Amar India

Legend tells that Brahma, after having been conceded his first four Vedas, was invited by the Gods who said: “We would like a form of entertainment that can be both heard and seen. Since those who are born as sudra cannot hear the Vedas, we need a fifth Veda that is accessible to all castes.” The fifth Veda is the least aristocratic, but is also the most elaborate and the richest. In fact, in order to create it, Brahma took recitation from the Rgveda, singing from the Samveda, mime from the Yajurveda and emotion from the Atharveda. And so, the fifth Veda is known as Natyaveda or the Veda of dance. Amar India is an evocative performance, moving and enthralling, where the spectators can travel on an Indian train, so living the magic of the images that come to life before them. The God Ganesha who has an elephant’s head, appears telling the story of his birth and dancing an ode to life. Costume and make-up play a very important part for Indian dancers; through them the audience is transported to ethereal and colourful worlds. The journey begins from the moment in which the artist readies herself, kneeling, admiring the Divinity and offering Her flowers, fire and incense. Each time the fire is re-lit, one relives the magic of the first flame and calls Shiva in His magnificent form of cosmic dancer. The perfume of incense inebriates the senses of the audience while flower petals gently fall onto the image of Vishnu. Around her ankles, the dancer wears her musical instrument, the gungroo, a string of bells that accompany her every rhythmic step. The movements and the gestures of the dancer transform themselves into visual poetry.