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Thursday March 28, 2024

Art as opposed by the State and Extremism

By Web Desk
August 17, 2017

Dance was a prominent feature in the culture of the Indo-Pak subcontinent. While it flourished as an art form in India after Partition in 1947, its progress in Pakistan suffered a major blow because of the public opinion and state attitude towards dance.

An unfortunate reception of this art form in the newly found Pakistan left artists stunned because it was such an unexpected shift from the Indian culture.

Soon after the events of 1947, artists realized that the social atmosphere concerning dance and other arts in the nascent state was moving from secularism to conservatism.

The 89 year old instructor of classical dance, Indu Mitha was also one of these artists. Before partition she was a resident of Lahore whereas during partition she was living in Mumbai. When she returned to Lahore with her husband a few years after the creation of Pakistan, she was shocked by what her age-mates had to say.

'The most modern lot of females at that time, who did not practice religious veiling, were studying in Kinnaird College. They participated in politics and were also members of the National Guard. They organized a function and invited me but stated that my husband cannot attend it", Indu Mitha told BBC Urdu.

Mitha was taken aback by this condition put forward by the management and questioned them on this issue: "what has happened to you all?". In response to her queries, she was told that "this would be allowed only this time, this concession will not be offered in future". But Mitha believes she could never return to that place again.

Dance artist Sheema Kirmani holds an opinion contrary to the general conception that Partition has led to a growing influence of conservatism on public opinion.

She believes that after Partition, both India and Pakistan were in search of their national and cultural identities. Until three decades after the creation of Pakistan, fine arts institutes received public acceptance and the state took them under its care and also provided for these institutes.

She also gave examples of the establishment of the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) Arts Academy along with the creation of Rhythmic Art Center by her teachers Mr and Mrs Ghunshaam.

This couple received an invitation from the former Prime Minister Hussain Shaheed Suhrawardy himself to open this institute in Karachi.

Sheema informed BBC Urdu that during 1980s, Zia ul Haq's regime transformed the socio-political landscape of Pakistan. She said there came a time when Mr and Mrs Ghunshaam started receiving life threats and were forced to leave the country. Their house was stoned and it was written that 'whoever comes here will be punished under the Islamic law'. Such events pushed the unfortunate couple to the point of fleeing from Pakistan.

General Zia's regime and the division of Pakistan in 1971 were two decades during which most artists evacuated the country and Pakistan was left barren of any artistic talent. According to Sheema, Zia ul Haq introduced so-called Islamic laws against artists and specifically women. PIA Arts Academy was almost shut down.

TV shows promoting singing and dancing were banned. Women were prohibited from wearing ghungrus (traditional musical bells that adorn a dancer's feet) on stage and a formal 'No Objection Certificate' had to be signed which made performers agree to the clause of not dancing.     

Female dancers were constantly subjected to censure and classical dance was probably the only profession where men faced more difficulties than women. When Mani Chao first entered the field of dancing 26 years ago, Zia ul Haq's regime had ended but effects of his oppression stayed in the form of conservative thought that was widely prevalent.

While talking to BBC Urdu he said, "my friends used to say you wear ghungru. Only the transgender community adopts such an attire. I used to refute this by saying why do we associate certain things to each other and then restrict it to that classification. Dance is not related to transgenders, it is the inner emotional state of a person. Whenever you listen to music that appeals to you, you naturally sway to the rhythm".

Mani Chao learnt dance under the guidance of Sheema Kirmani during 1990s and along with her, brought this art form to stage and performed in various cities. They specialize in the Bharatanatyam dance form which originated in Southern India and is modeled on goddesses and characters from Hindu mythology.

Once they went to perform in Jama Karachi but students belonging to religious parties harassed them. "A man who is a dancer wearing ghungru and that too dressed up like a Hindu...they came to beat me up but I was made to escape from the backstage. Later I cried because today I could have lost my honour and broken my legs with which I could never dance again", said Chao.

He believes society is gradually changing but dance is still looked down upon. He says people will come to watch but the same audience will also curse the art and artists soon after leaving.

Today even if state does not intervene in the promotion and progress of dance as an art form, it still has to face the challenges posed by extremism prevalent in public thought which has even subdued the most resistant of artists.

Comparing past to present times, Sheema Kirmani says "We don't know who among the public may plant a bomb. We don't know who in the audience may be offended by our dance on behalf of their thought, religion or faith. Never before had I imagined that anyone from the audience would go to such an extent".