"Myths surrounding kathak
have to be broken"

SHOVANA NARAYAN, the kathak dancer, has of late been spotted on different TV channels, either performing, anchoring a show or being interviewed. The Padamshree awardee artist represents a style, which is the crystallisation of combined techniques acquired from the elegance of the Lucknow gharana and the precision of the Jaipur school.

She has choreographed themes like Mera Safar based on the poem of Ali Sardar Jafri. She has worked closely with internationally known western dancers and musicians for Moonlight Impressions set to music of Ravel and Debussy. She also did The Dawn After with ballet and flamenco dancers. Even social themes find a place in her work. Miktilekha was based on bonded labour and Dishantar was a commitment to environment related issues. She has also worked in movies like Akbar's Bridge and a German film.

At the moment she lives in the Austrian Embassy on Chandragupta Marg with her husband who is the Austrian Ambassador to India. On entering the portals of the Embassy, one is transported into another realm. A huge well-appointed hall, leads to the drawing-room. Here you have four separate sitting areas, each with comfortable sofas, covered with chintz tapestry. Exquisite rugs and carpets cover the marble floor. The place is not cluttered but decorated with bone-china pieces and period paintings. The decor is continental but the mistress totally Indian. Well-etched out features, wheatish complexion, waif-like, sporting a red bindi and nose ring and wearing a crisp cotton sari.

Belu Maheshwari met her for an exclusive interview early in the morning at her residence. A vivacious person, she laughs a lot and loudly speaks Hindi with a slight Bihari touch. Shovana came across as truly a multifaceted personality. She got agitated when kathak was equated with the dance of the Lucknow courtesans.

Shovana, tell us about your childhood and the reasons for your being what you are.

My life has been shaped by my mother who has been the single biggest influence in my life. She was a remarkable person, hailing from the Muzzafarpur district of Central Bihar. A socially committed woman, she lived and breathed India. Even her bedsheets used to be of khadi. Where my sister and I were concerned, she was ambitious and a visionary. She taught us to work hard, to excel at whatever we do — be it academics or dance. I was sent to Calcutta to learn dance under Sadhana Bose, daughter of Keshub Chandra Bose — a symbol of reform and women's emancipation. I was always among the best in studies, did my B.Sc. and M.Sc. physics from Delhi University and enrolled for PhD but gave it up (much to the regret of my professor L.S. Kothari). I joined the Civil Services a little late in 1976 and was allotted the Indian Audit and Accounts Service.

How did you get involved in dance? Now you are known more as a dancer.

My mother put me on to dancing at a very early age, when I was barely four years old. She was clear that it was not to be just a hobby and I had to excel at it. I got very good gurus who inspired me further.

Even during my civil service training, I used to do my riyaaz in the room. My batchmates, good humouredly used to rag me saying, "sab kuch todogi, dham dham kar key. I have managed my dance and job quite well. These days I am on study leave and working at the IIPA (Indian Institute of Public Administration).

What is your mantra for time management?

Time management has been inculcated in me since childhood. I grew up with the duality of academics and arts. My day begins at 5 a.m. basically I can do with barely four or five hours of sleep. I do not consciously plan but I can put a lot into a day.

Which of your role takes precedence or how do you prioritise your life?

I cannot say any role takes precedence. Everyone of them has an allotted space. If you are with your husband you cannot behave like a bureaucrat. It depends where I am and what is the situation.

Are you basically a person of moods and emotions?

No artist can be devoid of emotions, sensitivity and from there spring moods. But generally I do not throw tantrums. Maybe it is my bureaucratic side which stops me from giving vent to my feelings.

These days you seem to be promoting arts and culture on TV. Are you planning to go into production?

So many channels approach me and I do not like to refuse. Recently I anchored a show on people who work behind the curtain the real creative people like the art directors and the stage managers.

At the moment I am not ready to go into production. It means a lot of work. It needs a different orientation altogether.

See, the future of culture, of performing arts is very bright. I am an optimist, I see bright, young girls coming for dancing from good families. In a class of 30 you may just have one or two who will scale heights but the rest develop an understanding of culture. It is the attitude which gets moulded in the right direction.

Tell us about the history of kathak.

Kathak derives its name from the word katha, narrated by kathakars. The earliest mention is in the Mahabharata in Adi Parv and Anushashnik Parv. In India the profession and the form used to intermingle, so anyone who was admitted into the profession became a kathakiya.

Originally the dance centred around temples. You will be surprised that kathak artistes never wear ghungroos on leather because kathakars were dancing inside the temple. Yes, like all art forms you had people distorting it, taking a bigda hua (distorted) form to the nawab's court.

The popular perception about kathak is that it germinated in the courts of nawabs of Lucknow and the courtesans danced it.

