The pursuit of dance is not everybody’s cup of tea; more so for a male. It goes without saying that passion is the driving force behind this artistic quest. What makes Kathak guru and performer Hemant Kalita stand out is his preference and perseverance to master Kathak. An Assamese by birth, he had the choice of two classical dances — either Assam’s own Sattriya or Manipuri which is culturally perhaps closer.
“I had a penchant towards dance and drama from childhood because of the prevalent culture in my native lower Assam. But I had no inkling of my own prowess till my father, a vice-principal of an educational institution and also a script-writer of Doordarshan observed it, encouraged and nurtured my inborn talent. However, I was equally keen to pursue my academics as I wasn’t comfortable with either Sattriya which had immense lasya element (feminine) or Manipuri whose text was beyond my comprehension at that age. My father also felt that a linear dance form would suit a boy and that’s how I was introduced to Kathak. My bagging a first prize and medallion in my college in dance competition was a turning point in my life. I decided to come to Delhi Kathak Kendra and joined the ranks of Pandit Birju Maharaj’s disciples. From there it was one arduous journey, as I moved ahead till date when I have established myself as an artiste and guru,” he puts it all succinctly.
Successful attempt
What makes Kalita even more different from his ilk is his constant longing to introduce Kathak to Assam in a big way by setting up schools at Guwahati and his village near by.
“The only hassle is that those who have the talent and passion to learn cannot afford to pay high fees. I have already started schools in these places and I keep travelling up and down from Delhi every month. And fees is more of a guru-dakshina, a token amount. I’ve earned enough through my foreign dance tours and my ‘Nrityangan’ school here. I’m constructing a guest house in my village where I can invite faculty and established performers to stay, perform and conduct workshops. My nest-egg has gone into it but the goodwill I have there is also evident with locals coming to help me make it a reality. I’m fortunate. Now the word has spread and other towns in Assam are seeking me out to start Kathak teaching and learning centres. My one such successful attempt was the International Siva Sagar festival as part of Shivaratri celebrations with the Assam Department of Culture which made a beginning this year. It was a dream for me to visit the very unique Shiva temple there during my childhood which never happened. Years later, I got the chance to not only get the festival at the place together but also perform at the sacred place which is a tourist destination,” says the dancer with a twinkle in his eye.
“My journey of giving back to society has just begun. I want to go beyond monetary considerations, train and establish the next generation to take up after me and build a seamless bridge between Delhi, where I have grown and Assam where my roots belong,” he signs off.