Lavani, besides being a folk dance of Maharashtra, has many bold and dark shades. Rightly so, it was again laced in controversy recently, and yet, somehow, we cannot help but groove to its beats the moment the mere sound of its ‘dholkis’ and ‘ghungroos’ fall on our ears. Lavani, even today, continues to be centric to the culture of Maharashtra, just like Bharatnatyam is in Tamil Nadu, Odissi is in Odisha, or Mohiniyattam is in Kerala.
Why then is this dance form still looked at as disgraceful or immoral? Lavani, in the ancient days, was performed by female dancers as a form of entertainment for the Marathi soldiers who sought respite after fighting in wars in the 18th and 19th centuries. These dance performances bent little towards erotica and soon began being perceived as immoral and, more so, vulgar.
Donning a nine-yard saree famously known as a ‘nauvari sadi’, Lavani dancers paired it up with heavy ornaments like necklaces, earrings, waist bands, rings, bangles, and the most important, ghungroos. Their hair was neatly tied up in a bun and decorated with `gajras`. Lavani dancers not only danced but also sang their own songs as part of their performance.
Those who chose to make this dance form an integral part of their lives were subjected to humiliation from society, which extended to their family members as well. On the occasion of Maharashtra Day, which is celebrated each year on May 1, Mid-day Online spoke to Megha Ghadge, Maharashtra’s renowned Lavani dancer and actress, who has been performing Lavani since her teenage years, to understand the challenges Lavani dancers have to go through and how this dance has evolved over the years.
Ghadge first performed Lavani in Shirdi, which was when she decided this was what she was born for. She says, “I have wanted to become an actor since my childhood. Becoming a Lavani dancer was never part of the plan. I didn’t even train to perform Lavani when I first performed on stage. It came to me naturally and unexpectedly and just swept me off my feet.”
Donning a nine-yard saree famously known as a ‘nauvari saree’, Lavani dancers pair it up with heavy ornaments like necklaces, earrings, waistbands, rings, bangles, and the most important, ghungroos. Photo Courtesy: Official Instagram account of Megha Ghagge
Ghadge was a part of the dance group Kalamanthan, which organised dance programmes in different parts of the state. During their event in Shirdi, the lead dancer of the group fell ill and was replaced by Ghadge at the end. The Lavani dancer says, “My cousin brother, who was also the head of the dance group, put me up on the stage. The moment I stepped onto the stage, I began dancing. Though I wasn’t skilled enough to perform Lavani, I have loved dancing since my early age. This did help me perform live. Before I could take it all in, I found the audience cheering and applauding me. It felt surreal.”
The Mumbai-based dancer began performing more often and started getting paid well. As the days passed, this performer polished her skills during her journey. In addition to this, she learned to drape the nauvari saree by watching her senior dancers get dressed.
Recalling her early days as a Lavani dancer, she says, “Having a financially weak family background, getting paid even Rs 150 as my performance fee in those days felt like a great deal. Independence tasted sweeter, and the satisfaction of providing for my joint family made me feel empowered.”
Ghadge’s family had huge respect for art forms at large. Her grandfather himself was a Qawwali singer, and her father, though a government officer, participated in plays and dramas as a hobby. Nevertheless, her father encouraged Ghadge to complete her education first and place it above all. When he found out about her interests, he chose to be her strong pillar and enabled her to pursue them, though he wasn’t much in favour of Ghadge’s choice.
Word of Ghadge’s talent spread, and soon she had opportunities coming her way. She signed her first film, Aadhar Stambh, and performed an item number in it. She then signed a Marathi film with veteran Marathi director Mahesh Kothare for the famous film Pachadlela, which also starred popular Marathi actor Bharat Jadhav. Along with this, she kept performing Lavani on stage.
Ghadge sounded upset on the call when she was asked about the challenges she faced during her journey. She says, “When I started out as a Lavani dancer, I was looked down upon by many in society. I was tagged with derogatory labels. My father was constantly taunted. This caused the entire family immense stress. Yet my father stood by me. He passed away due to health concerns, adding to the stress caused by society. After this unfortunate phase of my life, I took it upon myself to do well and reach the zenith of success dancing to Lavani, instead of choosing to quit.”
When being asked about where Lavani as a dance form is headed, Ghadge, who also recently appeared in the latest season of Big Boss Marathi as a contestant, says, “While these people think of Lavani as vulgar, they are the same people who dance to item numbers in the film.” In an excellent observation, Ghadge points out that the misplaced perception of Lavani comes from a lack of knowledge about the dance form. Lavani is much more than just an erotic dance. It has acted as a medium to pass on social messages across many communities.”
It saddens her to see how a folk dance of Maharashtra has merely been reduced to an item number by the new generation of artists and filmmakers collectively. She says, “The sound of dholkis and ghungroos has drowned in the digital sounds with which Lavani songs have been produced. Lavani today has become more vulgar than ever. We need to improve before it`s too late. This improvement can only happen when professional dancers, who have played a key role in keeping Lavani relevant in the past and spreading awareness about it, take active steps.”
Having trained with legends of the dance form like Surekha Punekar, she says, “These days, dancers feel they can perform Lavani easily simply by wearing ghungroos and performing on camera. They lack the discipline and the skills it takes, like displaying strong expressions, picking up the correct rhythm and beats, and much more. It is important to approach Lavani in the right way by training with veteran dancers.”
She also points out that while people enjoy watching movies, they must choose to attend dance events taking place in auditorium halls and help keep this dance form alive.
On a parting note, Ghadge says, “Lavani is my mother. She gave birth to the dancer in me. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be who I am today.”
Also Read: From boosting confidence to improving flexibility, here`s why everybody should dance
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