There’s something soul stirring about sincere original content. In a world of paid awards shows, self-proclaimed artists whose social media standing outperforms his/ her talent, event managers heavily promoting stars and performers arriving from across the world, it is heartwarming to see a group of dedicated professionals from the UAE, come together for a larger-than-life musical.
Dubai’s own Malhaar Centre of Performing Arts (that has been steadily marking its cultural presence in the UAE for two decades) presents an upcoming musical: Jashn e Awadh, on November 14 at the Rajmahal Theatre, at Bollywood Parks.
The musical is a celebration of music, poetry, literature and dance that thrived in the courts of the erstwhile ruler of Awadh, Nawab Wajid Ali Shah. Shah (1822–1887) was the last Nawab of Awadh, a historic kingdom in northern India, with its capital at Lucknow. He is an important figure in the cultural history of India, including his love for food. Some of the most succulent and popular dishes owe their existence to his khansamas (cooks)—the galouti kabab, the roomali roti, the Calcutta biryani and more.
Jogiraj Sikdar, the founder of Malhaar recalls the life of Shah—a ruler who wasn’t a warrior as much as he was an epicurean and connoisseur of the arts.
Enormous contribution to music and dance
“The Hindi film Shatranj ke Khiladi, portrayed Shah in a certain light. He had handed over his kingdom to the East India company without fighting the British, so was not heralded as a warrior. But his contribution to Hindustani music and dance is enormous. Kathak prospered under him, and he was a secular ruler blending Ganga Jamuni Tehzeeb (religious harmony).”
“During Janmashtami he would dress up like Krishna, celebrate all festivals and live a secular and gender fluid life of religious harmony. He wrote under the pen name of Akhtar Piya and invented new ragas,” Jogiraj said.
“He composed songs like Nirbharan kaise jaun Sakhi, Babul Mora, etc., that are popular even today amongst independent musicians and platforms such as Coke Studio. Kathak thrived in his rule. Pandit Bindadin Maharaj, the great grand-uncle of eminent kathak exponent Pandit Birju Maharaj, was an artiste in his court and Shah’s guru.”
It is said that Wajid Ali Shah wrote the much popular Babul Mora the same night the East Indian Company asked him to leave Lucknow—“the heartbreaking lyrics are a metaphor of a bride leaving her hometown,” explains Jogiraj.
Jashn e Awadh was performed 15 years ago and Malhar got recognition from the show. People took note since it had a contemporary western musical Broadway feel to it, but was set to Indian classical music and dance.
But why choose Wajid Ali Shah? “Lucknow is my musical lineage. My Guru, Padmashri Rita Ganguly, comes from Lucknow. Pandit Birju Maharaj was her neighbour and so was Javed Akhtar sahab—all stalwarts dotting the art scene of India. My nani guru, Begum Akhtar is from Faizabad, Lucknow. And Awadh is in the same region.”
Heading a team of 100 people, with 60 people onstage, Jogi is calm and self-effacing. “The idea is mine but it is a group effort. All the musicians are Malhaar artists. The script is by Prakaash Soni, our director is Sanjeev Dixit (founder-director of Third Half Theatre) and Vaishali Mhaiskar (founder director of Tapasya) is responsible for the arduous and brilliant choreography. Hafeeza Sultana, a student of the eminent Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty, is one of the lead singers, who teaches at our centre,” he adds.
An audience for classical art forms
Jogiraj acknowledges the selfless support of his journalist wife Mily, who took over the reins of running a household while Jogi worked relentlessly towards Malhaar.
Does he see a challenge in retaining classical forms in today’s world? “There are cynics who tell me, ‘who’ll come to see it?’ All I say is that there is a difference between a fast food burger and a shami kabab. A random egg roll picked off the shelf is completely different to a curated, slow cooked meal—it’s a matter of higher taste and experience.” Following the same theme, on November 14, Awadhi cuisine will be served at the venue for Dubai audiences to indulge in and learn from.
“When Shah was exiled to Kolkata, his royal chefs travelled with him and when he fell into penury, his cooks had to supplement potatoes in his biryani instead of meat,” Jogiraj adds. “The reason why Calcutta biryani has potatoes in it.”
There is a perception that classical music is elitist and so people stay away and amuse themselves with popular music. “But give it a chance, you might be touched by decades of hard work the artists are putting in,” says Mily Chakrabarty.
“Bollywood blockbusters such as Bajirao Mastani, Padmavaat and Umrao Jaan wouldn’t have been successful if people were not interested in classical music and dance forms,” signs off Jogiraj.
Source: Khaleej Times