Obit/Tribute - Guru Rajkumar Achouba Singh (1936-2023) - Sinam Basu Singh

The renowned Guru of Lai-Haraoba and Thang-Ta (martial art), Rajkumar Achouba (Achoubisana) left for his heavenly abode on August 19, 2023. A milestone of Manipuri culture, Guru Rajkumar Achouba Singh's demise is a great loss for Manipuri culture as well as Indian culture.

Rajkumar Achouba Singh was born on 5th December 1936 at Imphal, son of R.K. Sanahal Singh and Ch. Mangisija Devi. Achouba was brought up in an environment of an artistic family and he nurtured arts since his early childhood. He was excellent in academics too as he passed Intermediate Science under Guwahati University in 1961. Guru Achouba learned various art forms of Manipur from different Gurus. He learned the fundamentals of Manipuri dance from Ch. Suchindra Singh and R.K. Akesana Singh of Bijoy Govinda Rasdhari in 1985. And further he learned dance from Guru Maisnam Amubi Singh and Guru Haobam Atomba Singh. 

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Dance in the old mould and in new directions - Taalam: column by Leela Venkataraman

It was a week projecting two faces of classical dance - in the time -honoured mould and in work showing new directions. Amongst traditional dance forms, Kuchipudi, an all-male form even as late as the fifties, has been largely taken over today by female dancers, with even the male Gurus from its traditional families getting to be fewer - with female teachers now running schools. Male dancers presenting Stree Vesham is rare now, and under the circumstances, it was a change to be greeted by a male solo dancer of Kuchipudi presenting a one man ballet, at the Habitat Centre, Delhi. The artiste D.Dilip, trained under Sailaja at Saila Sudha Academy since 2012, presented his own choreography of Kamakshim Kalayami proving himself to be a refined performer, with full control over all aspects of the dance form. Growing up with an awareness of tradition and culture infused in him, one is told, by his late grandmother V. Shantha Bai, his Kuchipudi training has been strengthened by acquiring knowhow on the allied disciplines of nattuvangam, music under Rajeswari and others, with percussion lessons under Bakthan.

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Interview - Sujatha Srinivasan on 'Samayam - A moment in eternity' - Dr. Ganga Lakshmi Srinivas

Embarking on her ongoing exploration of abstract themes, Guru Sujatha Srinivasan once again interweaves Vedic concepts with contemporary realities in the long-awaited production of 'Samayam - A Moment in Eternity.' This captivating performance, delayed due to the pandemic, graces the Gordon Square Theatre in Cleveland's vibrant Gordon Square Art district in early May. Shri Kalaa Mandir-Center for Indian Performing Arts was poised to present this production as a double bill with Morrison Dance in April 2020, becoming an early casualty of the pandemic response. Cleveland Public Theatre responded by featuring several dance troupes to reignite public engagement through its DanceWorks series of weekend shows.

Exploring the concept of Time, Sujatha and her daughter Shriya ingeniously employ adavus' symmetry and the concept of kaalam to depict the second, minute, and hour hands of a clock. Sujatha shares insights about this intriguing production.

Why the theme of Time?
The idea of exploring Time has lingered since the 1990s, given its immense relevance to our daily lives. My initial vision was to illuminate the activities unfolding between sunrise and sunset. Over time, this concept evolved into a broader exploration. In this production, I aimed to portray the passage of time as perceived by individuals based on their emotional states or circumstances. It was crucial for the audience to connect with this concept. Time exerts a profound influence on our lives. Juggling commitments, moving at a frenzied pace, we often sense its scarcity. Moments of existential reflection frequently arise from the ticking of time. Indeed, change remains constant, and our challenge is to embrace the present.

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August rains - Dance Matters: Column by Ashish Mohan Khokar

August was like it rained dance, especially Kathak. Literally. In one week three mega events, with hundreds in attendance. Each hall full of Kathak adherents. Ticketed too, which even in Delhi or Lucknow or Jaipur - old addas of Kathak - doesn't happen nowadays. In Delhi, less than a hundred can be found in a hall (even small halls like the IIC, Triveni don't fill up). There are scanty audiences and few takers for ticketed shows. Not in South of the Vindhyas. Pune has more Kathak talents than Delhi and Bangalore has more Kathak teachers and students than even Pune, if an estimate were to be done. Add Chennai and Mumbai so the hegemony of North (in Kathak) is over! Dakshin Bharat has taken the only classical form from Central, West and North India - Kathak - and made it its own! That's the biggest news in Indian dance style of Kathak, in this century. 

