‘As an artist, one has to endeavour to tell stories, hold up a mirror to ourselves and to the society'
Your performance of your work 'Within' in Delhi's Kamani Auditorium today comes at a time when the world feels especially fractured and torn. With wars and terror attacks all around us, what has the process of creating this work been like for you?
As I proceed towards the theatre for a dress rehearsal right now, there is a kind of helplessness that permeates me. Has anything changed at all? We are constantly at war, amid terror attacks and brutality, and I feel we never learn from history. 'Within' was conceptualised after the horrific incident of the Nirbhaya Gang rape case – it was a plea to look at the binary within us; a plea to recognise the half embrace of brutality and humanity, the good and bad within each of us. Is there another way to find eternity within us? For this, I'm greatly inspired by the quote of the great philosopher J Krishnamurthy, who said that 'To understand yourself, you must create a mirror that accurately reflects what you are. Only in the understanding of what is, is there freedom from what is.'
As an artist, we have to endeavour to tell our stories, at times hold up a mirror to ourselves and to the society around us and to always dance 'the now'.
Could you also talk about the inspiration for 'Within'? How did J Krishnamurthy, Kabir and Hazrat Shah Niaz find themselves in your process?
All the three great philosophers talk about the beauty that exists within each of us. But at times, we are blind to it as is said by Kabir, or we refuse to find the true mirror that reflects exactly who we are, as said by J Krishnamurthy… because when you find beauty love and freedom within you, everything around you is filled with love and beauty, as mentioned by Hazrat Shah Niaz.
Within: Contemporary dance performance by Aditi Mangaldas & troup at Jamshedji Bhabha Theatre,NCPA (Credit: Narendra Dangiya)
You also revisited mythological stories in the context of social turmoil for creating this piece. If you could talk about that.
When I began conceptualising the piece, I re-visited mythological stories in the context of our times. Mythological stories such as Brahma's desire for his own daughter, the devastated feeling of Shiva as he carries the body of his consort Sati across the universe, in grief and rage, after Sati commits self-immolation. And the incredible static and kinetic interaction between Shiva and Shakti. These are some of the mythological stories that have formed the subterranean stream that feed the work.
Amid the amalgamation of traditional Kathak and contemporary dance that you present, how do you negotiate between the precision of tradition and the freedom of the now?
Freedom of the now is an integral part of classical work as well as contemporary work based on Kathak. If you plant a seed of Kathak, which is what I am immersed in, and water it with the broad Kathak inspirations a tree emerges. However, if the same Kathak seed is watered with contemporary sensibilities such as movement, poetry, text, music etc, then a different kind of a tree rooted in Kathak emerges. For me, it is very important that both these streams are flowing and ever evolving.
I also want to talk about working with Akram Khan and Aakash Odedra. What did you discover about yourself and your art while working with these artistes?
I am a great admirer of Akram, and there have been many festivals where he has curated my classical solos. However, unfortunately, I have never had the opportunity of collaborating with him. I had a wonderful collaboration with Aakash Odedra, where we both choreographed 'Mehak', a love story between an older woman and a younger man. It was a beautiful experience because he's a very sensitive human being, and of course an extraordinary artist. Each collaborator brought in their expertise and immense sensibility to this very delicate and poetic piece. I myself found so many barriers within myself. An elderly man in a relationship with a younger woman can be so easily accepted in society and yet there are so many layers of vulnerability, confusion, doubt, ecstasy that an older woman in love with a young man has to go through.
Did you see any a tug-of-war or was it a shared dialogue that emerged through instinct?
I don't think one can collaborate, at least I can't, if there is a situation of tug of war. Collaboration means to be open to suggestions, to be unafraid of putting across your point, to constantly question, discuss and be able to rise above, praise or criticism so that the work one creates has a sense of magic and can reach the heart of every viewer.
You also lost your first guru Kumudini Lakhia earlier this month, and your second guru, Pt Birju Maharaj, a couple of years ago. These were two very distinct personalities. When an artiste forges their own vocabulary, where and how do the teachings of these gurus echo? In technique or in the more emotional/philosophical space?
I have been most fortunate and blessed to have had two legendary gurus – Kumudini Lakhiaji and Pandit Birju Maharaj. It is still going to take me a long time to understand that Kumiben is no more. They were both so vital, so full of incredible artistry that through their teachings… and especially through the freedom that they gave you through those teachings that generations of dancers will continue to create, will continue to resonate this beautiful gift of dance. I am most grateful and indebted to them both to have brought magic, wonder and complete purpose to my life with dance.
What are you currently working on?
I'm going to start my new collaborative project, 'Weeping RED!', which is in collaboration with some great collaborators from around the world and the Symphony Orchestra of India of The National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA), Mumbai. 'Weeping RED!' is a response to the atrocities that children around the globe face in conflict zones. Where is our basic humanity if we don't stand up against this? Weeping RED! is in solidarity with these children. As global citizens, we can begin by not being silent, by not averting our gaze and by speaking out about this mindless brutality; to have the courage, even though the conflict zones are distant and the politics too contentious. We must insist that protecting children during armed conflict is the cornerstone of our shared humanity.
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