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REVIEW / REPORTGoddess worshipped by the transgenders- Vijay Shankere-mail: vijaydance@gmail.com October 4, 2026 Kala Moksha Academy of Performing Arts and Nata Ravi presented the Abhinna programme showcasing two unusual and unique dance productions known as 'Bahuchara Mata Ki Katha' and 'Parkaya' by Sunil Sunkara and Aklshobhya Bharadwaj respectively, at the mini PL Deshpande auditorium in Dadar, Mumbai, on 7th August. The story telling aspect dominated the dance sequences, hence it was quite absorbing and interesting for the select audience.  Sunil Sunkara Bahuchara Mata is the mother of transformation and acceptance, 'Kuldevi' particularly for the Charan community of poets, bards and devotees and custodians of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Also known as the goddess of transgenders and queers. The story is rather interesting. The goddess encounters a warrior who attempts to dishonour her, and through her divine power, his masculine identity is transformed and he ultimately surrenders his life to the goddess, accepting a new spiritual path in her service. The soul transcends the physical form. The transformation gives rise to sacred association between Bahuchara Mata, and those whose inner beauty does not conform to the conventional definition of any gender. Mother Goddess does not see the form of the body but the truth of the soul. The audience is distributed the "Mangalya shlokam" and recited along with the invocation of the goddess. Sunil Sunkara appears holding an earthen pot which is given to the artiste who ultimately portrays the goddess in the earthen pot, seated on the rooster. After worshipping the goddess, Sunil narrates the story of the goddess and her power of transformation and acceptance is revealed, ultimately reaching the pinnacle with circular movements, creating a mystic and spiritual atmosphere. Thereby Sunil showers everyone in the audience with flowers which was quite moving for the audience. Finally, the audience is delighted to see the portrait of the goddess in the earthen pot, which is gifted to the dancer of the evening, Sunil Sunkara. The evocative music and harmonium rendering was by Vaibhav Mankad, Satyaprakash Mishra on tabla, Alka Gujar on sitar, Manoj Kumar Pandya for side rhythm and Sumeet Patil for visual art and pot painting, Natara Ravi for costume.  Akshobhya Bharadwaj Contrary to the traditional perception of the Goddess, Kathak dancer Akshobhya Bharadwaj draws the attention of the audience to the contemporary perception of the male classical dancers in the context of the typical Indian society. Parkaya is feminine soul in a masculine body, the inner struggles against the identity of the society. Akshobhya narrates the intense story of the male classical dancer, how his peers find him strange, hence embarrass him, as the common notion prevailing is that dancing is a feminine occupation, hence not suitable for males. The dancer adopts an abandoned girl infant and one fine day after she becomes quite mature, asks him a pertinent question: "Can I call you Ma (Mother)?" That was the soul stirring moment of the presentation. With the combination of intricate footwork in Kathak style, music, theatre with powerful storytelling in which the soul transcends the physical form. It's a wonderful and intense journey of self-acceptance, liberation and the courage to express one own identity is undoubtedly praiseworthy.  Vijay Shankar is a Kuchipudi and Kathakali exponent, teacher, bilingual journalist, arts critic and actor. |
