“TAAL SHRINGAR” was an evening dedicated to explore the beautiful trajectories of rhythmic time cycles expressed through music, vocal, and body movements. It was a confluence of not just music and dance but of artistes belonging to different artistic traditions and generations on display at the Queen Elizabeth hall on the 30th of April, 2009. The evening, organized to mark the ninth anniversary of  Alla Rakha Foundation established in memory of Ustad Alla Rakha Khan (1919-2000), a doyen of rhythm and one of the greatest tabla players of the 20th century, featured a line up of glittering names from the art fraternity panning both India and the UK.

The show had an interesting array of presentations by two houses (gharanas) of kathak- the Lucknow style presented by UK’s well known dancer, choreographer and teacher Gauri Sharma Tripathi, while the Jaipur tradition was represented by one of India’s senior most exponents Uma Dogra from Mumbai. The percussive arrangement had in its lead, two highly talented and successful disciples of Abbaji ( as Ustad  Alla rakha Khan was affectionately referred to by his students) representing the Punjab gharana- his son Taufiq Qureshi and  Yogesh Samsi; while the UK’s  popular tabla player Sanju Sahai represented the Banaras tradition. Surjeet Singh on the sarangi and Fida Hussain on the harmonium provided skilful support and ‘backbone’ for the whole team of performers.

The dance performance was a display of three generations of artistic tradition transmitted not just in local domains but across international borders. Padma Sharma, of Mumbai, who herself is a direct disciple of the illustrious kathak  guru Lachchu Maharaj and Kalyan Rao Purkar led the team for her daughter and disciple Gauri Sharma Tripathi’s presentation. The invocation had an ensemble of UK’s young and vibrant students of Tripathi perform a piece on Lord Ganesh to a melodious contemporary rendering by Taufiq Qureshi. Uma Dogra had her able student Sarita to assist her on rhythmic recitations, so reiterating  the tradition of lineage.

Gauri Sharma Tripathi is no stranger to the Southbank centre. Currently the artist in residence, she has to her credit many new and innovative productions. An electrifying stage presence with an aesthetically designed costume of a long black skirt with a bright red layering in the flair gave an advantageous edge to her confidence and refinement in presentation. Choosing the all time favourite sixteen beat time cycle, Tripathi started off with the conventional thaat sequence of punctuating the first beat of the time cycle and then moving on to more intricate movement sequences (utaan’s, paran , ahmad, tukras and tihais) showcasing glimpses of time tested compositions of different kathak exponents, spicing it up with her own flavour, so proving the dance form’s inherent fluidity for experimentation within conventional structures. Padma Sharma’s padhan ( recitation of the syllables) was particularly striking in the kavit ( poetic words uttered in a dialogic manner with rhythm) sections. There were some interesting modulations perceptible when the mother and daughter duo recited a few phrases together incorporating different octaves of delivery.

Qureshi’s capacity at composing music, performing a range of percussive instruments and most interestingly his creative idea of entertaining with breathing techniques were highlights of the evening

Uma Dogra, a disciple of kathak maestro Pandit Durgalal, who was known for his razor sharp movement vocabulary, footwork and pirouettes, did justice to her legacy of the Jaipur style. She handled the challenging and strong rhythm pattern of damaar (fourteen beat time cycle). Competently assisted by Yogesh Samsi on the tabla, Dogra began with a touch of nostalgia explaining that it was the same stage where her guru had given his final performance. She performed some exciting pieces of her guru, particularly a beautiful composition that had alternating rhythm patterns of three’s and four’s resulting in what was a treat to both the eyes and ears. Dogra then went on to present her own tihais improvising within the time cycle and exhibiting utmost sensitivity in her calculations, while simultaneously treading on complicated rhythmic structures within. The rhythmic virtuosity in her footwork was intelligently accentuated by Samsi’s skilful accompaniment to some of the patterns that were created impromptu.

In terms of exploring the beauty of rhythm, both dancers chose not just to express it in terms of pure movements but also through mimetic segments foregrounding the musicality interwoven in it. While Tripathi portrayed it by enacting a mythological story to a lengthy kavit, Dogra performed to a recording of a tumri(‘dagaru…’), aptly interspersing it with contemporary poetry linking in with certain words of the song. Tripathi has to be credited for her clever usage of costume in certain flashes to bring out expressions of fury and anger. Her visualisation of the whole episode of daksha yagna complementing the rhythmic recitation (a lenghty kavit composed by Lachu Maharaj) was commendable. Dogra’s vivid portrayal of the heroine’s longing for Lord Krishna exhibited her maturity in handling abhinaya and the juxtaposing of the verses, which helped in effecting the inner voice of the character and proved gratifying.

Kathak carries an element of informality that allows for complete freedom for the artist in terms of attempting unusual experimentations. This was particularly exploited by both kathak performers of the evening who broke new ground to collaborate with non Indian instruments such as the drums and the djembe. Wielding his dexterous hands on these instruments was Taufiq Qureshi. Qureshi teamed up with each of the kathak dancers to reproduce the dance syllables in the djembe as well as through the drums. As a follower of his dad’s tradition and style, Qureshi demonstrated a variety of talents in one evening. His capacity at composing music, performing a range of percussive instruments and most interestingly, his creative idea of entertaining with breathing techniques were all highlighted on the same stage. His novel concept of producing different rhythm grooves through breathing sounds needs specific mention, warranting credits to his innovation and creativity. Adding a touch of humour, Qureshi’s delivery of vocal percussion to an imaginative conversation between himself and an airport official was quite enjoyable. Displaying his rhythmic wizardry, Qureshi ventured on a seventeen beat time cycle performing some of his dad’s compositions on the djembe and subsequently embarking on improvisations in the teen taal (sixteen beat time cycle). With a life size imposing picture of Abbaji as backdrop, Qureshi dedicated the positives of his performance to his dad while shouldering all others on his own self.

An air of nostalgia pervaded the evening as each of the artists gave expression to their musical experiences and identities with the audience happily sharing the menus on offer. “TAAL SHRINGAR” concluded with Dogra, Tripathi , Qureshi and Samsi settling in to display a relay of rhythmic phrases each in his/her own language and style symbolizing unity of embodied  artistic traditions. A fitting finale, it was a celebration of rhythm, echoing the theme of the show.

Review by Divya Kasturi -  is a Bharatanatyam practitioner and an MA student of South
Asian Dance studies