Kathak is one Indian classical dance form that has captivated the minds and hearts of people all over the world, this dance form is today a part of almost all Indian dance festivals and one can see its presence on the international dance festival platforms as well.
There are a few artists who have dedicated their entire life to take the legacy of this dance forward and Shila Mehta is one such kathak exponent who tirelessly works towards taking Kathak to a global platform.
Recently Ms. Mehta organized Sanskriti Mahotsav a festival of exclusively to promote Kathak, but what was unique about this initiative was the presence of all the Gharanas of Kathak. This dance festival was especially curated by Shila Mehta to bring awareness about the differences and similarities within each kathak gharana. I spoke with this talented lady in regards to the same and this is what she had to say:
How did the Sanskriti Mahotsav tribute come about?
This festival was a tribute to celebrated the contribution of Padma Vibhushan Pandit Birju Maharaj ji to the field of Kathak, homage to Guru Pandit Vijay Shankar ji who passed away a while back and in loving memory of dance scholar and critic Padmashree Dr Sunil Kothari ji who passed away due to Covid. Our Sanskriti Mahotsav was a nine days festival spread over five weekends. And I believe that we as artist should contribute to the society too so we joint hands with charity of autism.
What made you think of a festival with various Gharana of Kathak?
I believe the beauty of dance lies in connecting the past to the present and preparing the future. Past is not old, rather old is gold. Gharana is a lineage and if that is kept strong and if its origin and source is kept it alive only then creativity can be enhanced. There is a beautiful saying “The deeper the roots taller the shoots” that is where gharana plays an important role. At the same time Gharana is not dividing a kathak dancers it is a way to show that kathak has many fragrances and flavors and each has their own beauty. Festival had four gharana showcased at the festival.
How difficult was it to bring the biggest names of different gharana together on one platform?
Oh my God, it took me nine months to get it ready, it was almost like delivering a baby. First phone call I made was to Maharaj ji and he praised my initiative and stood for me that gave me the encouragement. Due Covid many were not in the right frame of mind but constant follow up did the trick and I finally got great support from artists like Rajendra Gangani, Prerna Shrimali, Durga Arya, Prerna Deshpande and many more came forward. Younger artists like Vishal Krishna, Sauvik, Shivani verma and others were a delight to have. Having the presence of Ram Lal Barit ji and his students were something very special. But yes, I must admit many of my contemporaries did not care to reply to my calls back but I guess the situation is such that all are not in the right circumstances.
You did join dance and the cause of autism together, what made you do that?
Nupur Jhankar is my NGO which uses art to raise awareness about different problems in the communities around the world, we have branches of Nupur Jhankar in India, USA, UK and Belgium and every time we bring spotlight unto various society issues and this time it was autism. I felt awareness and understanding of what autism really is, is very low all over the world so I decided to link it to the festival and we even presented some autism theme based kathak performances too. It was an online ticketed show, we did not get anyone in for free and every penny was given to the charity. We also had talk from Flamis organization of Autism USA and Autism society of India which brought more light to the cause.
Out of all the gharana talks and presentation which one was most well received?
The Mahotsav showcased in-depth interviews, talks and performances of the four different Gharans in Kathak, mainly: Lucknow Kathak Gharana, Jaipur Kathak Gharana, Banaras Kathak Gharana and Raigarh Kathak Gharana. What was most well received were the talks and thoughts by the legends of each gharanas. Different films of “Gharana Tree” were something all loved, performances of the masters were a big hit too. The high energy and zeal of the younger artists was something audience took back with them.
Where do you think today an artist is lacking?
Today’s generation of dancers are absolutely brilliant, the skills of a young dancers are immaculate and they all are very well polished as a performer too but the I feel that the personal thirst of dance connecting it with and to spirituality is totally missing. Dance has become more of an entertainment, well I don’t deny the fact that it is a medium of entertainment but that is for the audiences, for the ones who see the dancer but, for the artist who is presenting it, the art needs to be get deeper and connect the soul to the art and in turn link the divine to the art of dance.
What is next for you?
The Sanskriti Mahotsav response was tremendous is over but its recorded shows are going to be taken ahead. As of now we are screening the show at event being held at Embassy of India in Belgium, UK and USA. Nehru Center UK is also going to be showcasing the festival along with live panel discussion with few eminent dance personalities from UK. I also wish to make more films on this same topic of Gharana as it is a very huge topic to explore. At the same time, I also have my Vande Mataram festival that is coming up soon. I am a Gujarati so, garba and dandiya is in my blood so I wish to also bring and keep alive the folk-dance tradition too, the energy of folk dance is what keeps me alive.
Shila Mehta is an artist with a heart that keeps beating for the love of dance, each of her shows and festivals are meant to not just entertain but to even educate its performers and as well as the audience.
