| LEELA VENKATARAMAN Published: Mar 4, 2020, 3:17 am IST Updated: Mar 4, 2020, 3:17 am IST “Upaj” saw three fine dancers performing to Atul’s music in Jaijaiwanti, with added magic created through Gyandev Singh’s lighting. The delicacy of Gowri’s interpretation and the impactful music composed by Samiullah Khan (singing in full throated gusto) revealed a dancer who had found herself.The writer is an eminent dance criticend-ofTags: kumudini lakhia, kathak. It was a milestone for Kathak aficionados when Ahmedabad’s prestigious Kathak institution, Kadamb, mounted the two-day festival, Yugaantar, in celebration of its founder Kumudini Lakhia’s 90th birthday, marking her completing 60 eventful years of teaching Kathak, in the process enriching the dance with several fine performer/teacher disciples. Atul, who was acutely sensitive to the musicality in each movement, through his raga compositions sans words, seemed to heighten the impact of the dance visualised by Kumudini Lakhia. Bride Parvati’s imagination runs riot — comparing creepers to snakes round Shiva’s body, juxtaposing her sandal-pasted body against his ash-smeared one, her lustrous hair against his locks on which Ganga perches.‘Dhabkar’, with three superbly trained dancers in simple elegance seated at different levels of stage space, with wonderful lighting, made just a foot-stomping rhythmic sound like the pulse beat. The traditional movement technique when used to drape themes away from mythology, acquired a different magic.

A ‘tukra’ or ‘tihai’ treated this way as an assemblage among several dancers, without the customary traditional solo fashion of sticking to centre space, had a new feel. On that perfect Shivaratri is it Shiva in search of Shiva, as seated on Shiva’s lap, Parvati asks about the truth of Shiva — Kim rupamtatvato? Is he form subsumed in the formless? On the perfect night in the beloved’s embrace (the fully awakened senses likened to the five colours of the peacock’s tail) so sensitised that Parvati feels the ecstatic thrill of an ant moving on her body, she discovers that Shivaratri’s eternal darkness (superior to the Light which burns itself out) presides overduality transcended and between Prana and Apana, Parvati experiences the reality — of herself in Shiva. Apart from Bhartendu Harishchandra’s “Savare chhaila re”, were soliloquy passages with the dancer reciting Cheetswami’s poetry, “Aage Krishna, Pachhe Krishna”. Movements pared down to their micro elements, were reassembled for China Spunbonded nonwovens manufacturers a group of dancers facing different angles, often with overlapping movements — where riveting formations were created sometimes in a dynamo effect – different from the customary synchronicity. In 1962, she acquired a student Sandhya, whose husband Atul, well-versed in music, after days of quietly taking in the proceedings in the Kathak class, became Kumudini’s music composer and there began one of the greatest explorations between Kathak dance and music spread over 35 years, among two combustible and volatile, but in the final analysis, creatively like-minded people. Light and strong tones of footwork with subtle distribution of weight, depending on the part of the foot marking the rhythm on the floor, was delightful. after the day’s work to turn the floor space into an evening dance class. It was as if melody and movement were in constant interaction, one influencing the other-both equally innovative.THE ASIAN AGE. The name Kadamb itself, a tree replete with Krishna associations, scented blossoms and aesthetic appeal showed Kumudini’s poetic mind, which jostled with thoughts she wanted to sculpt through Kathak movement. “You are life and the breath that governs me.” She yearns to partake of his micro-essence in all forms – the prancing deer, the soaring bird or the fish exploring the ocean depths.Aditi Mangaldas, one of Kumudini’s prime students, presented abstracts of her larger work, Immersed — the dancer fathoming what Krishna, serenaded in sculpture, poetry, dance, music, architecture and literature, means to her. So dance really took place in the space between bodies.When in 1961, Kumudini with a very young son Shriraj in tow, arrived in Ahmedabad along with husband Rajnikant, a lover of Hindustani music, working with the family’s Lakhia brothers automobile dealership, the city, a stranger to Kathak, could offer no tabla player, an absolute necessity for the dance.Kadamb Centre came into existence in 1967. Dancer-choreographer Kumudini Lakhia gave this body a new mind.Visual vignettes from the showThe legacy of gharanedhar gurus had invested Kathak with a rich body of technique.“Upaj” saw three fine dancers performing to Atul’s music in Jaijaiwanti, with added magic created through Gyandev Singh’s lighting. Kumudini’s  no-nonsense approach got the right seasoning from Atul Desai’s abstract soaring into the world of notes and sound — the two together creating sheer poetry of movement and sound.

