THE month-long Kumbha Mela, the largest congregation of people and declared by Unesco as an "Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity", had just begun. And by the time the group from Sutra Foundation (Sutra) made their entrance into Prayagraj, also known as Allahabad, a heaving metropolis in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, more than 39,000 people who'd been lost in the crowd had been rescued.
The Kumbha Mela, said to represent a "potent mystical location where humanity congregates for a collective cleansing of body, mind and soul", spanned a very large area, with tents dotting the landscape as far as the eye could see.
The sea of lights that flickered in the inky darkness of the night made the area around the Sangam (a confluence of rivers, namely the Ganges and Jumna at Allahabad) glitter "…like a huge city of festivals".
"It was like a dream come true for the dancers of Sutra, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a part of a unique festival, known as the 'Mother of all Festivals'. Do you know this festival is celebrated in a cycle of 12 years?" begins Datuk Ramli Ibrahim, founder of Sutra Dance Theatre and the man who bequeathed Sutra Foundation, a bastion of traditional and contemporary arts, to the country in 2007.
Fast forward to more than two years later and the memories of that trip remain vivid in Ramli's mind. It's a beautiful day and we're seated across from each other in the cosy confines of an airy living room of his stunning home in Petaling Jaya, which overlooks a tranquil courtyard.
Dressed immaculately in an eye-catching batik shirt that's oh-so-flattering on his slim dancer physique, Ramli's eyes gleam as he takes me back in time to January 2019 when Sutra was invited to perform at the Kumbha Mela by the Department of Culture, Government of Uttar Pradesh, helmed by Dr Yogendra Prathap Singh. The Malaysian contingent would be among 12 countries performing at this grand festival.
Although Sutra had already performed in more than 40 cities in India, the experience at the Kumbha Mela during this particular outing was special. Enthuses Ramli: "We weren't just going to perform. We were also invited to experience the holy dip at the Triveni Sangam — the great bath of purification of the mind, body and soul. It's like the largest mandi that you can get in the world, attended by 175 million people during that month."
The state government of Uttar Pradesh, together with the Ministry of External Affairs of India and the Indian Council of Cultural Relations, spearheaded the global participation of artistes at the Kumbha Mela 2019.
The team from Sutra, which was ably coordinated and assisted by Yogi Chellapan, decided to chronicle the significance of the festival, as well as their participation in it, by publishing a coffee table book aptly titled The Kumbha Mela, Prayagraj: Joined in Dance where their experiences are captured in a vivid collection of photographs. This impressive tome also features stunning images from Sutra's participation in previous Kumbha Melas.
"The book, which I feel is a lovely celebration of the India-Malaysia cultural experience, was actually published late last year but it had been in the offing for a long time, especially after I was invited to this latest Kumbha Mela," shares the youthful 70-year-old dance maestro who's well known for his captivating performances in Indian classical dance, particularly in Odissi.
Asked what his objective was when he decided to cobble together this 196-page book, the legendary dancer and choreographer replies matter-of-factly: "I had no mission at all. I just think it's a great privilege for me to be in something that's so large, so potent. You just want to be a part of that and be able to share."
MEMORIES TO TREASURE
According to the book, the Kumbha Mela is a 49-day long collective ancient rite, which celebrates the miraculous purifying efficacy of the sacred waters of India's major rivers. The rite assumed enormous significance when the focus of the multitude of devotees was Prayagraj (otherwise known as Allahabad) where the Triveni Sangam, the revered meeting of the rivers — Yamuna, Ganga and the mythical Saraswati — is located.
Legend has it that the river Saraswati, believed to be still flowing, meets the other two rivers underground at this blessed confluence. By bathing at the Sangam at an opportune time, it's said that one would be able to shed the many layers of sins of this life and even past lives, and to thereafter be reborn and have the opportunity to script one's life on a clean slate.
"Since the moment we became aware of the Kumbha Mela, images of pilgrims and Naga-babas wearing dreadlocks, taking the holy dip in the waters of the Sangam became indelibly etched in our minds," confides Ramli, adding: "We were anticipating the experience, not only of performing our dance at the Kumbha, but also of bathing in the sacred waters of the Sangam."
The Sutra team, elaborates Ramli, tone laced with discernible pride, comprised 17 young and senior artistes, in addition to a technical crew. Eight of the performers were young dancers selected from Sutra's Dance Outreach Programme.
