The man who taught 'abhinaya' to Malaysia

From inquisitions to shows being banned, Ramli Ibrahim, 65, has faced all kinds of problems in his home country for promoting Indian classical dance as well as other indigenous art forms of Malay origin. The Malaysian, who was honoured this year with one of India's top civilian awards, the Padma Shri, recalls how the wave of fundamentalism in the early 90s changed the freethinking so pervasive in the society those days, and branded him an 'apostate.'

Today, the dancer-choreographer stands as a fearless symbol of artistic creativity in an increasingly conservative Malaysia.

His affinity to Indian classical dance goes back to the sixties, when the Malaya peninsula was a more liberal place famed for its rich music, art and dance traditions. Ramli Ibrahim, born to Muslim parents, is a product of that age.

While he did, what most boys did in an economically forward and culturally rich Malaysia of that decade; —studying in the Royal Military College and moving out to University abroad, the lure of dance kept him in a state of quest. So much so that he began learning ballet from the Australian Ballet School while doing his Bachelor of Engineering from University of Western Australia.

His search got another beautiful twist when, in Sydney, Ramli met Adyar K Lakshman, who got training and exposure under the famous artist Rukmini Devi Arundale. It was here that Ramli began studying Bharatnatyam seriously.

The Australian Arts Council also sponsored Ramli's Odissi training in Odisha, under the well-known exponent Debaprasad Das.

In 1983, he made his debut in Malaysia. "I performed to a packed audience, which included some ministers of the present-day government too. My solo dance included both Bharatnatyam and Odissi. Every abhinaya and movement was applauded," he tells TOI.

But soon fundamentalist elements hit back. There were times when his dance performances were stopped.

Once Ramli had to face an inquisition by the Jakim (the government Islamic body formed as per the Shariah) on his salutations to Hindu gods such as Ganesha and Shiva during his dances. He recalls a room full of stern faces and grilling questions, which he faced without a lawyer. "I countered that everything in art is metaphorical," he says.

Today, however, his Sutra Dance Theatre is attended by hundreds of wannabe dancers, cutting across race and religion. Ibrahim says the universality of his work has muted the 'apostate' tag.

Ramli was conferred by the Datukship by 'The Agong', the Malaysian equivalent of King. The Sangeet Natak Academy award, the Chausath Yogini Pitha Award, and many other awards in India has added to his worldwide recognition. Recently, on his Padma Shri, he received a congratulatory message from Malaysian PM Najib.

Yet Ibrahim Ramli believes it is the audience that has sustained his art and passion through the decades. "A lot of the Indian Malaysian cultural heritage has remained vibrant over the centuries because of this human connection nurtured by individual artists."

He adds that his path was also made easier by one organisation and one individual in India – the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and Lalit Mansingh. This former Indian diplomat and his Kalinga Foundation worked like a catalyst in his career.

Today, Ibrahim's influence in Malaysia’s cultural scene goes beyond the fact that he helped bring Odissi and Bharatnatyam to its stage. "My Sutra Dance Theatre is producing some stunning contemporary work that encompasses ballet, folk dances, indigenous art, modern and classical Indian dances," he says.

Recently, his troupe was in India where they performed in Lucknow and Gorakhpur, with UP CM Yogi Adityanath attending the shows.