Choreographer’s Note: Deeply inspired by the open-as-the-sky abandon of Sufi poetry on one hand and the crystallized structures which inform the Tamil poetic expression, this work is not a conscious bringing together of the North and the South but a deeply subjective expression of my love of these two forms. Incidentally, I saw a performance of the Kutrala Kuravanji, the very year I took to learning Bharatanatyam, and it has stayed with me since, its music, its poetry, its format and the play of the characters, particularly the koratti or the divining gypsy. The process has involved first isolating disperate images and experiences from these two forms that bear personal resonance and then finding the artistic license to blend them together; this itself bears the stamp of time and personal growth. It has been a joy working with my fellow dancers who did not only bring talent and different dance techniques but also insightful interpretations to the work, plus the wonderful team of musicians who worked with sensitivity to blend two distinct musicscapes together. It is a great privilege to know and work with Dr. Madan Gopal Singh with whom I have a long standing association, he is not only a treasure house of Sufi poetry and imagery, but his voice has that distinct quality which compunded with the choice of lyrics and compositions, never ever fail to transport me; and G. Elangovan, who apart from being a versatile vocalist and composer is also a Tamil scholar and helped immensely in chosing, juxtaposing and composing the lyrics.

Navtej S. Johar