Ramli and his "children" (a term of endearment used by the doyen in reference to his dancers) were due to perform the Krishna Leela, which would be rendered in the Indian classical dance style of Odissi on Jan 28, 2019 to an audience of pilgrims and tourists.
They left Kuala Lumpur two days before and flew to Bengaluru before proceeding to Lucknow, where they stayed overnight in a hotel as it was already late. From Lucknow, on a very chilly morning the next day, they boarded a mini bus headed for Prayagraj.
It was the midst of winter and the group had to endure freezing weather. When they arrived at Prayagraj, Ramli remembers it was at dusk and the air permeated with a sense of heady anticipation as the city and its people looked forward to what was to come.
Outside, in the grounds of the Mela itself, people from all walks of life, from all over the land, irrespective of age, race, colour, caste, dogma and gender, walked barefoot as they prepared to take their holy dip at the Triveni Sangam.
Recalling the venue of their performance, Ramli shares that the theatre was an enormous tent auditorium built especially for the many cultural programmes organised for the huge crowd that had descended for the Mela.
Meanwhile, there were many international productions too, namely from Russia, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand and all over India. The performances primarily focused on the various forms and interpretations of Ram Leela, inspired by the Ramayana.
"Sutra prepared a full programme on Lord Krishna, the beloved pastoral god of the Hindu pantheon, celebrating his Leela or divine play," shares Ramli, adding that as many as 12,000 artists converged during that month-long period.
The Sutra dancers, according to the book, performed in front of an appreciative crowd, ably assisted by a creative technical team well prepared for the event. Says Ramli, a huge smile etched on his face: "The audience was really impressed with us and many actually went backstage to congratulate our dancers for their spectacular performance."
India, he adds, really did go all out for this. And it was truly an experience to remember. Although he and his dancers were only in Prayagraj for five days, Ramli did return once again at the end of the festival as a "… pravasi, a diaspora coming over as a VVIP."
OF DIVINITY AND DANCE
Despite being exhausted from their breathtaking performance the night before, no one from the Sutra team wanted to miss the opportunity to participate in the holy bath. They had no choice but to leave at the crack of dawn since they'd have to depart immediately after to get on a bus for a four-hour journey to Lucknow to catch their return flight home.
His eyes dreamy, Ramli confides: "I loved the romanticism of being with my 'kids'; rising early in the morning at 4am and braving the cold, passing the police blocks — because we couldn't just simply go there. Security was very tight."
Each of the dancers carried flowers in a paper boat as their simple offerings, he continues softly. Ramli recalls: "We huddled around the bank of the Triveni. Placing our flowers in a heap, we closed our eyes, quietly uttering our prayers before immersing ourselves in the sacred waters. Our shared prayer was a resolve to be better persons and to offer our dedication to the Dance."
They held hands as they made their slow bee-line into the waters of the cordoned river. Ramli recalls: "We held our noses and performed the act of a complete and ultimate immersion into the cleansing waters of the Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. Surprisingly, we found the river water to be less freezing than the chilly morning air."
Chuckling, he adds: "Much as we wanted to, we weren't allowed to throw our flowers into the river as there was a strict rule against polluting it."
Once they'd completed the ritual, the ensuing challenge was how to change out of their wet clothes. Smiling, Ramli shares: "The three Sutra boys formed a makeshift tent by holding some shawls together as the girls changed inside, safe from prying eyes. The dancers were well prepared as they'd brought their old clothes for the bath, which they subsequently discarded in a bundle and threw into the trash container provided."
Expression thoughtful, he continues: "It was a symbolic act of discarding their previous baggage of iniquities. Now that they were in dry clothes, they felt reborn, renewed, rejuvenated and equipped to face life afresh."
FOR THE LOVE OF DANCE
Hailing from Kajang town in Selangor, Ramli, whose father was a Malay literature lecturer, and mother, a housewife, grew up in Kuala Lumpur and completed his early education at Cochrane Road School, before furthering his studies at Royal Military College. He left home soil for Australia for his tertiary education at the University of West Australia.
Dance became an integral part of Ramli during his time in Australia, his home for more than 12 years. "It was during this period that my interest in dance peaked and took on a firmer shape. Back in Malaysia, at the time, formal classes for the creative faculty, such as piano, ballet or arts classes, didn't exist so whatever knowledge I had about dance was from within."
Although he was pursuing an engineering degree, he continued to hone his passion for dance. Ramli, the youngest of seven siblings, taught Malay dance to a group of Malaysians there, and also worked as a professional dancer with the Sydney Dance Company for seven years. His time there allowed him to see the world as he performed and before long, dance became him.
