Of joy, rhythm and spirituality
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Shila Mehta's recital at the Kerala Fine Arts Society in Kochi was captivating.
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In gay abandon.
`KATHA KAHE so kathak kahaye' was what Shila Mehta had to tell the audience who had gathered in large numbers to fill the main hall and balcony of Kerala Fine Arts Society. According to Shila, this is what leads a Kathak dancer to interact with the audience and establish a rapport with them. And indeed she had them captivated. She made them clap at the beginning of every bar of a rhythmic cycle and elicited from the musicians exactly what she wanted.
Shila Mehta and her troupe were in Kochi to perform for the Dharani society. The format titled `Anubhooti' focussed on different facets of joy, rhythm and spirituality.
As vocalist Nishad Bakre rendered a stretchy Bairag, the dancers in simple costumes and without the support of rhythm, essayed the spiritual quest of man, from pride of material conquest to eternal bliss and peace.
Shila then depicted the second aspect, that of eternal rhythm. She depicted the release and enchantment in movement through a piece set to `dhamar' and a graceful `thaat.' She explained and revealed the charm of a `tihai,' one in teental on `Sitaharan,' the entire episode unfolding in less than a minute.
A jugalbandi with Ajit Pathak on the tabla went well with the audience. The timings were crisp in spite of the number being an improvisation. As Shila headed for rapid swirls in a 21 bar cycle, somehow she ended up taking one more `chakkar,' one more after the `sam,' the only lapse in the whole recital.
The dancers depicted `Ardhanareeswar,' the cosmic union of creation and power. `Mohe chedath mohan giridhar re,' a thumri, depicted the full essence of sringar through the various exploits of Krishna. The focus was essentially on abhinaya.
The facet of happiness was revealed through a `tarana' in raag Nand in drut teental. Elements from garba were borrowed and the dancers performed with sticks. This was akin to the final piece depicting joy through a `hori,' which showed the `dandiya ras' of the gopis of Vrindavan. `Virah holi' was in contrast with the excitement on seeing Krishna. Shila later explained that the blend of folk is done in keeping with the classical idiom.
HAREESH BAL
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