I am in Washington DC on the first few days of October, looking at the streets drenched by drizzle and downpour. But the lovely Terrace Theatre at the Kennedy Center is filled with all the warmth, colour and exhilaration of Indian art music and dance at the three-day Utsav event. Organised by Sivam, the third edition of this autumn festival is marked by class, taste and professionalism. The variety of styles cannot but hoist a triumphant flag for India as the land of diversities.

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Sometimes what is obvious strikes you with a new force in a different setting. Indian arts are all about the guru passing on the legacy to the disciple. We saw the strength of their legacy in the celebrity artistes. We also saw the youngsters shouldering their responsibilities.

Indian classical performing arts have deep roots in tradition. But they are neither exotic exercises nor museum relics. At Utsav we saw just how this old tradition can be elastic and expansive, inventive and inclusive, how it can be interpreted to reflect and comment on present-day realities.   

Sarod maestro Amjad Ali Khan has long been committed to world peace, remember his concert at the UN on the ninth anniversary of 9/11? On Gandhi Jayanti at the Kennedy Center he invoked world harmony.  Raag Khammaj became a plea for unity — with strains of the Mahatma’s favourite bhajan Vaishnav Janato, and Tagore’s Ekla Chalo Re. His Zillah Kafi shifted to raag Gaara with “Raghupati raghava rajaram”. Yes, Hindustani music can be mystical, romantic, but also foster fellow feeling across the globe.

Carnatic music is devotion-centred. But popular vocalist Sudha Ragunathan, who came next, balanced the contemplative with the insouciant. No jingoism in this music — the songs were from many languages, rejoicing in the pluralistic strength of India.

The violin came to India with the British Raj and the British band, way back in the 18th century. But listening to doyenne Carnatic violinist A Kanyakumari at Utsav, was to be wholly convinced that it really belongs to south India! Paradoxically, this parampara artiste’s “Carnatic Symphony” was all about innovation in a medley of four violins, flute, conventional mridangam and modern rhythm pad. The artistes were drawn from three generations — from age 16 to 60-plus! And how did they begin their concert? With the American national anthem resounding on strings and drums. The audience in Washington stood up with hand on heart and high feeling.

What astonished everyone at Utsav’s “celebration of India’s music and dance” was “Don Quixote”, yes, straight from Miguel Cervantes’ great Spanish novel, by the Sahrdaya Group from Chennai. The basic performance mode was Bharatanatyam, but hinting at many styles including flamenco rhythms. The packed hall was elated when the young dancers balanced farce with pathos. They were able to convey the deep philosophy behind the madness of an old man who tilts at windmills and jousts with the sheep. Is Don Quixote deluded? Yes. But his impulsions are much needed today — courage and compassion, the desire to fight evil and right wrongs. 

Finally, in a perfect blend of art and aesthetics, Madhavi Mudgal and her group of Odissi artistes cast the spell of Krishna’s love and beauty. But was that ideal world to remain a dream? A memory for nostalgic recall? As Mudgal and her co-artistes shaped it, the paradigm became a goal to struggle for.

All the music, dance and poetry at Utsav seemed to say that with effort and commitment, we can build bonds, actualize the ideal in the here and now. After all, that is the ultimate aim, the true rasa, of India’s art.