Haiku CHARADES: Blending Poetry and Dance at the Hyderabad Literary Festival

The Hyderabad Literary Festival held over the weekend at Knowledge City, Madhapur featured an intriguing and entertaining session reminiscent of the classic game ‘Dumb Charades’. This particular performance, which has garnered high praise on multiple occasions, involved the reading and display of five haiku on screen, followed by classical dance artiste Anita miming one of the haikus selected from the five, prompting the audience to guess the poem’s inspiration. This interactive format, dubbed “haikuCHARADES,” was a collaborative effort between Kala Ramesh, a highly acclaimed poet, mentor, editor, and author, and Anita Muktaashourya, an organizational development facilitator and passionate Mohiniattam dancer.

Throughout the session, Anita would choose a haiku and interpret it through dance, while the audience attempted to decipher the poem’s meaning. Subsequently, Kala Ramesh would delve into the inspiration behind her poetry, and Anita would elaborate on her reasons for selecting a particular haiku for performance. The session comprised five rounds, culminating in a finale titled ‘The Enso,’ where Anita spontaneously danced as the poem was recited.

It is worth noting that the conceptualization of the entire program was credited to Kala Ramesh, whose vision aimed to blend haiku with other visual art forms such as dance, drama, and painting. This innovative collaboration proved to be a resounding success, blurring the lines between performers and spectators and fostering a novel form of audience engagement.

Haiku, originating from Japan, is a concise form of poetry that captures a single moment in time. Traditionally, haiku juxtaposes two concrete images, often from nature and human experience, inviting readers to discern connections between them. The best haiku evoke a sense of the season and eschew subjectivity, instead focusing on universal truths and experiences. In her approach to haiku, Kala Ramesh incorporates techniques such as montage, rhythm, and musicality to enhance the sensory experience for the audience. She utilizes the concept of “Kire,” or the cut, to create contrasts between stark and soft imagery, evoking a range of emotions and moods.

During the session, Anita’s graceful movements brought to life the profound themes embedded within the haiku, spanning from existential inquiries to reflections on human connection and maternal love. Each poem, densely packed with meaning, resonated with the audience, leaving them with a poignant glimpse into the human experience. In summary, the collaboration between poet and dancer at the Hyderabad Literary Festival showcased the power of interdisciplinary art forms to convey deep, evocative narratives, enriching the cultural experience for all involved.