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Dancing away prejudices in the times of ‘love jihad’

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DailyBite
DailyBiteAug 03, 2017 | 20:23

Dancing away prejudices in the times of ‘love jihad’

Sometimes, old ways are the best. So falling back on good old Mughal-e-Azam to cheer for love in the age of “love jihad”? Yes, absolutely superlative!

Avni Sethi, a Kathak dancer and founder of Conflictorium, took to beating the bias by singing and dancing and stepping into Anarkali’s shoes. Or feet. She performed to the iconic, evergreen "Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya" soundtrack, next to graffiti of pure filth and hatred. 

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The words on the walls in Ahmedabad, Gujarat were smeared with warnings to “stupid Hindu girls” about love jihad. Avni Sethi taught the stupid Hindu girls to revel in the stupidity of love instead.

Here’s comedy artist Varun Grover tweeting a clip of Avni Sethi’s performance at a crowded street, next to a wall that’s spewing the typeface, Hate. But we forget to even give the verbal venom a fleeting glance, as we watch Avni in awe, matching our enthusiasm in her rhythm, losing our hesitations in the music of her feet.

The graffiti on quite a few arterial roads of Ahmedabad said: “Hindu daughter, beware of love jihad.” Avni Sethi dares them back, at places such as Law Garden, Ashram Road outside HK Arts College, Reform Club, Netaji Marg and Panchvati, as this report says.

Avni says:

“These are not quiet streets but main roads bustling with people through most part of the day. It is the heart of the city and to give such open threats within a city's landscape is leading us to a path of politics that is largely based on fear. Such propaganda is there on main roads for people to pick up the signs of what's coming ahead. It is not only on these five roads that this graffiti has been put, it is also on many other roads.”

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She adds:

“There's an open declaration that we're in love and why should we be scared. If I will love, I'll do so fearlessly. Performing with the graffiti in the backdrop raised a voice against this propaganda and when it’s done on a street, it helps engage and interact with people who regularly pass through streets where such messages are being disseminated.”

Avni Sethi’s open dance performance is both a brilliant challenge to the narrative of fear and hatemongering that the peddlers of prejudice want to market, as well as a marvellous demonstration in non-violent resistance to hate speech and crimes. There’s a Gandhian stoicism in Sethi’s bold Kathak moves, and a bueatiful tribute to the syncretic Bollywood traditions that have always upheld India’s inherent pluralism.

At a time when the world’s most famous monument to love, the Taj Mahal, is being dubbed “alien” to India, when grand old Mughals are being maligned on communal lines in order to score Hindutva brownie points, when history is airbrushed and the past saffronised, art and culture become both the first casualties as well as the only mode of effective popular resistance.

Like Avni Sethi, we have seen innovative resistance from a number of our writers, artistes, singers, musicians. Swara Bhaskar and Kangana Ranaut have openly politicised their public statements, always batting in favour of secular India. Varun Grover himself has taken comedy to new heights, and given us sharp, insightful comedy sketches taking on the political bigwigs.

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Of course, writers have been making their presence felt strongly, with multiple interventions in various debates. The #Awardwapsi campaign was an effective movement to register protest and democratic dissent in the country.

Avni Sethi, however, turns resistance via art into an attractive and aesthetic performance. It’s not just Kathak; it’s the rhythm of India’s wounded democracy and secular ethos that flows through her feet, as she steps on the road to the music of "Pyaar Kiya To Darna Kya". Indeed, what to fear when in love. And, true love isn’t blind; it’s politically progressive, breaking down barriers of caste, religion, language and region.

Last updated: August 03, 2017 | 20:26
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