The Tehzeeb-e-Tawaif Seminar - Discussion with Smt Shubha Mudgal and Ms Manjari Chaturvedi скачать в хорошем качестве

The Tehzeeb-e-Tawaif Seminar - Discussion with Smt Shubha Mudgal and Ms Manjari Chaturvedi

Conceptualised and Curated by Kathak Dancer and Founder of the Sufi Kathak Foundation Manjari Chaturvedi under "The Courtesan Project" research series. this symposium will be divided into sessions that re-tell stories, reaffirm histories and address issues related to these exemplary performers. The seminar will aim to encourage awareness and academic exploration of the fast-fading history and legacy of the Tawaif and highlight the important role of women performers in the shaping of, preservation and promotion of cultural heritage. This symposium follows on the heels of its recent iteration held in Delhi in March 2019, and continues the exploration of the subject since the first-ever All-India Tawaif’s Conferenceheld in 1961. Through discussions, film screenings and performance, the Symposium will aim to introduce alternate narratives about these incredible women performers that have been marginalized by history. Any study of India’s rich history of arts will be incomplete without a reference to the Tawaif, Baiji or Courtesan who served as vision and muse for poets, painters and musicians, and is a consummate artiste in her own right. Courtesans were known for their delicate poetry, a fine interlacing of Persian and Awadhi languages, their profound influence on musical traditions (like ghazals, dadra, thumri and gayaki) and their most indelible impact on expressive dance disciplines, imbuing the language of dance with poetics and soul. The Tawaifs and Baijis were once considered the epitome of performance art. They were held in high esteem and treated at par with Royalty. However, the important contributions of Courtesan Culture to Indian heritage have unfortunately been mitigated in the pages of history, having left residual and often highly romanticised traces. Journey back into India’s performative past with a unique event that brings the magic, the mannerisms and mujras of the Tawaif back to life! Session 2 | Performing the Art of the Tawaif 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM Singer and Composer Shubha Mudgal in conversation with Kathak Dancer and Founder of the Sufi Kathak Foundation Manjari Chaturvedi Courtesan performance usually combined singing ghazal, thumrior dadra combined with poetry and synchronised with a form of dance that incorporated elements of bhava(mime) and nrittya (pure dance). Two doyens from the twinned worlds of Indian music and dance come together to shed light on the performative aspects that contribute to the construction of the allegorical and real identity of the Courtesan. They shatter myths, re-establish dance and music lineage and legacy that stems from Tawaif culture and retell stories that provide a long forgotten context to these women’s roles in the shaping of India’s performing arts heritage. In terms of demonstrating the art of the dance, they will touch upon how Mujras are seen to have been conventionally employed as a means of simultaneously introducing the tawaif, establishing her identity, and positioning her within the context of a male audience as a free agent. They will also uncover the Tawaif’s contributions to Indian music traditions and styles. Sufi Kathak Foundation under the guidance of Manjari Chaturvedi is dedicated to work towards removing social stigmas associated with courtesan and thereby giving them much deserved respect and place as artists par excellence. www.sufikathakfoundation.com