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 Dr. Uma Sharma awarded 'Sumitra Charat Ram Award' - Manjari Sinha e-mail: manjari@sinha.com December 2, 2022 It was a memorable evening of mesmerizing abhinaya when the Kathak queen Uma Sharma took to the Kamani stage after being conferred this year's 'Sumitra Charat Ram Award' for Lifetime Achievement. Dr. Karan Singh, the chief guest of the ceremonial soiree hosted by Shriram Bharatiya Kala Kendra (SBKK), presented it to Uma Sharma in the august presence of Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, the Guest of Honour, and Shobha Deepak Singh, Director, SBKK. Speaking on the occasion Dr. Karan Singh and Amjad Ali Khan remembered Late Sumitra Charat Ram as a harbinger of cultural revival in post-independent India. Amjad Ali Khan remembered her with gratitude for getting the young Amjad admitted in the Modern School against the wishes of his Guru and father Ustad Hafiz Ali Khan who was invited to Delhi by her along with a number of other stalwarts to teach at Bharatiya Kala Kendra in late 1950s. Amjad Ali Khan also praised the depth of bhaav in Uma Sharma's abhinaya against the present scenario of Kathak's tezi and taiyyari.  Shobha Deepak Singh, Uma Sharma, Dr.Karan Singh, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan The Sumitra Charat Ram Award was instituted by the SBKK in 2010 to commemorate the huge contribution of Sumitra Charat Ram (1914-2011) to the cultural scene of the capital right from the All Night Music Conference to herald the 'Independence Day' of the free India on 15th of August 1947, with stalwarts of Indian music and dance celebrating the momentous occasion. Previously the Sumitra Charat Ram Award has been conferred upon Pt. Birju Maharaj, Kishori Amonkar, Guru Mayadhar Raut, Kumudini Lakhia, Pt. Jasraj, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Girija Devi, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, and Dr. Sonal Mansingh. Shobha Deepak Singh, the flag bearer of the SBKK taking forward her mother's legacy, spoke highly about Dr. Uma Sharma as a renowned classical dancer who has been decorated with the Padma Bhushan and the SNA awards, for her unique contribution in the field of art. She complimented her for revolutionizing the Kathak repertoire with literary and intellectual substance by including the works of great poets of our country from ancient to modern times. In spearheading the transformation of this art form, Uma has etched out colour and concern about issues that matter, stressed Shobha Deepak Singh. Overwhelmed, Uma Sharma reciprocated with, "I am honoured on being recognized for my contribution to Kathak, which is my first love. It is my passion for this art that has helped me take it to generations and let it evolve. Receiving Sumitra Charat Ram Award for Lifetime Achievement reinforces my belief in myself and in the bright future of Kathak in India."  Uma Sharma The award ceremony was followed by her performance assisted by her students. Uma fondly remembered Sumitra Charat Ram and her motherly love before opening her performance. She had back pain but honoured the request of Shobha Deepak Singh remembering the 'Zinda-Dili' (sporting spirit) of her Guru Shambhu Maharaj, reciting his Urdu couplet, "Tan-e-mareez mein dum ka shumaar baaqi hai / Na jaayen aap abhi jaan-nisaar baaqi hai." and said, "I also forget all the pain and everything else, when it comes to dance!" Accompanied by Imran Khan and Madho Prasad for vocal support, tabla by Mubaraq Ali, and Khalid Mustafa on sitar, she opened with the invocatory "Hey Govind, hey Gopal..." and proceeded to a Pada of Paramanand Das, "Dekho ri ye baalak, Rani Yashoda ko jaayo...." where just two words "Dekho ri" were expressed in umpteen shades of bhaav. The Meera Bhajan "Vaari vaari....," one of her favourites, was also dealt with the same intensity before she proceeded to "Kahe ko mere ghar aaye..." depicting a khandita nayika. "Kit Chhamiho Maharaj, Ho Brijnaath" was an equally powerful presentation where she showed the 'Din raati" with the black and white areas of her eyes symbolising the night and day respectively.  She imaginatively used her group choreography for students sometimes as a filler with the music between two antaras and at times to create the emotional ambiance for the bhaav she emoted so intensely. The other pieces were "Maiya mori, main nahin maakhan khayo..." by Surdas and the immortal poetry of Ghalib she concluded her soul-stirring abhinaya with. Here, her students dressed in Mughaliya attire holding lighted candles in their hands joined together in a circle taking the candles down while she emoted the pathos filled lines "Ek shamma rah gai thi / so woh bhi khaamosh hai". No wonder the Sumitra Charat Ram Lifetime Achievement Award had inspired her to showcase so convincingly, the lifetime experience of her life itself! The unforgettable evening will linger for a long time in the minds and hearts of the Rasikas who were fortunate enough to witness this magical evening.  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. |
