines were written 700 years ago by Bulleh Shah. Strangely, it feels more relevant today than ever before,” says Sufi Kathak exponent Manjari Chaturvedi. She will present her work ‘O’ Bulleyah’ tomorrow (February 3, 2024) at the Royal Opera House in Mumbai.
“I began to research the life and works of this mystic as part of my ‘22 Khwaja’ project, which throws light on the lives of 22 Sufi poets and celebrates their enduring legacy. I began with Mahboob-e-Ilahi, followed by Chirag-e-Dilli, Waris Shah and Turub Ali Qalandar. For each, I came up with specially-curated performances interspersed with anecdotes. Bulleh Shah is the fifth in the series,” says Manjari, who found this poet and thinker incredibly inspiring.
Born into a noble family of Syeds, Bulleh Shah spent his entire life rebelling against religious and social dogmas. “To me, his poetry stood out for its gender fluidity. He had no qualms about becoming the voice of women. He often dressed like them and roamed the streets singing and dancing. O’ Bulleyah uses richly-expressive Indian dance to convey his soul-stirring ideas and thoughts.”
Qawwals from Punjab bring alive Bulleh Shah’s poetry for a contemporary audience. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
More than two decades ago, when Manjari decided to look at Kathak through the prism of Sufi, the philosophy of complete surrender took her on a spiritual and creative quest. “I travelled extensively across India and Central Asia, meeting Sufi practitioners and visiting shrines. I read and researched sufiyana kalams (works) and strove to infuse them into my art,” says Manjari.
Keen to experience Kathak beyond its traditional fast-paced and intricate footwork, colourful costumes and Radha-Krishna stories, Manjari created a connect between the dancing body and formless, divine love.
“I wear a lot of black costumes in my performances and, sometimes, leave my hair open, which is not allowed in traditional Kathak. The idea was to free my dance from external trappings and keep poetry at the centre of it. I want my performances to offer something more than dance and music — a slice of history, a peek at our literary heritage and to make people think.”
Manjari Chaturvedi began working on the project after she read an English translation of a book on Bulleh Shah. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Manjari began working on ‘O’ Bullayah’ after she read an English translation of a book on Bulleh Shah, whose progressive views she wanted to share with the world. I was particularly struck by his pointed criticism of institutionalised religion. But the biggest challenge for me was how to showcase these in my performance.”
Manjari got in touch with qawwals from Punjab, who could bring alive Bulleh Shah’s verses for the contemporary audience. As for movements, she visited Sufi shrines in Punjab and Haryana to find out more about Bulleh Shah’s dance. “At one such shrine in Panipat, I met a fakir, whose eyes lit up when I mentioned Bulleh Shah. He explained to me how he would gently whirl and use his hands to express emotions. I also got a friend travelling to Pakistan to visit Bulleh Shah’s shrine in Kasur, which borders Lahore, to check with the fakirs there about his dance.”
Manjari Chaturvedi’s O’ Bullayah is based on Bulleh Shah’s life and works | Photo Credit: Monica Dawar
Though Manjari keeps improvising with each performance by bringing in her interpretation, she ensures the sensibilities of the era and the essence of the Sufi philosophy remain untouched. “With a lack of documentation, it has not been easy to create these works. ‘O’ Bullayah’ took five to six years of groundwork. “But every moment spent has been worth it since it helped me rediscover myself and my art. Like Bulleh Shah said, ‘You have read thousands of books of knowledge. Have you ever tried to read your own self?’”