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Yajnaseni - Born from the womb of fire - Taalam: column by Leela Venkataraman

As the story of the essential human being, who through years of varying political contours and civilizational changes both negotiable and non-negotiable, continues to display the same characteristics even today, it is hardly surprising that the Mahabharata as an epic should still be the subject of discourse. Significantly, in the episodes surrounding its heroine Draupadi, one is struck by the discovery of an unabashed rootedness through Time, of the issues centered round society's treatment of women. In the occurring shame of women being assaulted and disrobed, debris from Draupadi's struggle in the Kaurava court still seems to glow ominously.

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Interview - Nishi Singh: All Kathak gharanas portray the same theme in their own unique styles - Vijay Shanker

Accomplished Kathak exponent and Reiki master Nishi Singh is based in Dubai for the last nine years. Nishi is the senior disciple of Kathak maestros Pt Birju Maharaj, Pt Durga Lal and Pt Rajendra Gangani. Nishi holds the distinction of being the recipient of awards like the 'Aekalavya' and UAE Amazing Teachers Award for her contribution in the propagation of Kathak on the international platform. Nishi shares her experiences regarding learning Kathak in different Gharanas, her challenges in promoting Kathak in Dubai, being the host for the online festival during the pandemic, her research on the spiritual aspect of Kathak and its relation to Reiki, her passion for Kathak for more than three decades and more.

You are one of the senior disciples of Late Pt Durga Lal and you have learnt from other mentors like Kathak queen Sitara Devi. Can you tell us the technical differences you experienced and your experience of learning from such veterans?

I started learning dance when I was 8 years old under my first Guru Pt.Rajendra Gangani. There was a dance institute called Sanjaydeep Music College in Janakpuri, Delhi, Guruji fondly remembers, and we often talk about those memories whenever I meet him. I really miss those days. After I completed my levels from Pracheen Kala Kendra, Guruji advised my mom to try my admission in Kathak Kendra, New Delhi. After completing my 12th, I cleared my entrance exam and interview at Kendra but was admitted to Pt. Durga Lal's class. I was not the senior most disciple of Guruji, when I started training under him, there were few seniors already. It was a blessing, truly bliss learning under his guidance. But unfortunately, while I was still learning, he left us suddenly and we lost our Guru, our guiding light. It was a very sad moment for all of us, but I guess god needed him more than us. I still remember his vibrant personality, his graceful, energetic performances. He often played pakhawaj during our classes and that sound still haunts me and gives me goosebumps. I remember all his lessons and miss him always.

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Prism - Tandava across art: Exploring Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan's diverse representation of Tandava - Kiran Java

Dr. Kapila Vatsyayan has extensively delved into the Tandava style dance, exploring it from various perspectives across different art disciplines. Through this exploration, Dr. Vatsyayan aimed to understand the theoretical foundation underlying the formation of dance traditions and techniques. She examined several treatises on art to ascertain a comprehensive understanding of Tandava in those respective texts. She identified instances of Tandava in the following texts and illuminated the different interpretations attributed to each of them.

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Anita says...August 2023

 "Truly great dance can be a window to the heart and soul, revealing our deepest selves and giving forms to memories and dreams."

- Judith Jamison
Former Principal dancer, Alvin Ailey Dance Company

It's August and time for the annual reflection and marking of yet another India Independence Day.
76 years after that fateful moment, there is much churning and tumult in this nation's tapestry.
Amidst the tumult, cheering, jeering, hooting and applauding, there is much to be hopeful about. And much to ponder as well.

As young best-selling author of Indic myths Satyarth Nayak said in his latest talk about his book MAHAGATHA, "Ancient India reveals that society was about a million shades of grey - not absolute black and white. Our ancestors spoke about how even the Gods were not above punishment and atonement. Arguments were prolific and the idea of Debate - Vivaad was essential - unlike the binary polarisations we see today."

Today we are assaulted with a million voices claiming, "My way or the highway!" Yet, there are so many wonderful moments of creative expressions being birthed and shared in India and beyond. Imagination, thought, inspiration, intention, wisdom - it is everywhere and artistes continue to be the keepers of hope and buoyancy for the people.

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