Friday, October 23 2009

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Members of the Nrityanjali Theatre who will be featured in this weekend's new ballet....

NRITYANJALI Theatre will be presenting a new ballet Dasavatar tomorrow and Sunday at Queen’s Hall Port-of-Spain. The ballet is based on the several avatars or manifestations of Lord Vishnu (the protector of the earth). The descensions of the Lord were to establish and protect dharma or moral law and order and assist mankind in the re-equilibrium of good and evil.

Each avatar has a definite purpose. Lord Vishnu came as Matsya (fish) to save Sage Manu and to recover the Vedas from a demon’s hand. Subsequent to that episode there was further disarray when the Devas (Gods of heaven) discovered that the divine nectar of immortality had been lost and literally sunk to the bottom of the sea. The Lord helped in the recovery by becoming Kurma (tortoise) and the great churning of the ocean between negative and positive forces took place. He then took the avatar of Varaha (boar) to kill a demon who dragged the land to the bottom of the sea. Lord Vishnu took the form of Narasimha

(man-lion) and killed the demon Haryanyakasipu who had received a boon whereby he could not have been killed by man nor animal. Then He came as Vamana (dwarf) to get rid of the demon king Mahabali.

Lord Vishnu came as Parasurama (the warrior with the axe) to save the world from the tyranny of the Kshatriyas. Thereafter, He came down as Lord Rama to annihilate Ravana, the demon King of Sri Lanka.

When He came as Krishna, it was perhaps the most popular avatar of all — revealing all the qualities of supreme divinity. He then descended as Lord Buddha who preached against ritualistic practices and animal sacrifice. Kalki, the avatar seated on a white horse is yet to come to restore the earth’s purity.

It seems as if the tapestry of a good, pure and disciplined society that took our forefathers several lifetimes to weave has fallen in rapid moral decay and frayed ends. Abuse of drugs, alcohol, fallen family values, robbery and violence and disrespect of one’s right to property are rising rapidly particularly among the young age group.

Why? Can this be curbed? Of course it can. It all begins at the home with spirituality and with self-reflection. This would mitigate the vicious tendencies of domestic violence, oppression and hate. Life is incomplete without love; love’s glory will never shine without freedom. Freedom will never be achieved without peace and peace cannot exist without spirituality.

The Theatre hopes this presentation will re-force deep reflection and awareness to the population.

Nrityanjali Theatre was founded in 1977 by the Balkaransinghs ( Sat and Mondira) and has produced numerous ballets and stage productions. It has travelled extensively throughout the Caribbean, USA and UK. The theatre is noted for staging productions at the highest professional level and has always won accolades for its works.

The Artistic Director is Mondira Balkaransingh who is also the choreographer. Live musical support includes Dr M Sharma ( of the Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Cultural Cooperation), Purva Joshi and Neeval Chaitlal.