Aditi’s choreography and presentation bringing into play all the abstract elements of Kathak she excels in, woven into the dance fabric, with padhant, tabla and Pakhawaj by Mohit Gangani and Ashish Gangani. Dancing to Madhup Mudgal’s tarana music in Kedar, male and female dancers in white costumes delighted in the typical Kumudini carriage and walk.With a set of male performers, ‘Padhant’ built round the plain recitation of bols created an interaction like jawabsawal with performers seated at one point in a durbar style of exchange — the speed and  manner of utterance creating real theatre, suggesting shades of emotion. Along with Milind Srivastava’s light effects were melodious voices of Shubha Mudgal and Aneesh Pradhan, in ragas like Maand and Sohini. Her Guru Shambho Maharaj had instilled in her a feel for the supreme aesthetics of Kathak, though her idea of the proudly straight dancer’s body with a regal bearing was far from the way the guru stressed a modest, eyes-down stance of humility. Preferring well-fitting costumes in pleasing shades, sans the fussy veil and ornaments (which invariably came in the way during chakkars and fast movements), Kumudini’s concern was more with the dancer in space and the group form rather than the frontal facing solo dancer performing to the audience. This curtainraiser reminded one of the days when purists caviled at such play on rhythmic syllables, ultimately coming to accept that Kumudini had shown how hidden in known rhythm patterns, was a wealth of ideas. Aditi Mangaldas, an established contemporary Kathak performer now, was Kumudini’s first student along with two other less committed learners.Ahmedabad, far from Kathak-centric India, became home to Kumudini’s flowering imagination. Nothing to beat the tiny tots, and children dancing to 13 matras, or keeping taal reciting “dhina dhi dhina” (the Jhaptal bol) weaving into the cycle of 16 matras!A true index of Lakhia’s teaching achievements lay in the superbly conceived Samaratri presented by disciple Aditi’s disciple Gauri Diwakar who surprised with the maturity of her sensitive dance interpretation of Kalidas’ erotic verses from Kumarasambhavam, helped by inputs from Vigyan Bhairav Tantra on Bhairava and Bhairavi. In the swelling and fading away of the ghungroo ki awaz, it was a dancer who touched silence — on this auspicious day — the birthday of both Kumudini Lakhia and Pandit Birju Maharaj — her gurus!  It was an immersive performance.

Calling out to him through innumerable epithets, she wonders at his cosmic immensity. Graceful hands, unique entry and exit with tasteful costumes emphasised beauty in simplicity. Kumudini managed with a hired percussion student who would provide what support he could, with Kumudini clapping and loudly vocalising the rhythmic syllables! In the small office space, Rajnikant helped remove all the tyres etc. Minimalism without overcrowded virtuosity became the rule and even simple hand movements “tat thai, tat tatthai” by three dancers facing different angles filled space with beautiful lines.Tarana in Durbari (a 2009 production), melodiously sung in the sound tape by Aniketh Khandekar had strong male dancers, matched by female dancers doing high leaps.Having been a dancer travelling the world in Ramgopal’s dance troupe, Kumudini was aware of the need for presentational elegance in Kathak, without the ornate trappings and spectacle for western audiences which Ramgopal created

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Disposable medical products, masks, surgical pads, furniture, facial masks, isolation garments, protective clothing, agricultural covering cloth

We all know that many hijras take up sex work as a means of earning and they are often exploited and subject to violence during these transactions, which is essentially deemed illegal.One of the biggest problems with the Protection Rights Bill is that it sets up a screening committee to certify transgender persons, which runs against the right to self-identification recognised in NALSA. Some of the critiques of the Protection Rights Bill that came up are as follows: It distorts the definition of “transgender” laid out in the judgment, it does not adopt a rights-based approach, it does not include provisions on reservations or properly identify what discrimination stands for.The views expressed here are personal. It certainly does not provide or talk of alternative professions. The Jogappa community, which is one of the oldest and yet least known transgender communities of Karnataka, indicates that the transgender community is as old as Indian civilisation itself. While many are uncomfortable with this form of begging, the truth is that currently the hijra community have little or no alternative means of earning a living.

