Darshana Jhaveri

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Darshana Jhaveri
Born 1940 (age 83–84)
Mumbai, India

Darshana Jhaveri (Gujarati: દર્શના ઝવેરી) (born 1940), the youngest of the four Jhaveri sisters, is a leading Indian exponent of Manipuri dance, an Indian classical dance form.[1] She is a disciple of Guru Bipin Singh, and started performing on stage in 1958 along with her sisters.[2] She is one of the founder of the Manipuri Nartanalaya in 1972, which popularized Manipuri dance in India, and is currently headed by her, with centres at Mumbai, Kolkata and Imphal.[3][4]

Early life and training

Born and brought up in Mumbai in a Gujarati household. At the age of six she saw her elder sisters, Nayana and Ranjana, learn Manipuri dance from Guru Bipin Singh at their home, soon she too started learning the dance form, along with her sister Suverna.[1][5] Later, she learned the traditional Raslila dances from Sutradhari Kshetritombi Devi, the Nata Pung from Guru Meitei Tomba Singh and traditional Maibi Jagoi from Kumar Maibi.

Career

By the 1950s, the Jhaveri sisters, Nayana, Ranjana, Suverna and Darshana had started performing together on stage all over India and abroad, and in 1956 were the first non-Manipuris to perform their dances at the Govindji Temple inside the royal palace of Imphal. Eventually the sisters established the Manipuri Nartanalaya with their Guru and Kalavati Devi in 1972, at Mumbai, Kolkata and Imphal,[1][6] and in time their name became synonymous to Manipuri dance.[7] Over the years, Darshana has published several books and articles on the dance and has assisted her guru during his lifetime, in teaching, research as well as in choreography, before taking on the mantle herself.[8]

Today, according to a noted dance critic Sunil Kothari, they are "responsible for bringing the temple tradition of Manipuri dance to the cities". Nayana died two decades ago and with Suverna unwell, Ranjana and Darshana continue to perform along with her Dance troupe and teach Manipuri dance.[9][10]

Awards and honors

Darshana Jhaveri received the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 1996 by Sangeet Natak Akademi, India's National Academy of Dance, Music and Drama.[11] She was honored with the Padma Shri in 2002.[12]

Notes

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  4. Doshi, p. 43
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  6. Singha, p. 177
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  8. Darshana Jhaveri
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  11. Dance Manipuri awardees Sangeet Natak Akademi website
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References

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External links