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 'Veer Meera': A mesmerising musical empowering women - Manjari Sinha e-mail: manjari@sinha.com Photos: Innie Singh August 19, 2023 Sumitra Guha's Sumadhur Hamsadhwani Trust, dedicated to promoting Indian classical music and Arts presented 'Veer Meera', a beautiful musical on the theme of women empowerment, at Kamani Auditorium in Delhi. Sponsored by the Ministry of Culture celebrating Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, the inspiring musical was thoughtfully conceived, and excellently produced by vocalist/composer and Guru Sumitra Guha and her senior disciple Dr. Samia Mahbub Ahmad. Based on the story of the 16th-century mystic poet Meera Bai and her remarkable courage and unwavering devotion to Krishna, the stimulating musical was conceptualized and composed most sensitively through poetry, music, and dance.  Sumitra Guha with her accompanists The immersive musical depicts how despite facing societal and familial constraints, Meera fearlessly paved her own path, challenging norms and voicing her conviction against injustice. Meera served as a beacon of inspiration, symbolizing the strength, resilience, and indomitable spirit of women. The musical comprising Meera bhajans, inspirational songs, and dance was composed by Sumitra Guha, scripted by Pt. Vijay Shankar Mishra and choreographed by Kathak dancer Shinjini Kulkarni. The gifted granddaughter of Pt. Birju Maharaj, Shinjini also played the role of Meera. The inspirational spectacle that offered a holistic experience of poetry and music, dance and drama, opened with a melodious aalap in Bhupali by Sumitra creating an apt atmosphere for the opening song - "Meera ne jo raah dikhaai wo hi raah pakadni hai. Naari ke samman ki, hamen ladaai ladni hai. Jaago jaago Nari jaago, duniyaan dekh rahi tumko, Chali aa rahi sadiyon se jo, reet hamen badalni hai." The scintillating Sargam taans climaxing the gradually accelerating rhythm heralded the dance drama with a shower of applause by the enthusiastic audience. This theme song by the script writer Pt. Vijay Shankar Mishra was used as the musical refrain interspersed in-between Meera bhajans composed and sung by Sumitra Guha, throughout the storyline echoing the life journey of Meera Bai. After the death of her husband, for instance, when she refused to immolate herself, or when she drank the poison with a smile, the stanzas went - "Sati pratha ki rudhi todi, naari ko samman diya, Apni shakti ka parichay dene ko hans kar vishpaan kiya, Nahin digi wah maga se apne, vipadaon ki aandhi mein, Raaj paat ko thyaga thaana, duniyaan humen badalni hai. Meera ne jo raah dikhaai, wo hi raah pakadni hai."  The other song underlining Meera's indomitable spirit was - "Meera Krishna Deewani. Jo chaha so kar dikhlaaya, kabahu haar na maani Naari ki maryada hith, raar jagat se thaani. Meera Krishna Deewani." There were pre-recorded songs as well as live singing by Sumitra Guha accompanied on tabla by Suman Chatterjee, on percussions by Anurodh Jain, on flute by Devendra Kumar, and on keyboard by Abhishek Kumar. The bhajan "Mere toh Giridhar Gopal doosra na koi" for example, composed in Rageshri set to rupak tala was presented live when Meera delightfully worshipped her Giridhar Gopal in the temple her husband Rana Sanga built inside the palace so that his lovely wife didn't have to go out for her daily pooja rituals. "Meera Krishna Deewani" on the other hand was recorded because it was used repeatedly when the whole group of male and female dancers sang and danced playing mridang, jhaanjh, kartaal, et al following Meera or during the change of scenes. Like when Meera goes to meet Tulsidas, played by Mayukh Bhattacharya singing "Jake Priya na Ram-Vaidehi...". Mayukh also acted as the royal priest in the palace temple of Krishna. The concluding Meera Bhajan "Main toh saanvare ke rang raachi" was melodiously sung live by Sumitra in raga Yaman and gracefully danced by Shinjini. The recorded Nazrul Giti for group dance though couldn't gel well with the story centered around Rajasthan and later Brindavan and Dwaraka, Gujarat.   Shinjini Kulkarni The costume design by Sandhya Raman was really attractive. Shinjini looked like a gracious royal queen in her pink lahenga odhani and equally alluring in the white outfit too. In fact, the costumes of the whole group of dancers suited the captivating choreography. The script capably carried out the theme of women's empowerment through the story of Veer Meera. The immersive musical triumphantly celebrated Meera Bai's legacy to empower women and let them embrace their true selves and realize their own potential.  Manjari Sinha has an M.A. in Sanskrit and Music, and trained in vocal, tabla, sitar and Kathak dance. She has regular columns in national dailies as a music and dance critic. |