Why dance though, I couldn't help asking as I take a sip of my already lukewarm tea. Just under the table, one of Ramli's many cats has suddenly decided to make my leg his pillow to lean on as it eavesdrops on the rest of our conversation.
The playful Taurus, who excelled at singing, dancing and painting growing up, beams at the question, one that I'm sure he's been asked so many times during the course of his illustrious existence. "As a child, I was an improvisor par excellence," he begins with a chuckle, elaborating: "You give me a piece of music, and I can improvise. My cousins used to be so embarrassed by me that they'd hide behind a chair — but they'd still watch! My aunty, however, would give me a dollar for my efforts!"
As an 8-year-old, incidentally, Ramli, who credits his mother for his artistic genes, already had his own radio series. Eyes dancing, he shares that a van used to come and pick him and take him to Radio Malaysia in Bukit Aman where he had a session to perform alongside a pianist. "I really had a great time creating my content ad-hoc," he remembers, beaming at the recollection. But as he got older, his other artistic skills took a backseat to his passion for dance.
Although his parents weren't overly supportive of his interest, they weren't against it either, says Ramli, who confides that between his parents, it was his mother who had the bigger influence on him. "They just wanted to ensure I had my education and passed my exams. So, when I finally got my degree, I said, 'ok, you got what you told me to get, so bye!'"
Back then, Ramli was a Colombo Plan student and he recalls having to convince the head of MARA at the time that whilst getting an engineering degree wouldn't be an issue, he wanted to be given a couple of years to prove himself in dance.
Remembers Ramli: "I was riding high. Luckily, she agreed otherwise I'd have had to come back as an engineer — a miserable one!"
HIS PASSION, HIS BLISS
What fuels you, Ramli? I ask, leaning in to hear his response as he, in turn, leans back into his chair to reflect the question. "We artists have that passion, or the angin. When I was young, I pandai mengada-ngada. In other words, what was not there, I made it be there. Some people get fed up with me because I will always have something that I want to experiment when it comes to dance."
Chuckling, he shares: "They say to me, 'hey Ramli, why can't you relax!' I think I'm also a 'source' because I never run out of ideas. The thing is, I don't try to make a masterpiece of anything. Whatever I do, I do because I want to enjoy it. I wouldn't say I'm a perfectionist but I am a detailed person."
On hindsight, Ramli, who happily tells me that he had the gift of the gab as a child, muses that his mengada-ngada trait, or that energy he had could have been destructive had he not followed his passion, his bliss.
Expression earnest, he says: "I think a lot of us are like that. So, in channelling your creative energy into something positive, you're not spending it on something negative. For certain people, or certain artists, it's possible to be pulled into the dark, dark well of the other side. I can understand that."
Asked what's there left to achieve for him, Ramli looks aghast. Brows furrowing, he replies that he's not interested in having a bigger house, or a bigger car, or to have more money than he needs. But what he does want to continue is to drive the importance of arts and culture.
"They have to be a part of our diet," he exclaims passionately, adding: "And I really do believe that one of the things that can heal Malaysia is this."
As the minutes tick and the signal for a break for lunch is given by one of Ramli's assistants, I couldn't help lobbing my lovely host, known for his tremendous sense of discipline (healthy lifestyle, yoga, fruits and jamu coming to mind) a final question.
What's your biggest indulgence?
"Sex. But good sex!" he replies without batting an eyelid. As I almost splutter my tea back into the cup upon hearing his playful response, Ramli, with an uproarious chuckle, challenges me cheekily: "I DARE you to write that!"
On that note, where's the lunch!
The Kumbha Mela, Prayagraj: Joined in Dance
By: Ramli Ibrahim and Hema Iyer Ramani
Published by: KL Jazz and Arts Centre's AABA Publishing
Pages: 196
Price: RM220
Email sutrafoundation25@gmail.com to order.
The book, inspired by the tour and performance of Krishna Leela by Sutra Foundation at the Kumbha Mela, 2019 stands to be a unique record of a rare Malaysia-India cultural experience and a close encounter with the largest festival on earth.
Launch dates in India:
April 2, 2022 - Bharatiya Bidya Bhavan, Bhubaneswar, India
April 6, 2022 - Krtashraya the Aurodhan Galleries, Puducherry, India
April 8, 2022 - Radisson Blu Resort Temple Bay, Chengalpattu District, India