Shyamhari Chakra
Two decades ago, two teenagers – one from India and the other from Sri Lanka – fell in love and got married. Twenty years later, their cross border love story has hugely helped the Indian classical dance style of Kathak to be popular in an alien land.
Heshan Gamage, now a celebrity-singer of Sri Lanka, came to Indira Kala Sangeet Viswavidyalaya at Khairagarh to study Hindustani music in the then Madhya Pradesh (now in Chhattisgarh state) where he met Anjali Mishra, a student of Kathak, from Raipur city. Their courtship followed by wedlock made Anjali a daughter-in-law of Sri Lanka since 2000.
“My father in law is a renowned film director and playwright who received the prestigious President’s Award of Sri Lanka thrice. My mother in law is an actress. Both encouraged their only son and my husband to be an artiste. So the family not only accepted me graciously despite me being a Hindu and Buddhism being their religion, it also paved my path to be what I am today”, acknowledged Anjlai who is the first Indian to head the Department of Dance at the University of Visual and Performing Art in Colombo.
“The Government of Sri Lanka has given me the best support for my career, profession and mission of Kathak’s promotion. I received government grant to pursue my Ph. D in India’s Benaras Hindu University. I was appointed as a lecturer of Kathak in Sri Lankan University where I was also made the head of the dance department. With government support, I could visit China, Singapore, Malaysia, Russia and Fuji to participate in dance events. I don’t think that I would have got so much of support in India,” she acknowledged with utmost gratitude to Sri Lanka.
While Sri Lanka is known for its love and patronage for Bharatanatyam, Kathak has been witnessing a steady rise in its popularity in Sri Lanka since Anjali settled down in Colombo. The series of dance festivals and workshops that she has been hosting in Sri Lanka in recent years has also been a catalyst to promotion of Indian classical dances in Sri Lanka.
Her husband apart, what else did Anjali love in Sri Lanka? “I love Sri Lanka so much. Its nature, lifestyle and climate reminds me of South India. It is a peaceful country. I love its food and the tea in particular”, shares Anjali.
“My husband is too fond of Indian food, music and culture. Our twin sons are also very fond of India,” she adds.
Does Anjali miss India after getting settled down Sri Lanka?
“India is my country of birth. So it’s natural that I miss my motherland. But I am happy that I am serving the dance and culture of my country in another country. I landed in Sri Lanka as I loved a Sri Lankan artiste. And Sri Lanka has offered me so much in return that I could not have aspired for,” confides the dancer who has been nominated for India International Dance Festival (IIDF) Award for 2020 for promotion of Indian classical dances in Sri Lanka.