It is a false impression, which repeated time and again has been thought to be the truth. The courtesans might have learnt kathak but the kathakiyas were still the traditional kathak artistes even during Mughal period. Most of the dancers of Jaipur, Banaras, or Lucknow were male, so they could not have been courtesans. Wajid Ali Shah was a connoisseur of kathak. He himself learnt the dance from Birju Maharaj's great-great grandfather.

Take a simple example, we classical artistes are there but if someone chooses to right the history of classical dance basing it on films what can you do? That is what happened with kathak.

The dress worn by kathak artistes is also Muslim in essence, the angarakha and the churidar.

Are you sure, the dress emanates from Muslim culture? We in India, knew from the beginning about stitched and unstitched clothes. See it in my book Rhythmic Echoes and Reflections — Kathak being published by Roli publications. I have researched for it extensively. Statues of the Mauryan period wear tight pants like churidar and flowing skirts. Another dancing panel from Deogagarh near Jhansi shows a female figure wearing a churidar. Like our culture, our dress has also evolved over a period of time.

Still, kathak has not grown like other dance forms, we have you or Birju Maharaj or one or two more. Why?

See, some myths surrounding kathak have to be broken. We accept things mindlessly without verification. The kathak we dance is mostly based on Radha-Krishan. Now which Muslim would advocate that? Then basically there are two reasons for these misconceptions. There has been no great effort to popularise it. Other dance forms were consciously sold, even the name Devadasi Attam was changed.

Secondly, in the north, because of social factors, there has been the purdah pratha. There is a certain mindset against performing arts, which is now slowly breaking.

Does a lot of research goes into your work?

 Lots. I have read the Vedas, Kalidasa, and the Mahabharata. Most Delhi publishers know me. I am ringing up to find out something or the other. I can read Sanskrit, so it helps. I have been trying to search for some reference to the nathani or the nosering. In none of our old books or statues can you find it. Where all have we not done shringaar? Even on our navel we wore jewels. An ornament which is so popular today and adorns the nose of most Indian women, finds no mention.

How much do audiences reaction matter to you and do you talk to them about what you are performing?

Actually, there are distinct vibes or vibrations coming from the audience — they may be positive or negative. The artistes catch on the waves. But at times, you just perform for yourself or for the sheer joy of dancing and you forget the audience.

We are basically, kathakaars. Hum vachte hain aur nachte hain. We go into the depth, I can show Shyam kaun gali gaye, in 20 different ways, using 20 different movements.

What are your husband's hobbies?

We have been married to each other for 16 years but we are living together in the real sense for the first time. He is a damn good diplomat, very highly rated. He is very well-read, highly musical minded and fond of sports. He loves jogging, tennis, swimming, polo, riding and trekking. I also like going for trekking with like-minded friends.

What qualities would you ascribe to a woman of substance?

I do not want to get into this gender war. The qualities I admire are universal, those who do not get bogged down by obstacles and have vision. Everyone wants to do this and that but do not want to make the effort. Those who possess discipline, the sadhana and dedication to forge ahead with courage are my idea of people with substance.

Frankly I do not like this fight being waged by die-hard feminists. I like my man in my life. I am not the bra-burning type. You can be a good wife, mother and still be a woman of substance.

What are your views on reservation for women?

I have mixed reactions on the reservation issue. It is not exactly a healthy thing. Because women have been suppressed and would like to get their due they need reservation. Look at Rabri Devi she was a typical housewife, everyone laughed at her — including the Press. Today she is no better or worse than others. She has gained tremendously in confidence.

For a creative person, does not pushing files in the ministry go against your grain?

I take each file as a separate case. It is not just paper but it contains matter which affects human beings. Rules and regulations are there to guide us and not to dominate our thinking. I view my job from a humane plane.

What is the difference between an Indian and foreign man?

I have only been married to a foreigner (laughs). Basically, I think men or women the world over are the same. Seeing the type of relationship I have with my husband, all over the world people say the same thing: We would not have left each other for so long. Attitudes and emotions are not different but it is the individual and his traits that might be different. One might be more jealous, possessive, or suspicious while the other might not be so. On the mundane level, men might be different, but basically they are the same.

What is the essence of being Shovana?

I have never analysed. Though I introspect about my actions and try to correct myself whenever necessary. I do not generally pass the buck and also take the blame if things go wrong. I am the never-say-die variety. For me it is try and try again. I do not consciously try to hurt others and keep myself away from gossip. The world has a large canvas it can accommodate a lot of people. My self respect is very important to me.

What are your wishes that remain to be fulfilled?

Vidya itni gehri hai. I want to keep learning and die dancing. Everyday is a new experience, I am so humbled by it.