<strong>The</strong> dance <strong>of</strong> lifePhotos by Cindy BajemaSheila Mapes made a veryworthwhile trip to theNrityagram <strong>Dance</strong> Villageand found it was a rare treat.<strong>The</strong> field trip to Nrityagram <strong>Dance</strong>Village in September turned outto be a triple treat, gifting the 50 OWCparticipants with a mesmerizing danceperformance, a tour <strong>of</strong> the tranquilvillage grounds, and a delicious <strong>India</strong>nlunch.<strong>The</strong> village was the brainchild <strong>of</strong>Protima Gauri, who came to dance late(in her 20’s) but enthusiastically. Shelived with her dance guru, spendingeach day eating, breathing and livingthe art. Her dream <strong>of</strong> <strong>of</strong>fering the sameexperience to others resulted in theNrityagram <strong>Dance</strong> Village.Why would dancers live together ina village? <strong>The</strong> answer is beautifullyput on their website, “It is a crucible<strong>of</strong> inspiration and ideas, a comingtogether <strong>of</strong> creative minds, which pushthemselves to the absolute limits <strong>of</strong>their abilities. A space where dancers,musicians and choreographers livetogether for years, developing theirideas, perfecting their technique andcomplementing their learning <strong>of</strong> dancewith a knowledge <strong>of</strong> mythology and theepics, Sanskrit, yoga, meditation and themartial arts.”<strong>The</strong> first part <strong>of</strong> our visit, theperformance, deepened myunderstanding <strong>of</strong> the Odissi dance style,one <strong>of</strong> the eight distinct classical <strong>India</strong>nforms. (For an excellent overview <strong>of</strong> allthe forms, visit the Nrityagram <strong>Dance</strong>Village website, www.nrityagram.org, and click on ”Expression”.) <strong>The</strong>principal dancer, Bijayini Satpathy,taught us that although Odissi’s rootsdate to the second century BC, it wasrevived and reshaped only 60 years ago.A quick tutorial demonstrated why study<strong>of</strong> this dance form requires years <strong>of</strong>devotion: as with ballet, a set number <strong>of</strong>arm, hand, torso, and foot positions mustbecome so automatic that the dancer cancombine them in infinite ways.But it is the phenomenal facialexpressions that make Odissi dancescome alive. We were privileged to sit atclose range, where we could thoroughlywitness the dancers’ portrayal <strong>of</strong> thepower and tenderness <strong>of</strong> a goddess orthe pain and anger <strong>of</strong> the woman whowaited all night for her womanizinghusband. Emotions were so wellportrayed that, as one observer noted, “Igot teary-eyed!” One could understandthat it takes a village setting to traindancers to live their art so completelythat their whole body emotes the storyportrayed in each dance.Odissi perfectly reflects <strong>India</strong>, theland <strong>of</strong> contrasts. Fluid, round, lyricalmovements contrast with percussivelyjangling ankle bracelets and dancers’slapping feet. Arm positions stop justshort <strong>of</strong> absolutely straight lines, but thetimeless emotions portraying the jiltedwoman stretch straight back through themillennia and into the future.Awed by the performance, we embarkedon the second portion <strong>of</strong> our visit:a tour <strong>of</strong> Nrityagram. Its 10 acresinclude housing for the dancers, fields<strong>of</strong> vegetables to nourish the residents(and us as their guests!), and space forboth practice and performance. Lushplantings and tranquil spaces providemental respite for the dancers, whowork their bodies for 8–10 hours aday. Construction now in progress willaccommodate writers, painters andmusicians as the scope <strong>of</strong> the villageexpands to embrace other expressivearts.Our third treat came in the form <strong>of</strong>a lovely traditional <strong>India</strong>n buffet. Inthe open-air dining area, we chattedwith old and new OWC friends andappreciated the calming fountain andcomical geese that grazed among theoutdoor tables. An unexpected bonuscame in the discovery that the village<strong>of</strong>fers accommodation, providing anescape 1.5 hours but a world away frombustling Bangalore.Many thanks to Kate de Montjoye forarranging this enlightening tour <strong>of</strong>the Nrityagram <strong>Dance</strong> Village. Katepromised us that the drive would be wellworth it, and she was correct!<strong>The</strong> Rangoli 11/2010 23
<strong>The</strong> Royal Lunch BunchPhoto by Nancy ZrymiakNancy Zrymiak dons<strong>India</strong>n attire for the firstlunch bunch after thesummer school break.<strong>The</strong> women <strong>of</strong> the OWC came outin style to the first lunch bunch<strong>of</strong> the season at Khansama. Somedressed in sarees, beautifully pleatedand draped, while others wore salwarkameez. So many designs and colors –some traditional, some modern – it wasfascinating to see what everyone choseto wear.<strong>The</strong> Khansama staff greeted us allby putting a red dot on our foreheadsand aromatic sandalwood paste to theback <strong>of</strong> our hands. A sprinkle <strong>of</strong> waterover the head and a handful <strong>of</strong> jasminecompleted the welcoming ritual.Inside the restaurant we sat at threelarge tables decorated with ornatecopper goblets and matching placesettings. Framed Maharajas peereddown at us from the walls, and scenes<strong>of</strong> old <strong>India</strong> surrounded us, makingus feel as if we were in another eraaltogether.<strong>The</strong> <strong>India</strong>n food was plentiful andthere was something for everyone.Such a great variety <strong>of</strong> tender kebabs,marinated meats, grilled paneer,prawns, vegetables, and breads wereserved: a flavourful feast for all.During lunch, one artistic womanmanaged to decorate each <strong>of</strong> us withthe traditional, swirling designs <strong>of</strong>mehndi. This was no small feat as therewere at least 30 hands to paint. As anadded treat Khansama gifted each <strong>of</strong> uswith bangles and bindis.Those <strong>of</strong> us not used to wearing sareeschecked our pleats and adjusted ourpallus, happy to have made it throughthe event without unravelling. Weleft the restaurant, not just with anappreciation <strong>of</strong> the many tastes <strong>of</strong><strong>India</strong>, but also for the millions <strong>of</strong> <strong>India</strong>nwomen who wear sarees everyday:working, riding bikes and motorbikes,carrying huge loads, and, well – justliving life – an inspiration to all.26 <strong>The</strong> Rangoli 11/2010
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