Molina Singh has preoccupied studying Meera Bai and portraying her since 1996 through Rajasthani folk dance. Meera Bai is the Hindu mystic poetess, whose enthrallment with Krishna is recorded in the annals of history as a precedent of devotion.
Singh, who first portrayed the poetess as a young student at Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra, is ready to now portray her as a mature woman of the world.
She will perform this dance narrative at Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra’s annual and much celebrated Kendra Dance Festival – The Renaissance of Indian Mythology, which commenced on May 1 and culminates on May 8.
With ever passing year, Singh understands the poetess better. This time around, her brief on Meera was tweaked to portray the poetess as someone different from what is otherwise written about her. “Our Meera doesn’t shed a tear’, I was told by the Shobha Deepak Singh, the producer and director of the presentation. That’s how I’ve come to comprehend Meera, as someone who isn’t submissive and meek, or coy about expressing herself straightforwardly,” says Singh, adding, “For me, she became somebody who asserts herself through her body and words. She is powerfully philosophical and that’s why her bhajans are joyously celebrated even today. Meera is unapologetic, feisty and brave. She doesn’t accept indignity and fights it back with full fervour.”
As Singh delved deeper into the character, she realised that Meera was not only an embodiment of divine love, but also a deeply self-aware woman who braved difficult personal circumstances – married off to Rana Sangha, King of Mewar, and forbidden to worshipping Lord Krishna. Singh highlights her non-conformity through her dance, and how she fought to maintain the purity of love that she had for Krishna. “As a married woman with a child, I admire Meera even more. When I see how women are treated and made to submit to dogmatic belief systems and reprimanded for following their beliefs, I feel enraged,” says the dancer, who has learnt to deal with her anger by portraying Meera in her pieces, dancing with freedom.
Putting emotion into motion, she aligns her feet align with her soul, releases pent up frustration about the way women are treated even today, despite all the awareness and education one talks about.
Just as no one could control Meera, no one can prevent Singh from honouring this woman whose struggle is a constant reminder to condemn the normalisation of abuse.
Through Meera, Singh connects to herself. But Meera is also her escape.
Kendra Dance Festival - The Renaissance of Indian Mythology
Till: May 8, 7 pm-8.30
At: Kamani Auditorium, Mandi House
Performance Lineup