Sitara Devi was a legend who broke stereotypes. Shovana Narayan shares how the danseuse developed her own style drawing from a repertoire of themes, poems and choreography collected by her father
I brought Kathak out of the brothels and raised it in the eyes of the people.” Sitara Devi’s statement that came after her turning down the coveted Padma Bhushan remarkably summed up in a line her contribution to the classical dance form. It won’t be wrong to say that if she would not have been a rebel to come out of purdah (veil) and perform at the age of 10, we would have been deprived of understanding Kathak in its pure form. She shattered every stereotype that came her way. Says danseuse Shovana Narayan, “Sitara Devi dominated the classical scene in the 30s and that was the period when it was not respectable enough for women to come out and perform on stage. In the 19th century, Kathak and other classical dances were performed only by nautch girls. But she was never bound by any rules of the society. She came out fearlessly and enchanted the world with her dancing skills. I think a lot of credit goes to her father Sukhadev Maharaj, who was a Sanskrit scholar, researched in Bharat Natyashastra and a Kathak dancer-teacher, a member of the Royal Court of Nepal and who encouraged her to come out and perform. Her mother Matsya Kumari was related to Nepal royal family and despite being from such a family, there was no social obligation that could stop her.”
The danseuse, who passed away at the age of 94, was bestowed with the title ‘Nritya Samragini’ (Empress of Dance) by Rabindranath Tagore who was impressed by her performance. She was 16 then. Sitara Devi’s father’s guidance helped her throughout. In the 1920s, Sukhadev Maharaj met Tagore who encouraged him to revive the lost Indian dance form Kathak and elevate it to a dignified status. Sukhadev Maharaj introduced reforms to revive Kathak by including religious elements — unlike what the nautch girls did — and it slowly became popular. He also taught Kathak to Sitara Devi. When her marriage was fixed at the age of eight, Sitara Devi fought against it, demanding school education. The family finally relented and admitted her to Kamachhagarh High School. There she blossomed as a dancer.
Sitara Devi’s dancing was full of vibrant energy. She developed her own niche style drawing from a treasury of themes, poems and choreography collected by her father, creatively analysing and combining the environment to suit each and every step she gracefully performed. She blended the elements of two schools of Kathak — one which was developed in Banares (east Uttar Pradesh) and one from lucknow, (Oudh or north Uttar Pradesh) and represented a forgotten era when Kathak used to be performed the whole night. “She also developed the unique ability to adapt to the most difficult rhythmic steps. Also herabhinaya was marvellous. No one can ever do Thumak Chalat Ramchandra like she did. She had thatkhulapan (openness) that is famous about Banaras ang. While on stage she was dynamic, vivacious and gave her heart to each of her performance,” says Narayan, who knew the legend since she was five. “She would often visit our home. She was outspoken and lively. My last meeting with her was almost five years ago and she would not meet anyone without wearing her make-up,” reminisces Narayan. Sitara Devi was the one who introduced Kathak to the Indian cinema.
(inputs IANS)