Poets across the world have been attempting to document the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the resultant change in lifestyle. Arts scholar Arshiya Sethi, who founded the Kri Foundation with Rama Vaidyanathan, has written seven poems (English/Hindi) that explore ‘different aspects of a human crisis, the negativity around the idea of a lockdown, the attacks on doctors and frontline COVID-19 warriors, the migrant issue, the torn social fabric, the appearance of schisms and the need to be kind, united and altruistic.
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Arshiya Sethi
How it started
Her first poem ‘This is a Lockdown. not a Lockup’ was triggered by peoples’ reactions to the lockdown. “Everything was going smooth in life until COVID 19 happened. There were powerful swings of helplessness, anger, anxiety and confusion. Then, when a lockdown was announced, there was anger against it. We do not know how and when the invisible enemy might strike, so let’s be positive about it (lockdown). In the poem, I reminded that this was a ‘lockdown’, not a ‘lockup’; lockdown reflects responsibility.”
With the concept of an experimental video, she approached Pune-based senior Kathak guru Shama Bhate, who jumped at her idea and created a video Shubham Bhavantu based on her poetry.
Appalled at the health workers being attacked, she dedicated her next poem to them. While Rama Vaidyanathan rendered that poem in Bharatanatyam dance form, Sharodi Saikia translated it into Assamese and Sattriya dance form, that was even telecast on Prag TV.
Arshiya’s poems and videos captured everyone’s imagination and the dancers approached on their own for her next pieces. “By the time lockdown 3 ended, we had already been restricted to our home for 50 days. Many cursed the restrictions and boredom, but I thought they were days of great introspection,” she says.
For someone who writes in English, her next Voh Pacchass Din in Hindi came with a message for humanity. Odissi dancer Kavita Dwibedi chose this poem to ‘describe the darkness around us and the light within, a fact that determined her treatment of it.’
Fed up of ‘Corona Crying’, Bhubhaneshwar-based Odissi and Chhau dancer Ileana Citaristi asked Arshiya to write something about Jagannath, and drew her attention to an unusual practice.”Just before the rath yatra, he (Lord Jagannath) falls sick and goes into quarantine. I found it interesting but the writer’s block remained,” she says.
The news of a pregnant Kerala elephant that died after it ate a pineapple filled with firecrackers shook Arshiya, as it did the entire nation. “One day Ileana called to remind that it was ‘Snana Purnima’ day already and I had still not written anything yet. As she ranted, I googled “Snana Purnima’ and the first image I saw stunned me —. It was an image of Lord Jagannadha as he emerged from the Snan, in ‘Gaja vesha (elephant’s attire)’. I felt that the Lord himself represented the elephant. In the next two hours, I wrote the poem ‘Jagannath Speaks to Me’. Later, Ileana Citaristi danced to this poem.
The state of migrant workers inspired the poem COVID ke Samay mein Navaras ki Chitrakari. Speaking on its treatment, she says, “I use the word navarasas yet when you count them in the poem, you find only eight are mentioned. The missing one is ‘Shanta rasa,’ , but it’s not by mistake but by design. Is it really missing, I ask; is it not conspicuous by its absence?” Bharatanatyam dancer Priyadarshini Govind will be dancing to it.
Another poem Which Fork we Take stresses the need for the community to come together and get through this dark time. She reached out to Sattriya dancer Anwesa Mahanta who coordinated with dancers from India and abroad for a video performance. “Although the dancers performed separately, they came together to create a community, strengthen their bonds and jointly make a compelling argument for being kind and altruistic’
Of hope and despair
Arshiya’s next piece in Hindi called Umeed Udasi la Virodhabhaasi Safar, is as an extension of her English poem Which Fork .... Here the poet is concerned with divisions and differences in society. Hyderabad-based Kathak dancer Mangala Bhatt danced to this poem of hope and despair to Arshiya’s narration in the video.
Arshiya shares, “The lockdown and anxieties of an invisible attack of COVID-19 had led many to us to realise that while no one can predict the trajectory of life, those of us who are fortunate enough to live our lives surrounded by melodies and rhythms have a deep lesson to learn from these teachers - the lesson of integration and to work together in every situation, just as 'sur' and 'taal' live, work and play in concordia. Artistes have to carry forward this message through arts and help people live harmoniously and hopefully, through difficult times and uncertainties along life's journey. Just as the sur, taal, kavya and bhav work together to produce artistic language, they have a role to play, ”
Kathak dancer Mangala Bhatt in a screenshot from the video Umeed Udasi la Virodhabhaasi Safar narrated by Arshiya Sethi
Choreographed by Mangala, the video with subtle abhinaya has been beautifully shot by her son Madhav Raj Bhatt at GHMC park in Jubilee Hills. Dressed in a simple Lucknowi Chikankari suit, Mangala uses simple expressions to drive home the point. “I did not use costumes as I did not want dance to dominate the presentation; let the focus remain on the core issue which is to come together and cooperate in these challenging times.”
