Ranga Sri LBT has completed seventy-three glorious years of existence. The institution was founded in Mumbai in 1952 under the guidance of Shanti Bardhan. It has now reached a golden moment in its history. At the time of its establishment, the founder-artists of the troupe had very little money and no place to call their own. Nevertheless, Ranga Sri made a name for itself in the world of performing arts.
The troupe now has its own repertory, including appropriate space for a permanent exhibition of its vast treasure of precious stage properties, costumes, and musical instruments. It houses more than four thousand valuable volumes on art, culture, and dramaturgy, along with a rare collection of masks still used in performances today. The troupe has its own theatre, inaugurated by the erstwhile President of India, Shri Shankar Dayal Sharma. Besides having ample space for training new talent, Ranga Sri has a rich repertoire of more than three dozen full-length ballets, folk dance items, and an extensive historical collection of timeless heritage music composed for its productions. The troupe has traveled the world with its productions and won numerous national and international awards, including recognition at Theatre des Nations (France), Edinburgh Festival, Holland Festival, and Mundial Folklore Festival (Mexico), among others. The respect and love shown by audiences through their applause during and after performances has made this golden moment of Ranga Sri’s existence more meaningful and inspiring.
The Early Years
Those founding bricks, laid with love and devotion by the artists present at the troupe’s inception, have finally seen the realization of dreams and labor that awaited fulfillment for so long.
Following the closure of Uday Shankar’s Cultural Centre at Almora, many artists found themselves scattered, suffering from creative frustration. At that time, Shanti Bardhan was a celebrated talent. Inspired by his love for humanity and moved by the sufferings of the common man, he felt compelled to express his anger against imperial rule and the feudal system. The struggle for freedom under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru was at its height. This struggle wasn’t merely political—during foreign rule, Indian society was being dangerously disconnected from its cultural and spiritual roots, and its secular social structure was endangered. The need of the hour was national and social unity.
Shanti Bardhan’s Vision
Shanti da, as he was fondly known, was among those gifted artists whose sensibility was deeply affected by the socio-political atmosphere of his time. He resolved to create something new in those troubled times. Gifted with rare ability and ingenuity, he understood the necessity of freeing creative energy from political and social shackles and utilizing it meaningfully. His early creations—”Bhookha Hai Bengal,” “The Spirit of India,” “India Immortal,” and “Discovery of India” (based on Nehru’s book)—exemplify his commitment to national, social, and life values, rendered through his rare creative gifts.
Shanti da possessed vast experience and a deep understanding of folk culture, which played an extremely important role in his creativity. His proficiency in classical dance styles, especially Manipuri and Tiperah, as well as various folk dances, gave his productions the simple beauty characteristic of folk performances. He broke new ground in creating dance-dramas that mirrored the political atmosphere of the country. He strove to demonstrate that within the performing arts lay immense power that could influence national and societal development.
The Creation of a New Era
It would not be an exaggeration to say that with Shanti Bardhan’s creation and choreography of new ballets, a new epoch in performing arts began. While his ballet “The Spirit of India” dealt with the common man’s struggle against the zamindari system, “India Immortal” depicted the shattering of India’s golden period under growing British imperialism. “The Discovery of India” spoke of the beginning of a new era in Indian history and choreography. It was, in essence, a cultural war against imperialism, feudalism, and communal disharmony.
Created under the banner of Indian National Theatre, Shanti da’s ballet “Discovery of India” was performed in Delhi during the first Asian Relations Conference in 1947. The thunderous applause the performance received was accompanied by demands to bring the author on stage. Jawaharlal Nehru came forward and, after a short speech, embraced Shanti da right there. Perhaps the greatest honor came when Nehru told his distinguished audience that the ballet was better than the book. Despite this wonderful compliment, performances had to be restricted to Bombay due to financial constraints, where it ran for eighteen housefull shows.
Personal Struggles and New Beginnings
Life’s struggles took their toll on Shanti da, who developed tuberculosis and had to be moved to the Kasauli Sanatorium. The illness was severe—he lost one lung and five ribs. He returned to Bombay in 1951, alone and penniless. Though he had earned rare fame at a young age and had well-wishers like Balraj Sahani, Mulkraj Anand, and Khwaja Ahmed Abbas supporting him, his deteriorating health led to diminishing faith in both his comrades and himself.
