Bharatanatyam – Teertha Bharatham – Godavari – Nalini Prakash

Description

TEERTHA BHARATHAM – on the Sacred Rivers of India. Rivers have been the cradles of civilizations through millennia. They are venerated as benevolent Mother Goddesses sustaining the entire ecosystem, of which man is a part. A holy dip in their sacred water is considered to be a cleansing and purifying of the body and spirit. The perennial flow of the rivers from its origin to the sea, symbolises the journey of the soul to merge with the universal. Some of the most sublime and poetic experiences of the ancients remain crystallized in the myths and legends around rivers. Teertha Bharatham was the theme of Natyarangam’s seven-day annual dance festival held in August 2008. It was an artistic tour of seven sacred rivers by seven dancers and talks by seven resource persons. In this three DVD series, we present the rivers – Brahmaputra, Godavari and Narmada.

RIVER GODAVARI – Dance by Nalini Prakash, talk by scholar Dr. Prema Nandakumar. Godavari is a sacred and auspicious river of south India, and the second longest river in India. From the Brahmagiri mountain, at an elevation of about 1000 metres the Godavari springs forth in a spot called Gangadwara. The rock has the shape of a cow’s face and nearby is a temple to Mother Godavari. It flows eastwards elevating the Deccan plateau. Entering Andhra Pradesh, the river turns southeast to flow on for more than 300 km to enter the Bay of Bengal. Its banks abounding in groves and frequented by ascetics are centers of Vedic studies even today.

NATYARANGAM, dance wing of the Narada Gana Sabha, was launched in September 1995 with a twofold purpose: (1) to provide a platform for talented young dancers of proven merit, and (2) to create awareness in the audience about various aspects of dance appreciation. It organises dance recitals and lecdems on every third Saturday and Sunday every month. Natyarangam honours eminent gurus, and presents endowment awards to famous dancers, accompanying musicians and young dancers.

Backed by genuine desire to preserve for posterity, Swathi’s Sanskriti Series, uses the best of technology to release this product.