The Play

Inspired by the short story Trishanku written by renowned Hindi author Mannu Bhandari, this Kathak choreographic production is based on the tug of war which every middle generation faces between the traditional values of the previous generation and the progressive/modern outlook of the next generation. The ideal situation is the balance that one has to arrive at, encompassing all the good values of both the previous and present generations and discarding those that hamper the growth of the society.

DIRECTOR/ CHOREOGRAPHER’S NOTE

I tend to pick up subjects for my choreographies, from my own life experiences. It is only when I can feel it from my heart, that I am able to express it in dance.

Trishanku is a story written by the renowned Author Mannu Bhandari. It was written she was bringing up her teenaged daughter. Since I happened to be that daughter, this story has always been very close to my heart.

And it related perfectly to the experiences of my journey from being a daughter of a mother, to becoming a mother of a daughter. This journey which is full of innumerable conflicts and contradictions, made me realize on hindsight that this is the story of every middle generation. How much to break from the past …… how much to take from the future. Is there a perfect balance? Ever?

The Director

Rachana Yadav is the daughter of Smt. Mannu Bhandari and Shri Rajendra Yadav, two eminent names in the world of Hindi literature. She has done post-graduation in mass communication from the Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi, and is a recipient of Silver Salver Award from the institute. She has also completed her Prabhakar in Kathak from Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad.

Rachana has been a repertory member of The Drishtikon Dance Foundation - Aditi Mangaldas Dance Company. She has also performed in choreographies by Pt. Jaikishan Maharaj and given several solo performances in many important cities of India. Presently, she is working on independent productions. Her dance academy The Rachana Yadav Kathak Studio in Gurugram conducts classes and workshops.

The Author

Mannu Bhandari is an eminent Indian author most known for her Hindi novels, Aap ka Bunty and Mahabhoj. She is often credited as one of the pioneers of the Nayi Kahaani Movement, initiated by authors including Nirmal Verma, Rajendra Yadav, Bhisham Sahni, Kamleshwar etc. Bhandari is one of the post-independence writers who portray women under a new light, as independent and intellectual individuals. Through the subject matter of her narratives, Bhandari highlights the struggles and difficulties women have constantly encountered in the past.

The Group

The Rachana Yadav Kathak Studio is a dance company started by Rachana Yadav Khanna in 2007 as a training Academy for Kathak. It started its professional performing repertory in 2009 with its first choreographic production Rhythms of the Collective. Thereafter TRYKS has produced a lot of solo and group choreography. Trishanku was produced in 2017 by the group. The group has 9 professional dancers who perform this production. These dancers are proficient in Kathak and have been trained by some of the topmost Gurus of Kathak. The first part of the music is composed by the legendary Gundecha Brothers and has been sung by two of their senior most disciples. The second part has been composed by well-known classical vocalist Samiullah Khan.