Shallu Jindal performed a few stanzas of Madhushala in her classical repertoire choreographed by Raja Radha Reddy. The danseuse chatted with Karan Bhardwaj about the philosophical undertones presented in the poem
We have read and admired poetry of Madhushala by Harivansh Rai Bachchan. The madhu (liquor), saakis (server), pyaala (cup) and madiralaya (bar) encapsulate circle of life through deep Sufi incantations and philosophical undertones. While many well-known figures including Manna Dey and poet’s son Amitabh Bachchan have rendered their voice to these quatrains, it has rarely been presented on stage.
Shallu Jindal, a disciple of Raja Radha Reddy and Kaushalya Reddy, held a Kuchipudi performance inspired by a few stanzas of Madhushala. It was part of a larger classical repertoire presented by the danseuse, who had a long standing desire to present this literary work on on stage.
“When I read the book in detail, I found poetry very simple yet commenting on complexities of life. To incorporate that into dance was a challenging process. My gurus (Reddys), who choreographed the show, helped me pick up seven stanzas which give a gist of Madhushala,” she said. The beginning of the sequence was about a man looking for madiralaya. “This search is eternal as we human beings always search for something in life. It could be enlightenment, peace, aggression or anything. He’s talking to himself and convincing that he will eventually find a way to get what he is looking for. It has an optimistic message that one must keep trying and never give up,” she said. Shallu first heard about Madhushala through CDs of Manna Dey. While she regaled over first 10 stanzas, the second half made her cry and introspect about life. “The last 10 stanzas are so moving. They make you think about your life, death and what you leave behind. It is always inspiring to bring that alive on stage,” she said.
During her performance, she didn’t compromise with the principles of Kuchipudi. The intricate footwork seamlessly blended with eyes and hand movements. “The poetry required a lot of communication through gestures. Eye expressions speak more than dance,” she told us. One of the stanzas talked about happy state of mind an individual develops in madhushala. The poet has painted the bar as a symbol that offers sanctity. “It could be honey,amrit or Ganga jal. In madhushala, there’s no discrimination on the basis of caste or status. Every one attains pleasure. You are just so happy that you laugh over fears and sorrow,” she said.
In the end, the danseuse created an atmosphere of being in a temple. “The poet said mandir is his madhushala. For him, there’s no difference between Ganga jal and madira. The lyrics reads, ‘Mai Shiv Ki Pratima Ban Baithun, Ye Mandir Hain Madhushala’ which means God is within us. He wants to take the form of lord Shiva since Shiva is known for consuming bhaang,” she shared.
The artistes didn’t inform Bachchans about the show but hopes to invite them when she next performs in Mumbai. “I have not known them. I wish they come and attend when I go to Mumbai,” she said.
Nonetheless, the show was special to the performer since she collaborated with her 15-year-old daughter, who’s also a classical artiste, for the first time. Yashasvini has done several shows with Reddys earlier before and danced along with her mother for Thillana, a traditional Kuchipudi nritya item. The mother-daughter duo also presented Tarangam, in which they performed on the edges of a brass plate in devotion to lord Krishna. They also recreated Raslila. “We have never danced together in front of audience before this. We look forward to collaborating with each other more often now,” said Shallu, who will also take part in Delhi International Arts Festival.
photos Sanjeev Kumar