WARRIOR WOMEN Of BHARAT
WARRIOR WOMEN of BHARAT is dance theatre production conceptualised by the internationally celebrated danseuse & choreographer, Padma Shri awardee Prathibha Prahlad. The multi-style production features Padma Shri awardees Prathibha Prahlad, Shovana Narayan, Anita Ratnam, Alekhya Punjala, Gopika Varma, Sharodi Saikia and Meera Das, performing in their respective styles. The storytellers who will knit the lives of valorous women warriors who lived in different centuries will be Rashmi Vaidyalingam and Averee Chaurey.
Warrior Women Of Bharat is a multi-style dance theatre production featuring celebrated and respected classical and contemporary senior dancers & theatre actors drawn from all over the Country.
Warrior Women Of Bharat celebrates the lives of fearless, heroic women, who, driven by patriotism and love for their motherland, took up arms and entered the battlefield to fight British imperialism.
The freedom struggle is replete with tales of thousands of warriors, who fought the British, until their very last breath, to preserve the territorial freedom and integrity of their motherland. Stripped of their titles, humiliated, cheated, these royals, nobles and commoners did not meekly accept their freedoms being taken away and fought with all their might. While many of them are immortalised in the history of Bharat Varsha, some do not find mention as freedom fighters and do not find a place in our history books which they truly deserve.
Women warriors picked up the sword, when men gave up or were killed to fight for the territorial, physical, and fiscal integrity of their lands. To quote Rani Lakshmi Bai, “ In the words of Lord Krishna, we will, if we are victorious, enjoy the fruits of victory; if defeated and killed on the field of battle, we shall surely earn eternal glory and salvation…” The indomitable spirit of warriors of Rani Velu Nachiyar of Tamil Nadu, Rani Chennamma of Karnataka, Rani Avanti Bai of Madhya Pradesh, Rani Lakshmi Bai and Begum Hazrath Mahal of Uttar Pradesh, Kanakalatha Barua of Assam and Capt. Lakshmi Sehgal of the Indian National Army will be celebrated through this production.
On the occasion of AZADI KA AMRIT MAHOTSAV, this dance theatre production pays homage to these outstanding, emancipated, courageous women, who did not shirk from picking up arms and going to the battlefield to keep the British colonists away.
Every patriotic Indian should remember the sacrifices made by our unsung women who died fighting against the imperialist British Raj.
WARRIOR WOMEN OF BHARAT has been produced by Indira Gandhi National Centre For The Arts and Prasiddha Foundation.
WALKING WITH THE MAHATMA
Concept & Choreography: Prathibha Prahlad
Choreographer’s Note
In the last 100 years, the focus has shifted from India’s fight against oppression and colonial rule to fight against societal injustices such as untouchability, illiteracy, uncleanliness and gender inequality. Just as the Champaran movement, spearheaded by Gandhiji, became the first Satyagraha movement which went on to bring freedom to India; our fight now is to clean India in actuality and in spirit.
Mahatma Gandhi, with his humanity, sensitivity and spiritual aura, has been a favoured subject with many artistes. His dynamic character has been brought alive in a visual language through this production –“WALKING WITH THE MAHATMA” that varies from realistic to quasi-abstract.
“WALKING WITH THE MAHATMA” aims to set in motion representations of India, each of which expresses a personal reality as is perceived, imagined or dreamt. In quick succession, scenes change from the meditative quality of Gandhiji’s leadership and vision to the masses taking on cudgels to fight the many injustices; from cleaning the waters of sustenance, preserving ecology, environment to religion, philosophy and striving for a just society. The dance –theatre production moves seamlessly through the various dance forms of Bharatanatyam, Chhau, Thang Tha, and contemporary movement to synthesise through artistic imagery, the many thoughts to be reconciled and the many battles yet to be won.
Cleaning one’s surroundings, fighting for equal opportunities for all, and spinning Khadi which symbolised the Swadeshi movement were espoused & practiced by the Mahatma a 100 years ago.
Our country is the bridge of many perceived polarities – philosophy and art, meditation & movement, science and religion. It is time for us to look into ourselves to attain an affluent, clean society, rid of social inequities and centred from within.
Concept & Choreography: Prathibha Prahlad
A PRASIDDHA REPERTORY presentation