This weekend, a unique event that marries folk music and poetry with mythology will cast light on the role of the arts in preserving the essence of love and beauty
Vibha Rani and Kavya Srinivasan
Love and devotion have dominated the foundation of many mythological tales we were brought up on. Stories of Shiv and Shakti, Nala and Damayanti, Satyavan and Savitri, and Radha and Krishna border on the universal principle of love and adulation. Bringing back the teachings of such stories, Love, Lust and Desire — a performance special by The Mythology Project — will try to highlight the rich cultural capital that we have inherited.
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The Mythology Project, an online platform studying ancient belief systems, folks and legends, was founded by Arundhuti Dasgupta and Utkarsh Patel. Dasgupta, an author and journalist, and Patel, a teacher of comparative mythology, aim to archive and nurture folklore. Through immersive workshops, talks, and educational tie-ups with cultural institutions, they want to inform audiences about the influence of our ancient texts on oral, written and performative traditions. Their upcoming event is another step in that direction.
Vibha Rani, who’ll be performing songs in Maithili at the digital event, said her songs will express the essence of love. “By love, I mean romanticism in its various forms. Love is a unifying force and exists in a mother-child relationship, between two lovers, communities or siblings. It should be recognised in each of these forms,” she shares. But is love an oft-quoted trope in the arts? Has it been overexploited? To that Rani says, “If so, it’s because love is an immortal feeling. It will never fade away. You take out love from key human functions and the universe will fall apart. For ages, love, lust and desire have found expression in modes of art. As social animals, we depict our emotions through music, dance, paintings, and more. So, as a recurrent theme, it will triumph.”
Writer-researcher and performance storyteller Kavya Srinivasan has devoted her area of work to the life and times of Kanhopatra. She explains, “Kanhopatra was a 15th century woman poet. Despite the difficulties she faced in life, she held on to the belief that love and beauty alone can bring people together. I am also a theatre-maker; as someone, who is invested in Bhakti movement and the Varkari tradition, I want to tell women-centric tales that frequently get tucked away. My narrations for the discussion will look at the concept of beauty, how women access the divine and also, who all are allowed to create art.”
Srinivasan shares that she’ll be recalling Kanhopatra’s story as a lens to look at beauty, adoration and love. Apart from her interactive storytelling, she will also sing a song by Kanho. The mythological discussion will be followed by a question and answer session, where attendees can approach the artistes and share their own insights and takeaways from the session.
On: February 26, 7 pm to 8 pm
Call: 9619235647 to register
Cost: Rs 300
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