Kathak has its roots in katha (story) and Rajendra has his in harikatha. The two seamlessly merge to make up the distinctive performance repertoire of Rajendra and his partner in dance and life, Nirupama.
The Bangalore-based couple, the recipient this year of Krishna Gana Sabha’s prestigious dance title Nritya Choodamani, have lent the North Indian classical dance form a subtle southern flavour. “When art is only about aesthetics, and not geography, it opens up your mind and expands your creative limits. This is not a textbook quote; we have experienced it,” says Nirupama.
The couple is delighted about the award. “It’s such a happy coincidence. This year we complete 25 years in dance. Also, December 11, when we receive the award, is the day I did my rangapravesham in 1988,” informs Nirupama.
“It’s like telling an artist, we appreciate what you do, keep at it,” says Rajendra, who hails from Karnataka. Most in his 63-member joint family are harikatha practitioners. “May be that is why I took to Kathak so naturally. I too wanted to tell stories, but through movements. Besides the mime passages, the dance form’s complex footwork and vigorous spins also speak through an exceptional rhythm vocabulary. Artists don’t always need words to express themselves. Sound has so much to say.”
Nirupama, was a Bharatanatyam dancer, till she joined the inimitable Maya Rao’s school. “I was so taken up by her approach and artistic vision that I decided to train in Kathak. Her contribution in popularising the dance form in Karnataka is immense. She paved the way for artists like us to reach out to the audience.”
The two, who met at the dance class, were keen to assimilate as much as they could from masters across the country. They learnt the technique of approaching a traditional art in a contemporary manner from the trailblazer, Kumudini Lakhia. “Every year, we would spend a few months at Kadamb, her school in Ahmedabad, to imbibe the nuances of her brilliant choreography,” says Nirupama. “She guided us in blending the beauty of two regions in our dance. Kumibehn would often tell us to take classes on the southern culture at Kadamb.”
Deeper they traversed into the dance form; the more excited they were to discover its many colours. So the next stop was Lucknow, where they met Pandit Arjun Mishra and found a guru who introduced them to the Lucknawi andaaz . “He helped us integrate the various elements to come up with our own language of communication. His tutelage taught us not to view anything in isolation, the body, gesture, face, feet, arms, jumps, turns, lifts, lyrics, rhythm and melody,” points out Rajendra.
After Lucknawi, it was Lahori. The couple took lessons from Nahid Siddqui, who is based in the U.K. but an expert in the Pakistani ada (style) of Kathak. “Such interactions have widened our horizons and incorporate the influences into our performances. All of them have helped us gain a rich understand of the art,” says Nirupama.
The couple was delighted when maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj suggested that they blend katha and kirtan, a collaboration of family inheritance and individual passion. “We staged it on his birthday. And we plan to include it at our performance in Chennai on December 23,” says the two.
Their show here is titled Vibhuti that will be an exploration of Kathak’s varied facets. “Performing during the December Season is a beautiful step in our journey,” says Nirupama.
