What: MISSING & Rangoli present The Courtesan — An Enigma, in association with t2
Where: GD Birla Sabhagar
When: April 28, 6.30pm
Tickets: Available on bookmyshow.com and also at the venue (11am to 6pm). For details, call 9830044455

Just before the tale of courtesans in India gets retold in The Courtesan — An Enigma, a dance theatre conceptualised and created by Sufi Kathak dancer Manjari Chaturvedi, at GD Birla Sabhagar on April 28, t2 caught up with the dancer as well as Neesha Singh, the narrator for the evening, on what you can expect from the 80-minute performance. 

You are an exponent of Sufi Kathak. How is this form different from classical Kathak? 

Manjari: My work for the past two decades has been towards the creation of a spiritual dance that represents the ‘dance of mystics’. The performing art of the courtesans, Darbari Kathak, is a dance style that originated in royal courtrooms of the bygone era. Characterised by exquisite costumes, Darbari Kathak relies heavily and vividly on the hands and the face for expression — it’s a unique style suited both for intimate settings and for larger-than-life royal courts. It is now rarely performed by the classical dancers. The courtesans, or mehfil singers as they were later called, performed abhinaya, seated on stage, giving detailing to the verses sung as ghazal, thumri or dadra. The performing art of the courtesan is an invaluable heritage, deliberately lost and brushed away in view of the social stigma attached to it.

Who is your favourite courtesan character from history?

Manjari: This concert relives the magic of the courtesans — the muse for poets, painters, sculptors, artists, musicians, writers, filmmakers and the creative thought at large. I am absolutely fascinated by these women performers who kept the arts alive even while they themselves lived a life of disdain. Mah Laqa or Chanda Bibi, as she was known, is a fantastic woman of her times, a well-read woman who wrote a complete collection of poetry and danced with finesse. 

Can we call The Courtesan — An Enigma a dance drama? Or is it mainly choreography with a message?

Manjari: It is a predominantly dance production with storytelling, and hence it can be called a dance drama. The message through the choreography is: Respect the Courtesan. The men pursuing these arts became ‘ustads’ and the women pursuing these arts were called nautch girls or ‘tawaifs’ in an extremely unfair record of history based on gender inequality. It is time we question this disregard for these artistes and their tradition, and give them their respectful place as artistes par excellence.
 
What has been your primary resource for the research of the courtesan’s lifestyle?

Manjari: The tragedy is that not much has been documented about the courtesans in India, especially their performing arts. My primary research comes from Nautch Girls of India, a book by Pran Nevile. The stories in our production have been largely inspired from this book.
By excluding the courtesans, in their true sense, from history, we have also excluded the rich treasure trove of arts — the poetry, music and dance — that these courtesans excelled in. 

Is The Courtesan — An Enigma a fictional retelling of the life and times of courtesans in India? 

Manjari: The stories narrated have been inspired from anecdotes from the life and times of a few famous courtesans. We have seen enough fiction based on the lives of courtesans, which do not explore their arts. The Courtesan — An Enigma has been scripted as per the documentation of their lives available in various historical records. Many preconceived notions about courtesans, often misconstrued, such as their sensibilities, lifestyles, emotions, disposition and ethos, would be challenged, as light is shed upon numerous lesser known aspects.

Neesha, you are the narrator in The Courtesan — An Enigma. What made you take up the project?

Neesha: Manjari is a dear friend and I have deep admiration for her work. Once on holiday with her, I was reading a story to a five-year-old and Manjari suddenly said to me, ‘Will you narrate stories for me on courtesans on stage?’ I readily agreed. 
 
Any courtesan whose tale you are fascinated to tell?

Neesha: I was instantly drawn to Gauhar Jaan, who fascinated and delighted me. In fact, I turned the script on her into first person, so that I could play this feisty, enigmatic and fiercely independent woman on stage while telling her story. 

 
Sibendu Das