The Indian Revival Group’s recent festival highlighted the spirit of celebrations in different parts of the country. Utpal K Banerjee reports
In the year’s 12 months — as the saying goes — there are 13 festivals in the almanac. Happening all the year round, festivals mark mythological events (when gods come down to earth) or celebrate changing seasons (when crops ripen or rains pour). Always set in the lunar calendar and often associated with specific deities, each festival gives a new meaning to an individual’s rites of passage through life. Social tenor of festivals is an extraordinary degree of bonhomie: where all reservations crumble and spirits of camaraderie prevail.
Celebrating life: Festivals of India,presented by Indian Revival Group (IRG), was a choreographic extravaganza, celebrating myriad sounds and colours of this land. IRG was founded way back in 1948 by Yog Sunder (nonagenarian now) and operating currently under Papiha Desai as a premiere dance-ensemble of the country. Explains Papiha, “IRG has to its credit some 5,000 shows and over 250 tours throughout the subcontinent, having performed — for India’s first President and Prime Minister — for entertaining virtually all prominent international leaders. With their forte in ethnic music and terpsichorean numbers, IRG has an almost unparalleled reputation in the national folk dance and music scenario.”
Festivals of India re-created — with nearly a score of highly-trained male and female dancers, involving change of costumes between dances in a breathtaking manner — a large number of major festivities: with all their nuances and cadences, enhanced by superb audio-visuals running on the cyclorama. The programme began with Holi and, although celebrated as far east as Assam and Manipur, it is in the Brajbhumi of north India — the land of Krishna’s birth — that the celebration was highlighted with colour and some frenzied dancing for Krishna, also known as Natvar. Aaj Braj Mein Holi Re Rasiya… gave female dancers the feeling that each was playing Holi with Krishna, thereby blurring boundaries between the festive and the sacred.
Next came Janmashtami commemorating the earthly appearance of Krishna. He is now the most adorable, mischievous son, the most compassionate friend, and the most romantic lover. All three aspects were celebrated in the dance Rasleela: in a circular choreographic design, suggesting the timelessness of Krishna and reflecting how Radha and the milkmaids sought an eternal cycle of union with the godhead. Ganesha Chaturthi came next: with idols of Ganesha set up at home altars and on community podiums. Some images, made of clay, are 20 feet high, and worshipped with songs: Ganapati Bappa Moria, Mangalamurti Moria… and sonorous lezim dances lasting for 10 days, when they are carried with great pomp and ceremony for immersion into the waters. In Kerala, it is believed that the ancient king Mahabali loved his people so much that he returns every year during the harvest to his people.
Onam followed: celebrated over 10 days, coming soon after the start of the New Year. The festival was poetically referred to as the season of the “reign of blossoms”, with the metaphor reinforced by gorgeously-designed flower-carpets that girls created in every home, as they sang and danced.
Next was Durga Puja: the feminine divine has strong presence among all festivals of India but probably none as well known as Durgotsava: celebrated in many Indian states, and in many countries in South Asia. Celebrations over nine days are replete with symbolism, of the goddess attired red and white, representing the masculine and feminine creative forces, offering nine different plants to represent Mother Nature. Frenzied drum beats and dances constituted the major part of the accompanying performances.
The penultimate item was Gujarat’s Navratri Festival: a circle of ecstasy throbbing non-stop for nine nights with millions of fantastically-costumed devotees swaying in a fusion of dance and devotion. Although the festival is celebrated throughout India, nowhere is it performed with more panache and fervour than in Gujarat: as an obeisance to Goddess Amba. Female garba and male-female dandia raas were brilliantly executed.
The finale was Dussehra when many myths came together. It was after nine nights that on the 10th day the Goddess achieves victory over evil. It was also the day when Rama, the embodiment of propriety, killed Ravana, the famed demon scholar, who had allowed pride to fill his head. Both for the large knowledge and the immense pride that he bore, he is depicted with 10 heads. Because of the connection with knowledge, in many places on this day the children are initiated formally into reading and writing. This period also marks the start of the new agricultural season in many parts of India. Diwali, the grand festival of lights, is celebrated after 20 days. And, appropriately, the dancers brought in a procession of lights to mark the variegated end.