Dance performances, stories from the Indian freedom struggle, inspiring women who fiercely fought to drive away the British, the significance of January 26, and more, formed the crux of the session ‘Imaging women nationalists: serving the nation state’, at The Hindu Lit Fest 2024, where dancer Anita Ratnam and Kathak dancer Shovana Narayan were in conversation with activist Shalin Maria Lawrence.
Ms. Ratnam portrayed Captain Lakshmi Sehgal, who went on to head the all-women’s regiment of the Indian National Army set up by Subash Chandra Bose, inspiring several women to join her. The performance is part of a longer production called the “Warrior Women of Bharat”.
Ms. Narayan portrayed Begum Hazrat Mahal, the favourite queen of the Nawab of Awadh, who set herself to the task of deconstruction of Awadh, after the British took over on charges of mismanagement. She managed to keep them at bay for 10 years before they retaliated.
Read about the full conversation here
