27/11/2022
Playing the role of a “nautch” girl in the musical “Jalsa” by Kalakar Arts as a London born and based Kathak dancer, an English barrister and corporate legal professional has been raising several questions in my mind.
There are times when one’s value to society is palpably measurable and expendable even if the provenance of that service is intangible and spanning several eras. One such example is the denigrated nautch girl who may have wanted simply to level up in life though any means possible.
Today while I look at London’s Dickensian streets through a rain dripped backseat window I don’t see any nautch girls here. Their ankle bells and swirling silks don’t echo in my ears. Yet when I put on my own ankle bells and silk ghagra I hear their stories loud and clear. They say to me “This is your time. Make every beat count”
See you on 3 December @ Bhavan, London 🙏
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/4a-castletown-road/bharatiya-vidya-bhavan/kalakar-arts-uk-presents-jalsa-a-live-musical-life-and-music-of-gauhar-jaan-and-indubala/e-vaylgy
