Of stillness and movement

Artistes of all hues gave their own interpretation to Kathak during the golden jubilee celebrations of Kadamb.

Kathak Exponent Pandit Birju Maharaj. Photo R.Ragu.

Kumudini Lakhia is a name to reckon with as a Kathak choreographer. She celebrated her institution Kadamb’s golden jubilee at Tagore Hall in Ahmedabad recently, by presenting a cross-section of works by her disciples from across the world. It gave one an idea of the range of her influence on Kathak dance form, nationally and internationally.

In Movement in Stills biography by Reena Shah, Kumudini says: “What I did to Kathak? I gave it an acid bath.” She was not happy with the state of presentation of Kathak and several other unpleasant elements. After partnering with Ram Gopal between 1947 and 1952, on returning to India, she settled in Ahmedabad following her marriage with Rajani Lakhia. She applied for Government scholarship to study further under Shambhu Maharaj in Delhi. However, she felt constrained while presenting Kathak in 1950s-60s. She wanted to express herself and “not be a carbon copy of her teachers.”

She did not belong to a traditional Kathak dancer’s family. Hailing from a middle class Maharashtrian family, she wanted to express herself differently. It took her many years to do so. After establishing Kadamb as her own institution, against all odds she succeeded in training young dancers. She also moved to group choreography.

These were small beginnings, which later on with passage of time turned into successful group choreographies, when she met musician Atul Desai, a disciple of Pandit Omkar Nath Thakur. Both worked together for many years living behind an admirable legacy of outstanding choreographic works.

Her disciples – Sandhya Desai, Daksha Sheth, Vaishali Trivedi, Aditi Mangaldas, Maulik Shah, Ishira Parikh, Prashant Shah, Sanjukta Sinha – to name a few, have their own choreographic works and this has made her proud. The three day festival featured works including those of her disciples from foreign countries. Some of her own choreographies recast like Yugal , (1978) performed by Karan Pangali from London and Sanjukta Sinha, dazzled audiences. Invested with sensuality both dancers with stage presence and excellent technique revealed Kumudini’s approach to movements of Kathak as she had visualised, using the pirouettes imaginatively placing the male dancer in the centre and the female circling him using the vast space.

Prashant Shah, based in New York, performed

We Just Dance with five male dancers to the music composed by Bickram Ghosh , dispelling the wrong notion that male dancers cannot dance. Not only they danced with aplomb but also reiterated the fact that dance is above gender, caste and religion. Their all-male dancing was brilliant. Bravo Prashant!

The surprise was three Japanese dancers, led by Atsuko Maeada, performing a dance piece collaborating Japanese accessories and folk tale creating a unique perspective in Kathak dance. She runs Kadam-Japan school in Tokyo and visits Ahmedabad regularly every year for further training.

Kumuduni’s choreography titled Mushti , on seasoned dancers Nirupama and Rajendra from Bangalore had Pravin D. Rao’s music with rhythmic mnemonic konnokol syllables to which they danced in an engaging manner. The playfulness with which they explored the desire for power in a satirical manner had clever ending: the female dancer instead of following the male ran away in opposite direction!

Parul Shah performed a solo All That Is In Between . Sound Kathak technique and amazing control over movements were used to interpret complex emotions in abstract manner. Performing to the music by several musicians, including vocal, to the text by Reena Shah, one could see how Kathak has morphed to express the content in her choreography.

The Diaspora dancers Urja Thakore and Parbati Chaudhury from London in choreographic work I,Within choreographed by Urja chose to depict inner conflict of one’s self. They deviated from traditional story telling with a new movement vocabulary. Music by Aalap Desai was evocative. An attempt to suit Kathak in a different country with innovations was a welcome gesture.

The finale was Kathak Pravah : selected extracts from Punarnava by Kumudini commissioned by Kathak Kendra, to the music composed by Madhup Mudgal. Niratat dhanga , a traditional song by Bindadin Maharaj has received excellent treatment from Kumudini in terms of imagination, and approach investing Kathak form with newness. Dances of the gopis, and of male dancers to Dhamar and finale in tarana in Kedar raga shall linger long in memory. The genius of Kumudini to transform the content with arresting visuals was seen in full glory. One walked out of the auditorium with a spring in one’s feet.

The finale was by Pandit Birju Maharaj. What can one write about this great master? Whatever he performs has a magical touch. The audiences adore him and marvel at his ability to perform using laya, rhythm, in a manner that even when it has been seen many times, it continues to delight the audiences. What lingers in memory is Birju Maharaj’s singing and abhinaya of Krishna telling Uddhav, his agony. Living in Mathura, and unable to forget Brij and close associations with the gopis, cows, banks of Yamuna river were depicted with minimal gestures.

By all standards the festival was an exceptional event, the like of which, one suspects is not likely to happen again with such excitement and variety. That Kumudini Lakhia managed this feat is indicative of her creative genius and abundant energy.