BENGALURU: The dance and music production Namayachi Jani, staged over the weekend at the Medai The Stage, Koramangala, paid homage to the life and legacy of Sant Janabai. What made this performance unique was the collaboration between Bharatanatyam choreography and Hindustani music.
The production was choreographed by city-based dancer Navia Natarajan, with the concept and musical direction by Janhavi Phansalkar, a Hindustani singer from Pune. “It’s not just Janabai’s life story but also the spiritual teachings she absorbed from her guru, Namdev,” explains Natarajan. She recalls wanting to create a production in 2022 and searching for a dancer who could bring a visual dimension to the concept.
The two were introduced through a mutual friend. “All the abhangs (devotional hymns) are written by Janabai herself. Janhavi had the significant task of setting these to music. She carefully selected the abhangs that would best suit our production,” says Natarajan. “As a Bharatanatyam dancer, we discussed our narrative approach and deliberately chose not to follow a linear storyline.”
One of the greatest challenges Natarajan faced was integrating her dance style with traditional Hindustani music. “We come from two different genres. I’m accustomed to the classical Carnatic music style and had to adapt to Hindustani music. While it is rich in spirituality, the challenge was to make it accessible and relatable to the audience,” she notes.
The duo decided that the best approach was to showcase their respective art forms. “Our focus was on understanding the spiritual essence of Janabai and conveying it through both sound and visual expression. We didn’t want it to be just a dance or musical performance; it’s truly a collaborative effort,” Natarajan emphasises.