Today’s A Journey
through Aesthetic Realms
will be presented
in Hindi, with subtitles
in Arabic,
Aulacese (Vietnamese),
Chinese, English,
French, German,
Hindi, Hungarian,
Indonesian, Italian,
Japanese, Korean,
Mongolian, Persian,
Portuguese, Russian
and Spanish.
Halo graceful viewers,
and welcome to
A Journey through
Aesthetic Realms
on Supreme Master
Television.
On today’s episode, we
are delighted to present
a few traditional dances
from the beautiful
country of India.
One of the most ancient
civilizations on the globe,
her rich artistic heritage
has evolved during
more than 8,000 years
of continuous
cultural development.
This is reflected
in the many forms
of performance arts.
Every year, countless
regional as well as
national festivals
showcase hundreds
of folk dances, many
of which have roots
traceable to a particular
part of the country.
Our first dance is Garba,
performed during the
9-day Navarātrī festival,
which honors fertility
and the divine origin
of humanity.
The colorfully dressed
dancers,
both males and females,
are arranged in a circle
surrounding a figure of
a god or goddess,
which has been placed
in a central space or in a
well-designed perforated
earthen pot called Garbo.
The dancers’ circle
represents the recurring
cycle of birth and death.
The many forms of this
are displayed as
a kaleidoscopic pattern
shown by the dancers,
symbolizing
the ever-changing nature
of the physical world,
with only God at
the center being eternal.
Originating in the
Gujarat region of India,
Garba is a very lively
dance with performers
clapping or joining their
palms after each move.
In addition to India,
Garba has also become
very popular in the
United States, Canada,
and the United Kingdom.
Dholcholam is
a drum dance popular
in the northeastern state
of Manipur.
It is a mesmerizing
performance
by individual or
group dancers at the Holi
carnival every spring
when, according to
folk tradition, people
sprinkle each other with
colored powder or water
to celebrate
Mother’s love.
Dressed in vibrant costumes,
Dholcholam dancers
may carry various types
of drums depending on
the occasion, swaying
their supple bodies and
limbs gently like flowers
in the spring breeze.
At times, the drummer
may perform
acrobatic feats
as the drumbeat goes
faster and faster, leading
the all-percussion
ensemble.
Next, please enjoy
a fantastic Dholcholam
performance.
The eastern Indian state
of Orissa is known for
its Odissi –
one of the 6 classical
Indian dance forms.
Accompanied by
traditional Indian
instruments, the artists
display beautiful poses
and hand gestures in slow
graceful movements.
Throughout the centuries,
Odissi has received
enthusiastic
royal patronage.
It was also practiced as
a prayer ritual by women
who took care of
Indian temples.
The following is
a short presentation of
this classical dance.
Kathak was the name
for the nomadic poets of
ancient northern India
who traveled around
telling scriptural stories,
accompanying themselves
by choreographed
movements.
During over 1600 years
of evolution, this dance
absorbed many forms
of folk arts
from different origins.
These included
the devotional ritual
of the Bhakti religious
movement,
the straight leg dance style
of Persian dancers, and
the spinning movement
of the mystic
swirling dervishes.
The addition of
ankle bells also occurred
during the development
of Kathak.
Let’s take a look at this
ingenious blend of styles.
Although different
in pace and strength,
in many ways
Kagalumba is quite
similar to the Spanish
dance Flamenco.
This includes
maintaining a straight
vertical axis of the body,
swirling movements,
and elegant footwork.
The Romanis are known
for their wonderful talent
and self expression.
Nowadays,
the remaining Romanis
in India continue
the time-honored
artistic traditions
of their ancestors.
Our next show is
Kagalumba, a Rajasthan
Romani folk dance
with enchanting
vocal and instrumental
accompaniments.
Among the India
folk ballets, perhaps
the one that requires
the most skill
is the Stick Dance.
Developed from
a martial art
in the northeastern state
of Manipur, Stick Dance
can be performed
in solo or in group.
The dancer, often dressed
in a spirited martial art
outfit, uses two sticks,
one in each hand,
to control
a centrally tapered wand
to prevent it from
falling on the ground.
While doing so,
the dancer increases
the difficulty of the stunt
according to the
accelerating rhythms of
the drum and cymbals,
while the audience
admire in disbelief.
Meaning “beauty,”
Lavani has been
a popular folk dance
of Maharashtra state
for centuries.
It is performed by
charming women
wearing nine-yard long
saris and ankle bells
to the exultant beat
of the traditional
Indian drum dholak.
In some cases,
the dancers also sing
along with the rhythm.
The dance enjoyed
its peak popularity
during the Peshwai
Dynasty in Pune, when
it became the favorite
of the royal court.
Common themes include
a variety of subjects
related to religion,
social life, and romance.
Now, please enjoy
a beautiful performance
of Lavani.
Our last Indian
folk dance presentation
today is Bhangra.
It is a community dance
developed in 1400
or earlier by Punjabi
Sikh farmers to celebrate
the harvest season
on the village grounds.
During the festivity,
men and women wearing
colorful traditional dresses
sing Punjabi folk songs
and play a number of
musical instruments,
including various kinds
of drums and flutes.
Currently,
Bhangra dance and music
are also an integral part
of weddings,
Indian New Year
celebrations, and
other jubilant occasions.
As our society becomes
increasingly global,
Bhangra has extended to
many parts of the world
including the entire
South Asia, the
United States, Canada,
and the United Kingdom.
The rhythms and
dance styles have also
been combined with
other genres such as
hip-hop and reggae.
Today we have seen
eight folk dances of India,
each with a unique
origin and elegance.
India’s rich artistic
heritage has evolved
for thousands of years,
adding immeasurable
beauty and upliftment
to our world.
May the spiritual
Indian people,
many of whom follow
a plant-based lifestyle,
continue to thrive,
gracing a sustainable
planet for eons to come,
with all God’s blessings
Precious viewers,
thank you for watching
today’s A Journey
through Aesthetic Realms.
Up next
on Supreme Master
Television
is Vegetarianism:
The Noble Way of Living,
following
Noteworthy News.
May all world citizens
realize their noble and
compassionate God nature.