“My country doesn't just mean a tract of land called Bharat teeming with trees, hills and dales, seas and rivers not to talk of population, industries, science and technology. It also means, and more so, the origin of a hoary heritage that flows through eternity in the form of classical dance, music and drama, the source of Veda and Vedic culture,” says seasoned Odissi exponent and guru Ranjana Gauhar.
Her way of paying homage to her motherland which is “Saare Jahan se accha” (Best in the entire universe) through a dedicated annual dance festival that comes up around our Independence Day from her academy Utsav. “Initially, I had thematic performances alone by artistes from all genres, viz. a patriotic content-based dances. And we also held music concerts alongside dance since both streams are inter-related. But soon, I realised the stage logistics weren’t working out for music and dance alternately within one evening. So also, I felt that a mandatory theme is restricting the dance form which has to flow free. Now it is just two evenings of dance by gurus as well as their disciples. My audience is always articulate and interactive. I wanted to strike a balance in pleasing broadly two categories of viewers – those who love to see veterans performing and those who like new, young talent. I also know from my own experience how impossible it is to get stage space for up and coming dancers. Talent alone is not enough, someone has to provide them with openings. Let it be me, I say to myself. Hence for the last couple of years it's been guru-shishya parampara, as one calls it,” explains Ranjana as she gets busy looking into the nitty-gritty of the on-going fest.
For Ranjana, watching an Odissi performance one fine day during her college years became a turning point in her life. Within an hour of seeing Odissi, she decided that dance was her calling. On the home front she had to plead, protest, sob and win over reluctant, academics-oriented parents to pursue dance along with her graduation course. And the stipulation was that she had to make do with whichever guru of Odissi was available in Delhi. “To my luck, guru Mayadar Raut was in Delhi and he happens to be one of the finest exponents of Odissi. He was an artiste of great depth and creativity and a philosopher at that. He not only taught me the nuances of dance but helped me imbibe the sense of spirituality that our classical arts carry. My soul connection with Odissi is everlasting, there are no conflicts like in other relationships. Above all, this I must say, Lord Jagannath chose me to worship Him through Natya. Dance is drawn from the divine and is offered back to the divine. I'm blessed,” sums up the veteran guru with a hand on her heart.
(The festival is on till 17th August at Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi)
