In Search Of The Big 'O'

Sohaila Kapur talks to Anuradha Varma of her new production which explores the journey of two women saints

Conceived by Sohaila Kapur and performed by Gilles Chuyen and Shilpika Bordoloi, the dance-theatre production ‘O’ explores the spiritual journey of two extraordinary saint-poets — Rabia the Sufi from Iraq and Karaikkal Ammaiyar, the Shaivite from Tamil Nadu. Both women chose a life that incorporated struggle, bending rules in the bargain and were finally revered by the very men who subjugated them.

‘O’ as a symbol encapsulates multiple meanings — Shunya or the great Nothingness, the Primordial Egg from which all life emerges. It also represents the Feminine Principle, the circle of emotions, the water element and orgasm. It is also the Primordial Universe and the Divine Absolute. The playwright talks about the two women saints who inspired the production.
What inspired ‘O’? What is the thought behind it? That women have had to struggle against patriarchy even to lead spiritual lives.

What kind of research did you do for the play? What was the experience you all went through? I had to read books on Rabia, as there is no chronological account of her life, only anecdotes and third-person accounts of miracles. Karaikkal Ammaiyar’s biographies were in Tamil and, therefore, inaccessible. We had a scholar help us here.

I have experienced a sense of euphoria and inner strength; my actors have experienced physical and emotional purges during the preparation. One actor found herself drawn to cremation grounds and dargahs and even danced in one of them, which in itself is unprecedented. The other actor has deepened his meditative practice and has had visions that he has made part of the creative process. There are many small incidents, which have added up.

Is there a connection between the feminine and the Divine?
There is a connection between all life and the Divine. Interesting that you asked this question, because Sufis don’t distinguish between a man and a woman in the service of God.

What spiritual lessons does Rabia’s life hold for us?
That all human beings are equal and society creates the distinction. That ultimately, life itself is ephemeral and that it is love that gives us the strength to tide over difficulties.

Karaikkal Ammaiyar was part of the Bhakti movement, which denounced religious rituals. What are the lessons to be learnt from her life? That one can progress spiritually even as a householder. There need not be a distinction between a housewife and a bhakt. And that one’s life is what one makes of it. And that Kailasa is not on top of a mountain, but within this world and in our hearts. Both women saints denounced religious rituals.

How did the struggle shape the spiritual growth of these women?
Struggle burnishes the spirit and strengthens the resolve to succeed in one’s goals. If they had not struggled, they may not have been able to achieve an understanding of the world, and reach beyond it, into the world of the spirit.

Tell us about their poetry…. They are both beautiful and lyrical and share the same theme; that of love for the Divine. While Rabia’s is more in the form of a conversation with God, laced with her philosophy, Karaikkal Ammaiyar’s is more sensual...it is a loving description of Shiva. Here is a sample of verse by Rabia and Karaikkal Ammaiyar:

Rabia: O my Lord/ If I worship you/ From fear of hell, burn me in hell/ If I worship you/ From hope of Paradise/ Bar me from its gates/ But if I worship you/ For yourself alone/ Grant me then the beauty of your face!
Karaikkal Ammaiyar: In all our births we are /His slaves./Only Him do we adore on/ Whose dense matted hair/ Shines the unbroken chip of the moon/ Let Him rule us forever!

Were women saints discriminated against?
Yes, and that is what the play is all about...their struggle against male domination. Rabia was a slave, initially. Owned by a wealthy man, she went through many hardships. Karaikkal Ammaiyar’s husband was self-centred and he was the trigger for her eventual renunciation of the world and her subsequent sainthood.

What lessons do these two women saints hold for us today?
The lesson is that patience and forbearance are important in today’s highly materialistic and increasingly robotic world. So is inner strength, to fight exploitation of body and spirit.

http://www.speakingtree.in/public/view-article/In-Search-Of-The-Big-O