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Exponent of Sufi Kathak

Manjari Chaturvedi

Moghul Influence.

The Moghul influence and the Persian leanings were first evidenced in the costume of the Kathak dancers. With the mingling of the great Moghul court culture, came along the churidar and the long flowing frock. Prior to this, Radha and the sakhis performing the Krishna Lila were seen adorning themselves in ghagracholi. The elegance of the attire finds its best expression in the royal dance of Madhubala in the film `Mughal-e-Azam.'

Dance drama.

On the same lines in April this year, along with my troupe, I presented a dance drama linking the two cultures of Awadh and Calcutta, now Kolkota. I took up the compositions of Wajid Ali Sha especially that famous one, `Babul Mora Naiher Chhooto Jaye.' Interesting feature of the gayaki was the singing style of the courtesans. I knew of one such living legend Zarina Begum, residing near Kolkata in a village called Nanpara. She obliged and recreated the aura of the ghazal gayaki of Lucknow whose best exponent has been Begum Akhtar. The Awadh style qawwali was sung by Janab Nurul Hassan and party. This was a unique presentation.

Different styles of qawwali singing.

The spiritual qawwali had come into vogue with Hazrat Amir Khusro and thereafter over the years in the erstwhile Pakistan, it had Sindi, Multani and Punjabi influences which eventually brought about a change in the nuances of the gayaki.

Difference between the Lucknow, Benaras and the Jaipur schools.

The Lucknow gharana is characterised by mellow compositions, softer pace that took the crescendo. Allah and Krishna came to be commemorated together by Sufi saints in Awadh. A delicate movement of the eye or of the wrist could be as effective as the exhibition of speed. Sitara Devi from Benaras was loud in the exhibition of speed taal and footwork and the swirls and had a great mastery of technique. Her various compositions depicted Hindu Gods.

Sufi Kathak.

Sufi Kathak, is a new art form. For the past 13 years, I have been attempting to depict the Sufi tradition in music and dance. I follow the music and poetry of the Indian Sub-continent and Iran. I perform to the Sufi strains of some of the eminent saints such as Bulle-Sha, Inayat Khan Sahib, Nufraz Khan Sahib, and to the Sufi movement of the Nirgun poets, I try to choreograph them all.

Travelled to imbibe the Culture...

I have travelled extensively. I studied the folk traditions there and formulated my own classical style called the Sufi Kathak. The essence of Sufi Kathak is `formless identity.' In short a different art form, where there is more of abhinaya, which I must mention, I learnt from Kalanidhi Narayanan.

Memorable performances.

I have performed at the Sidney Opera House, the Nehru Centre (London), Rashtrapati Bhavan and Parliament House; at the the Patiala and Kapurthala Heritage Festivals and at the Inter Arts Meet in Kashmir where both India and Pakistan participated. Also, I have performed all over Europe besides Japan, the U.K., South-East Asia and extensively in the Middle East.

Influenced by Tassawuf.

It is in `Tassawuf,' the special altered state of the Sufis, that the mystique of Sufism can be realised. The term also points in the direction of the `Suf' or the `fur'-clad wandering saints who are looking for spiritual solace within and without. Sufism is connected with `Raqs' or the spiritual ecstasy and the innumerable swirls are a kind of testimony to the experience that the Sufi Kathak entails.

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