It would serve the law makers well to have hijra representation on their board; they need to workshop and consult with members of the community before passing a bill that in effect makes it impossible for the community to grow and to flourish. Under this law, the Supreme Court affirmed the constitutional rights and freedoms of transgender persons to self-identify their gender identity, without having to undergo any medical tests.On December 28, 2018, groups of people belonging to the trans community, gathered to protest at Jantar Mantar against this lack of empathy and poorly researched nature of the bill that would take away two of the only forms of their livelihood, without providing any alternatives.THE ASIAN AGE. However, the decision to change their bodies should only lie with them and not be awarded to some state agency or a committee of medical professionals who are not understanding or empathetic of a hijra’s journey and their lived realities. It often makes people part with their money.end-ofTags: transgender community. Why would one want to bring medical science into an act that is spiritual?Many hijras do not transition medically and prefer not to undergo any surgical intervention. Relegated to the margins of society, the trans, hijra or kinner community, as they are traditionally known, have made their living begging and singing at births and weddings for centuries in India.The Trafficking Bill, (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) does not provide the transgender community with equitable alternatives to dignified livingDevotees of Yellamma decorate their forehead by smearing turmeric (haldi) and vermillion (kum-kum).The trans community is currently grappling with an ambiguous Trafficking Bill, (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) under which, begging and sex work will be made criminal offences. Before taking away the one means of livelihood of any community, it is imperative and incumbent upon the government to look into viable means of earning to make the transition from begging and sex work to the other professions offered to the community. Their crown, earrings and necklace are made of cowries. | ARCHANA DALMIA Published: Jan 10, 2019, 1:42 am IST Updated: Jan 10, 2019, 1:42 am IST Many hijras do not transition medically and prefer not to undergo any surgical intervention. To return to the story of the Jogappas of Karnataka, we might notice that it is simply the act of wearing the garments ascribed to Yellamma and through ritual and prayer that the transformation happens. The Goddess enters them and then they belong to a revered priestly class henceforth. They are often seen begging at traffic lights and their resounding clap is both powerful and intimidating. This included those who identify as third gender, gender-queer, kinnar, hijra, intersex, MTF (male to female), FTM (female to male) to those who identify PAFAB (Persons Assigned Female at Birth) or just those who are China SMS non-woven fabric gender non-conformists.

For those of us who are not in the know, the NALSA judgment of 2014 was welcomed by the LGBTIQH (Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgendered Intersex, Queer and Hijra) community despite certain over-simplifications. However, what I do know is that in any scenario of so called “rehabilitation,” it is only humane and just to make sure that the people who are being “rehabilitated” agree with the manner in which you propose to do it.One of the biggest problems with the Protection Rights Bill is that it sets up a screening committee to certify transgender persons, which runs against the right to self-identification recognised in NALSA. However, by just passing a bill that prevents sex work, we are actually making it worse rather than bettering their lives.However, contemporary India seems to have been in denial about the presence of transgendered folks as part of its social fabric. Through the act of dressing up these male devotees are “caught” or possessed by the Goddess Yellamma, and regarded as holy women.  Moreover, it contradicts rather than protects many of the rights laid out in the country’s Supreme Court NALSA (National Legal Services Authority) verdict of 2014. Top-down laws are seldom effective and the Trafficking Bill was clearly not drafted in consultation with the hijra and trans community. Some do.While NALSA upholds the law to self-identify, this new protection bill seeks to make it mandatory to have an “objective criteria” (read medical test) to determine one’s gender in order to be eligible for entitlements under the verdict.

There are many permutations and combinations to this endless alphabet soup of gender identities which is rich and ever unfolding and I do not claim to know all of them. What are we offering the daughters of Yellamma, but a life of penury and stigma, with this new bill?The writer is the chairperson of the AICC grievance cell. While on the surface of it this might seem like a bill that seeks to stamp out the inequalities that begging and sex work engender, in truth, the rehabilitation aspect of this bill has not been looked into. While some hijra or trans persons have managed to get jobs in beauty parlours or work in the fashion industry, this is the exception rather than the norm. Moreover, the committee includes a medical professional, which serves no purpose other than further pathologising transgender identities. Their body isn’t adorned with expensive jewels.Any law that professes to protect a community needs to evolve around the persons it claims to protect and it should not be the other way around.Until recently, they have not had basic human rights, health rights and no protection against the amount of violence they face at every juncture of their lives, whether it is from the state, the law or in their inter-personal relationships

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