Manjari Chaturvedi's 'Qawwali' Performance Cut Short In UP

Manjari Chaturvedi was supposedly ordered to end her Qawwali performance midway at an event planned by the Uttar Pradesh government. The event was held in Lucknow on Thursday evening. This was because she was performing on a Qawwali - a style of Sufi devotional music.

Chaturvedi claimed that while she was performing on the Qawwali, the music was paused and an announcement was given for the next act. She told a news channel that she thought it was a technical glitch, but then the next act was announced. It became clear to her that this was not an error. “When I asked the concerned administrators, I was told “Qawwali nahi chalegi yahan (qawwali cannot happen here),” she said.

Also Read: Manjari Chaturvedi Strives To Erase Stigma Surrounding Courtesans

“Since everyone was late, it was decided that the programmes would be cut short. Thus, 15 minutes were allocated for each programme. Ms Chaturvedi was dancing to prerecorded music, and the music was paused after 15 mins by her technical staff.”

Performance stopped midway

In a Facebook status, the notable dancer said that this is the show that will be etched in her memory forever. And that she will be sharing these details later.

Chaturvedi informed the media that she was assigned 45 minutes for her act. And it was pre-planned, yet her act was stopped midway, and no reason was provided. “I have never faced this kind of behaviour before in my two-decade-long career,” she added.

According to government official of UP Government

A government spokesperson denied the allegations and informed NDTV that everyone at the function knew that a part of her act would be on a qawwali. The spokesperson said she was requested for this only and that the name of her performance was Rung-e-Ishq, a title cleared by the UP government. The spokesperson said that due to heavy rains in the city, delegates entered the destination only at 8.45 pm. “Since everyone was late, it was decided that the programmes would be cut short. Thus, 15 minutes were allocated for each programme. Ms Chaturvedi was dancing to prerecorded music, and the music was paused after 15 mins by her technical staff.”

In a Facebook post this afternoon, Chaturvedi stated that the UP government had told her the programme with qawwali would be part of the UP's statehood ceremonies. This will take place on January 27 this year which will be inaugurated by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

More about Manjari

Manjari Chaturvedi is a post-graduate in environmental science. She endeavours at creating an interface with different forms like the music of Rajasthan, Kashmir, Awadh, Punjab, Turkmenistan, Iran and Krygistan. Chaturvedi is expressly drawn to Sufi mysticism and has attempted to incorporate movements in her performances that are evocative of the meditative practices. She has also performed at the Taj Mahal and Sydney Opera House.

“I have never faced this kind of behaviour before in my two-decade-long career,” - Manjari Chaturvedi

Being a leading representative of Kathak, she is also recognised with performing for an art form called Sufi Kathak. She was trained in Lucknow and in the last decade completed over 200 concerts all over the world.

Also Read: While Dance Is My Life, Motherhood Is My Strength: Smiti Pandey

Image: Manjari Chaturvedi/Facebook

Saumya Rastogi is an intern with SheThePeople.TV