Auroville Cultural Exchange

A fundamental text on Classical Indian dance (Natya) and other forms of art is the ancient Gandharva Veda, a supplement to Sama Veda.

In the context of Sri Aurobindo's yoga, practising this art is a very efficient way of bringing the higher consciousness into the human body and eventually transforming it.

Dancing Ganesh

Classical Indian dance has, in fact, little in common with the ritual dance as it has been practised in the West. The readers familiar with Carlos Castaneda's books may find certain similarities between it and the American Indian shamans' dance. However, such shamans were inspired mostly by the animal spirits, while the Indian temple dancers, as illustrated by the Irumbai legend, were connected with the higher spiritual worlds.

Prior to the creation of the Natya Veda, Brahma entered a yogic trance in which he recalled the four Vedas. He drew the recitative (Paathya, or words) from the Rig, tunes (Geeta, or music) from the Sama, histronic representation (Abhinaya) from the Yajur and sentiments (Rasa, states of mind) from the Atharv. These aspects are the four main constituents of the Natya Veda. When the Natya Veda was ready, the gods expressed their inability to practise it, and Brahma passed it to Bharata Muni and his one hundred sons (disciples) who were asked to practise it.

Bharatanatyam programme in SAUCHU building
in Bharat Nivas

Out of the styles that are officially considered as "classical Indian", Bharatanatyam and Odissi are the most ancient and most fully based on the Natya Shastra's art. There are different sub-styles in Bharatanatyam and Odissi, which reflects the evolutionary process in this area. The art of Bharatanatyam was preserved by the generations of devadasi's (sacred temple dancers), and the art of Odissi by mahari's. Agni Purana and Bhavishya Purana specifically state that the best way for a man to obtain Suryaloka (heaven of the Sun God) was to provide and maintain a certain number of such dancers to the temple of Sun.

In Auroville

Performance by Amritha Raju (daughter of Hemamalini
Raju) in Pitanga Hall

Classical Indian dance is quite popular in Auroville, mostly among its international visitors.

There are occational classes, workshops, and very rare performances in such places as Pitanga Hall, SAWCHU, Visitors Centre, and in the Sri Aurobindo Auditorium.

In all of these places the visiting dancers cannot expect to be paid. Most of the visiting dancers are supposed to find sources of funding to pay the Auroville guesthouses' rents, the Auroville taxi fare, etc. Of course, the Auroville restaurants never provide free food to the dancers who come to give free peformances here.

Understandingly, there are extremely rare visiting dancers who come to perform in Auroville. Over the last few years, due to a change in the Bharat Nivas policy, the

organizers of classical dance events in the Sri Aurobindo Auditorium (SAA) have to pay 10 times higher rent - "contribution" - than the organizers of a modern cinema event there. Thus, the rare visiting dancers who performed have been mostly the incapable but rich dancers who do not have any idea of what authentic Bharatanatyam or Odissi is.

Due to the amateur level of most performances organized in Auroville and their unadapted presentation format, the absolute majority of Aurovilians consider Bharatanatyam and Odissi performances as rather boring events. Although Auroville's main web site proudly lists the Irumbai legend, most Aurovilians are still very dimly aware of the difference between the ancient devadasi's and Michael Jackson, so they generally prefer to take salsa classes.

The Auroville Cultural Exchange was created in order to make a difference in Auroville's cultural life.

Ramayana by students of Hemamalini Raju (Pondicherry). Performance in the Visitors centre. Look at the dancers hands.

Bharatanatyam lesson in
Ilaignarkal School by Hemamalini Raju

Even though there are Kalakshetra and Nrityagram graduates among Aurovilians, none of them has become a professional dancer. Due to the differences in the level of proficiency, the Auroville schools have so far preferred to employ the professional dance teachers from Pondicherry.

Due to the current social customs in the villages and a perception of a dancing career as an unstable and low-paying occupation, even the most talented dance students are normally prevented from becoming professional dancers.

Articles & Links

BharataNatyam Extensive article introducing Bharatanatyam's basic concepts and elements, illustrated by an extensive photo gallery and a collection of free video clips

Where are the master gurus? Gowri Ramnarayan explores the evolution of Bharatanatyam and its teaching methods

Brief historical overview

Ta Ka Di Mi Anita Ratnam gives her insignt into the present situation in the dance community.

Introduction In Auroville Articles Links

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