Saswati Sen tells UK Banerjee that she wants to build a national academy for performing arts where classical and contemporary dancers can experiment and rehearse
Indian classical dance traditions mostly stem from the South of the Vindhyas, like Bharatanatyam in Tamil Nadu: both Kathakali and Mohiniyattam in Kerala; and Kuchipudi in Andhra. In the North, barring Manipuri in distant Manipur and Odissi in coastal Odisha, the sprawling Indo-Gangetic plains are enlivened by only one classical form: Kathak. The latter, of course, keeps changing colour and style: from the dazzling foot-works in Jaipur; to the emotive facial expressions in lucknow; on to a blend of both in Banaras; and a royalty-favoured variant in Raipur. Aficionados of Kathak have grown large in number and the learning penchant in all ages is humongous today: catered to, among others, by the official organ, Kathak Kendra (KK) and the professionally-run, Kalashram, with periodic outlets for talents and choreographies.
While Kalashram is the dream-child of the Kathak maestro Pt Birju Maharaj, it is masterminded by his prime disciple and ace danseuse Saswati Sen, aided by a few other dedicated artistes. The story of building up Kalashram has been a fascinating one: known to have more hopes than hassles, and rewarded by less bouquets than brickbats! Starting from scratch in 1999-2000, Kalashram today teaches at separate levels over 500 children — at Delhi’s Jor Bagh and Mayur Vihar — in classical dance-forms of Kathak, Bharatanatyam and Odissi, classical vocal, musical instruments and painting, since Maharajji considers visual arts and performing arts as inseparable from each other, being a painter himself. Kalashram also organises annually six festivals — Vasanta Utsav, Holi, Deeksha, Sadhana and the like — in the Capital and two Utsavs each in Mumbai, lucknow and Kolkata. But what went behindIJ Excerpts from interview with Saswati Sen:
How was Kalashram conceivedIJ
Towards the last decades of the 20th century, Maharajji was an inalienable part of the KK. Ably supported by Sangeet Natak Akademi’s Keshav Kothari and Jeevan Pani, he was giving of his best to KK, devoting a daily ten-to-ten stint to teach Kathak and produce some of his lifetime’s best dance-dramas. Nearing retirement by 2000, he was expected to continue with KK in some honorary capacity for a while, by which time we around him hoped to build up a capability for him to continue whole-heartedly creative activities in which he excelled. Official announcement of his retirement overnight — without indicating even a status of Professor Emeritus — came as a huge shock and was almost like a fall from the precipice. Kalashram had been conceived by then, and we began scrambling for space where he could continue teaching: rather than sitting idle at home.
What happened thenIJ
Since KK was at Mandi House, we hoped their senior Kathak students — who felt rudderless at Maharajji’s sudden departure — would hop over nearby and continue their crucial grooming under Maharaj-ji. Sangeet Bharati, having excellent premises on the Mandi House circle and running an elementary school, declined to lend space for a few hours in the afternoons. Triveni Kala Sangam refused, saying that constant ghunghru-sounds would disturb their serene locality. Indira Gandhi national Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) pleaded that this was not covered in their mandate. We appealed to the authorities for any Rouse Avenue building — which were being then vacated for transfer to institutions - for a temporary allotment for six months to a year till we make alternative arrangements, but they, too, reacted negatively. Only Gopal Sharman of Akshara Theatre came forward to offer basement free of charge, while they were under extensive construction-work. We approached a few times the then CM of the Delhi, but to no avail. Ultimately, a premise in South Extension was offered by a private person on a short-term basis, until the NDMC was magnanimous enough to allow Maharajji to use, first, the Jor Bagh community centre and later, the adjacent Navyug School’s spare rooms. This was around 2004.
Did Kalashram apply for landIJ
That is another sordid story. Thanks to the efforts of the DDA Vice-Chairman, PK Ghosh, Kalashram got sanction from the lt Governor for a 1000-sq yd land: earmarked for nursery school, but used for junking debris: within Gulmohar Park. Facing unfortunate opposition from a few families there, DDA has been supporting us full-steam in legal battles over 14 long years and we’ve won as many as six court-cases so far, including those launched on seemingly frivolous grounds, such as, intrusion of stray persons; crowding due to parked cars; and ridding the land of overgrown scrubs. Only last year, we sincerely hope the final legal hurdles were removed and we’ve started planning and measurement work on war-footing. We hope to complete the work around a year’s time.
What is Kalashram’s future visionIJ
We want to build up a national academy for performing arts, where solos and groups of classical and contemporary dancers can experiment and rehearse. We want to make studios to practise and libraries to research. I’m afraid no well-organised national facility exists in the Capital. Siri Fort is too big for a solo performer and Kamani is privately owned. IGNCA is meant for archives and has not come forward in this direction yet.