Written by: Mahnaz Shujrah
Posted on: March 05, 2020 | 
An Archival Image of Indu Mitha Dancing (photo credits to TMDC)
Friends and fans gathered at Alhamra Arts Center, Lahore recently to honor dance guru Mrs. Indu Mitha on her 90th birthday. A series of dance performances were put together by Tehreema Mitha for her teacher and mother. In collaboration with Lahore Arts Council, the event was open for public, and organized by Tehreema Mitha Dance Company (TMDC), a non-profit organization established in 2001.
The host of the evening was Khanzada Asfandyar Khattak, Indu Mitha’s student, while Ms. Nasreen Shah of Lahore Grammar School (LGS) gave a brief background on the life of Indu Mitha. Born Indu Chatterjee, she belongs to a Bengali Christian family that settled in Lahore. Her father was a renowned professor at Government College, and she grew up on the campus. She studied at the well-known Kinnard College for Women, and during Partition her family moved to Delhi. She had a keen interest in dance from a young age, and after moving to India, she acquired professional training in Delhi and Madras where she learned Bharatanatyam. Although she would have had more freedom to continue dance in India, she made the decision to marry Abubakr Osman Mitha, an officer in the Pakistan Army.
An Indu Mitha Dance Performace (photo credits to TMDC)
Her husband, knowing her passion for dance, never restricted her activities. In a documentary “She Dances On”, directed by Shireen Pasha in 1996, Tehreema Mitha talks about how she and her two sisters learned dance from their mother, and their home was often full of cultural activities. Following the footsteps of her mother, Tehreema went on to become a professional dancer, and while she is trained in many styles, the Bharatanatyam is her favored dance form. Indu Mitha has been affiliated with many institutions, including LGS, where she taught for many years. Mitha continued to teach dance for much of her life, and she retired at the age of 87.
Tehreema Mitha (photo credits go to TMDC & Alhamra)
The evening consisted of nine performances, six of which were classical, and three contemporaries. Different raag were performed, including Raag Misra Bhairavin, Raag Malkauns, Raag Bheen Plaasi and Raag Chandrakauns. Most performances consisted of Teen Taal (sixteen beat cycle), while a few performances had a seven-beat cycle. The performance was unlike anything I had witnessed before. The design of the costumes was very traditional for the initial performances, and impressively creative during the contemporary ones. Their accessories were beautiful, with jasmine flowers in their hair, heavy jewelry and henna on both hands and feet. Throughout the performance, I was awe-struck by the energy and stamina that Tehreema Mitha exhibited. During the short break, many people who had brought flowers for Mrs. Mitha, presented them to her.
The performance “Ayree Maan”, was one of the highlights of the evening. It was a narrative about a girl who comes to her mother, whose lover leaves her with more than just a broken heart. The theme was introduced at the beginning of the performance, but the range of feelings which were conveyed through the movements and expressions of Tehreema Mitha were astounding. The story was one of sorrow, and one felt deeply moved by the depth of emotion despite not a single word being uttered. Dance is not just a movement of the body, but can be a powerful expression of emotions, which is why it has remained a part of our heritage.
One of the most enjoyable parts of the performance was the music. Many of the performances had pre-recorded sounds of multiple instruments and vocals, with narrations by Tehreema Mitha herself. Sur and taal were both beautifully in sync throughout the evening. Even more mesmerizing was the live tabla and sitar performances by Ustaad Ashfaq Saleem Khan Poonchwaalay on sitar, and Ustaad Sunny Jimmy on tabla.
My personal favorite was a contemporary performance titled “Khabt Savaar Huwa” (Slowly Going Mad), in which a girl becomes distracted by a fly while reading a novel. The idea behind the dance was immensely creative and beautifully executed, with the audience clapping when the girl finally manages to get the fly. The fusion of classical steps and an upbeat theme made it wonderfully relatable and lighthearted.
Amna Mawaz (photo credits to TMDC & Alhamra)
The finale “Raqs-e-Rooh” (Dance of the Soul), was indeed spectacular. This contemporary, solo performance first premiered in 1993, and has been regarded as iconic since. It was performed in Raag Kirvani, with Teen Taal (16 beats). Based on the poetry of Maulana Rumi, Tehreema Mitha explained, “It is about remembering the simple message of the Sufis: each of us must find our own path to the ultimate truth, by first breaking away from materialism, violence and individual love and then seeking the answer.”
Tehreema Mitha (Left) Dancing with her Teacher and Mother Indu Mitha (R) (photo credits go to TMDC)
The evening concluded with a standing ovation from the audience, and a few words of appreciation by Indu Mitha.
It is difficult to come across such traditional performances in Pakistan, since there are very few artists trained in Classical Eastern dances. Even then, strong women like Sheema Kirmani, Nighat Chaudhry and Tehreema Mitha continue to use dance as a creative medium of expression, even when the odds were stacked against them. This dance tribute will also take place in Karachi, Saturday, March 7th as a part of the 1st Women’s Conference at Arts Council Karachi, as well as at PNCA, Islamabad on the 14th of March.
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