As a solo Odissi dancer, Madhur Gupta sometimes feels lonely. The paradox, he says, is that although he’s been performing all over the world and has been admired and adored by millions, that mystical sense of being truly loved is still missing.
Through every show, he tries to connect with eternal love, and Tantu, his upcoming recital, is no different. The production traverses the gamut of challenges of showcasing traditional artistic sensibilities in a contemporary format, with a firm grip on its artistic essence.
Tantu literally means thread, cord or a link. Its poignancy is understood through the idea of bringing together the choreographies of Gupta’s gurus, Sharon Lowen and Madhavi Mudgal. “It will also have some of my own choreographies, with presentations choreographed by Kelucharan Mohapatra. Since the commonality between us all is our dance, deeply routed in traditional parameters. Hense the name Tantu,” he says.
The show brings you several choreographies. Manikya Veena (Mangalacharan) by Kelucharan Mohapatra from 1965 will be staged. It sees the dancer offering traditional invocation to Mother Earth, followed by a song in praise of Saraswati. Rajanigandha (Pallavi) by Madhur Gupta is a more recent piece. “It’s a lyrical elaboration of rhythmic, melodic and movement themes,” says Gupta. Then there is Jhagadi Matra Hela He Shyam (Oriya Abhinaya) by Sharon Lowen.
“In this, Lalitha, Radha’s sahki, catches Krishna taking a glimpse of Radha and getting devastated with the thoughts of not being able to be with his beloved,” elaborates the dancer. Kumara Sambhavam (Sanskrit Abhinaya) is an older piece by Lowen again, narrating Lord Shiva’s wedding night and the following morning.
Then there is Yahi Madhava (Ashtapadi) choreographed by Mohapatra in 1961. This one is the story of Radha waiting for her beloved, Lord Krishna. Finally, you have Shantam (Mokshya) by Madhavi Mudgal that leads the performer as well as the beholder towards moksha, spiritual and intellectual release from the cycle of rebirth and union with the supreme.
This seamless blend of stories from 1961-2016 has brought Gupta closer to his gurus in ways that he could never have fathomed. “My art and my gurus have given me a window to communicate my deep seated, intimate thoughts with the world. This is all I know how to do and this is all I want to do,” he says.
February 2, at India International Center, 40 Max Mueller Marg, 6.30 pm onwards. Open for all.