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In Step With Paradise: Rhythms to the Poetry of Kashmir IN Step With Paradise is one of those rare productions that can be claimed as close to their hearts by various categories of readers. But primarily, the stupendous effort of Uma Vasudev that went before the compilation of this visual treat has exploded the myth of the exclusivity and inaccessibility of Kashmir. Twelve leading dancers of India, representing five of the most prominent dance forms that enthral the people of this country, rose to the challenge of giving visual rhythm to the poetry of Kashmir.
Through the fusion of dances from the rest of the country and the poetry of Kashmir since the times of Lal Ded to the modern times, when the concern of the poets has also focused on matters of livelihood and bread, history of Kashmir has been virtually recreated. Understandably, for this purpose the history of the Valley begins with arguably the pioneer of Kashmiri poetry, Lal Ded. However, this is also the point where the exclusivity of Kashmir needs to be challenged. For much too long the separatists have built their case around the exclusivity and nationalism of Kashmir. It is possible that Uma Vasudev consciously chose to steer clear from the political message of her endeavour, but the discerning can still read that the life and times and the end-product of Lal Ded were not phenomena in isolation. Why Hinduism paved way for Islam and how Sanskrit came to be replaced by languages of the people all over the country is well recorded by academicians. The role of Amir Khusro is all too well known, as are the circumstances in which Tulsi Das discarded Sanskrit for the people’s Ram Charit Manas. Kabir and Guru Nanak too chose the language of the common people to articulate humanism and liberate them from the thralldom of the high brow. The book, however, is much more than a visual delight. Uma Vasudev’s article Interpreting Kashmiri Poetry Through Dance is not just an explanation of how things were done but also a brief but eloquent introduction to the Indian classical dances. It adds value to the book as it enhances the understanding of dances for the less endowed readers. The article also explains the various poems where the trilogy of an expectant mother, beloved and wife react to the hovering clouds of war is both poignant and moving. Many readers might find it as the defining moment as Sonal Mansingh, Uma Sharma and Charu Sija Mathur transcend the barriers of language to bring out the essential unity that is at the core of this country. Incidentally, a serious
reader should not be faulted for getting a little perplexed by the
avoidable confusion about Habba Khatoon’s consort Yusuf Shah Chak.
While on page 56 J. L. Raina informs that he was separated from Habba
Khatoon by Akbar, H. K. Kaul on page 91 informs that he was a Shia
King who lost his life during Shia-Sunni conflict! At another place,
in an introduction to the poet Parmanand, it is said that he was the
product of the period of devotional era in Kashmiri literature. In
this context, Kashmiriyat would not have suffered a grievous injury if
it had been pointed out that the said period coincided with the Sikh
and Dogra rule in the Valley. This, however, does not distract from
the scholarly and informative value of the otherwise brilliant
articles.
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At another level, when
the dancers performed, it was gratifying to discover the audiences in
Kashmir responding enthusiastically to the interpretation of their
poetry in the gestures and classical grammar of the dance forms.
Needless to say the bold attempt and its stupendous success in times
when the raucous voices of strife and disruption continue to be
sporadically heard has once again brought to the fore, first, the
universality of dance and emotion, and second, the unity that is the
hallmark of India’s diversity.