Manjari Chaturvedi

Manjari Chaturvedi (born December 9, 1974) is a popular Sufi Kathak dancer of India. She belongs to the Lucknow Gharana.
She is known for creating a new art form of Indian classical dance called Sufi Kathak.

Early life and background

Chaturvedi's father was a geologist .

She trained initially in the Lucknow gharana of kathak under the guidance of Arjun Mishra. She also studied abhinaya under Kalanidhi Narayan at Protima Bedi’s Nrityagram. She closely studied Baba Bulleh Shah’s contribution to Punjabi Sufi traditions. Mawlana Rumi and Amir Khusro also influenced her.

Career

Chaturvedi began her career as a Kathak dancer. she attempts at building an interface with diverse forms like the music of Rajasthan, Kashmir, Awadh, Punjab, Turkmenistan, Iran and Krygistan. She is particularly drawn to Sufi mysticism and has endeavoured to incorporate movements in her performances that are reminiscent of the meditative practices of the whirling dervishes. She has therefore, chosen to name her dance style as Sufi Kathak.

She performed at the Taj Mahal and Sydney Opera House.

She did a Sufi music video directed by Vishal Bhardwaj and written by Gulzar called as Tere Ishq Mein.

Sufi Kathak

Manjari Chaturvedi has blended the mysticism of Sufism with the classicism of Kathak to evolve a new kind of dance, Sufi Kathak.

All the Qawwali songs are based on Sufi tenets of Amir Khusro.

Personal life

She is married.