A Century of Indian Dance

Over his lifetime classical dancer and collector Mohan Khokar (1924-1999) built up a large collection of dance memorabilia, ranging from photographs, paintings, costumes, gramophone records, Chola bronzes, puppets, letters, textile, stamps, dolls, handbills, calendars and even firecracker boxes. Much to the delight of Delhiites this priceless collection is now on display at an exhibition titled “A Century of Indian Dance: 1901-2000”.

The treat begins with the Nataraja gallery. Bronze images of Nataraj traceable to the Chola period give way to other sections of the exposition. A Nataraj made of broken bangles and beads on a sketch of the deity from the last century holds pride of place. A photograph recounts the fascinating story of a set of talented Devadasis who came along as the dowry of princess Chimnibai on her marriage to Sayajirao Gaekwad, Maharaja of Baroda in 1883. The dancers stayed on to entertain the court and Bharatanatyam subsequently spread to North and West India.

Many of the photographs were taken by Khokar. Uday Shankar, the pioneer of modern Indian dance, is revealed in a range of photographs, including one with Rabindranath Tagore. Equally compelling are the photographs of the prima donnas of Indian dance such as Mrinalini Sarabhai, T. Balasaraswati, MK Saroja (Mohan Khokar's wife), Rukmini Devi Arundale, Zohra Sehgal, Kumudini Lakhia and Uma Sharma. One arresting image has a young Pandit Birju Maharaj, the doyen of Kathak in motion. The collection also includes modern dancers such as Astad Deboo, Daksha Sheth and Aditi Mangaladas, to name just a few.

The dancing dolls, several letters to Khokar from dancers like Ragini Devi, Ted Shawn and Indrani Rahman, stamps and posters add an interesting dimension to the exhibition.

The exhibition has been painstakingly curated by Khokar's son Ashish, a dance critic, and organised by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR). It is hailed as India's single largest dance holding by the Lincoln Centre, New York; The Dance Museum in Stockholm and UNESCO's Dance Council, Paris.

Iconic dancers milled around at the opening, admiring the works on display. Said Kathak maestro Pandit Birju Maharaj, “This exhibition reiterates that dance was and will remain beautiful. The dancer may be old but the eyes, expression and movement are always youthful.”

“There are unique pictures of old artistes which we would never have seen otherwise. They are great inspirations for youngsters,” asserted Kuchipudi exponent Kaushalya Reddy, second wife of famous Kuchipudi dancer Raja Reddy and sister of renowned dancer Radha Reddy who shares the stage with her husband.

ICCR now plans to take the collection around the world. US and Europe are likely to be the first stops. However, artistes are less than happy that the collection lacks a permanent home. The exhibition could change that. Says Saswati Sen, foremost disciple of Pandit Birju Maharaj: “The Sangeet Natak Akademi has more or less committed itself to supporting a state museum of performing arts. The Mohan Khokar collection will definitely find a place in that case.” The exhibition is on till July24.