It was then that Gul Jhaveri, a Gujarati girl, re-entered his life. After long debates and discussions, they decided to establish the Little Ballet Troupe. The group gradually expanded as more artists joined, including Devaki, Gyan, Apuni Kartha from Kerala, and Abani Dasgupta, along with some old artists from the IPTA Central Squad.
Building the Foundation
The treasurer of the Little Ballet Troupe provided crucial support by donating Rs. 5,000 monthly for about a year. Additional funds were collected from Bombay’s art connoisseurs, including Mrs. A.J. Wadia, Smt. Madhuri Desai, Mrs. D.R.D. Wadia, Dharamsey Khatau, and others, to purchase musical instruments from Calcutta. These included a Dhak, a bangla Dhol, a Khol, a Madal, and various percussion and string instruments. Abani Dasgupta personally supervised the drum-making process at Tambakantha’s shop. Gul managed to secure funds for costume materials from Ahmedabad, and thus began the troupe’s work on the Ramayana, which would become the founding pillar of the Little Ballet Troupe’s history.
The Creation of Ramayana
Developing the Ramayana into a dance drama was challenging, especially as it was to be rendered in puppet form. The troupe meticulously arranged costumes, masks, and musical materials from Calcutta and Ahmedabad. They conducted extensive research on masks, finding inspiration in a book titled “Jain Miniature Painting.” The artists themselves handled the stitching and painting. Abani Dasgupta and Bahadur Hussain Khan directed the music, while Simki, a renowned French dancer and former member of Uday Shankar’s Almora Cultural Centre, contributed her expertise gained from directing dance sequences in Raj Kapoor’s film “Awara.”
Though thoroughly trained in Manipuri and Tipperah dance styles, Shanti da chose not to use these in his compositions. Instead, he developed and refined Uday Shankar’s creative style, incorporating his own imaginative faculty and precise understanding of movement to depict various natural elements, from bird flight to frog leaps.
Early Success and Growth
The Little Ballet Troupe’s first show was arranged on the terrace of Bhulabha Desai near Beach Candy in Bombay. To ensure its success, Gul Bardhan (now known as Guldi) organized a Sarod performance by Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, along with three short dances titled “Roomal,” “Lambadi,” and “Brij-leela.” The show was a great success, earning both audience appreciation and press acclaim. The performance generated Rs. 2,000, helping to cover costume and instrument costs.
The premiere of the Ramayana ballet marked the beginning of the troupe’s bright future. They staged over a hundred performances that year, and the ballet remains, even after seventy-four years, one of the most beautiful and enduring classics in Indian ballet and dance-drama history.
Leadership Transition and Support
Tragically, Shanti da passed away on September 3, 1954, during rehearsals for the ballet “Panchtantra,” leaving the troupe without its leader. Guldi had to shoulder all responsibilities. During this period of uncertainty, she received crucial support from Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru and his daughter Indira Gandhi, who became patrons of the Little Ballet Troupe. Nehru’s understanding of culture’s importance in national reconstruction and common life led him to actively promote arts and culture.
International Recognition
The troupe gained international recognition through tours to China, Nepal, and Soviet Russia, where they participated in the 1957 Moscow Youth Festival. They also performed in Germany, France, Belgium, Holland, Morocco, Tunisia, Brazil, Chile, Argentina, and the UK. The Ramayana Ballet was recognized as the “Ballet of the Millennium” by the Sangeet Natak Academy, Delhi.
New Leadership and Evolution
In 1959, Prabhat Ganguly joined the troupe, bringing new vigor and vitality. As chief choreographer until his death in 2006, he conceived and directed around forty ballets, dance dramas, and plays. His philosophical approach to dance and drama, combined with deep insight into human nature, resulted in many notable productions including “Kshudito Pashan,” “Bhairavi,” “Scarecrow,” “Nadi Pyasi Thi,” “Madhushala,” “Pashu-Tantra,” and “Abhimanyu Wadh.”
Current Status and Future Vision
Today, Ranga Sri Little Ballet Troupe operates from its own facility in Bhopal, which includes a major theater, rehearsal spaces, and facilities for training and performances. Under the leadership of Ram Prakash Tripathi (Treasurer) and Nirupa Joshi (General Secretary), the troupe continues to produce new ballets with visiting choreographers.
As Ranga Sri completes seventy-three years of existence, it strives to maintain its glorious tradition while creating new chapters in its history. The institution stands as a testament to the power of artistic vision, cultural preservation, and the enduring spirit of Indian performing arts.
