GARBA BOOK KEYNOTE OCTOBER 2018 NOW ON 7TH DEC 2020

garbaworld

N I S H . D . PAT E L

Written.

Designed.

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Published

Nish. D .Patel October 2018 LONDON

garbaworld

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Preface TO FOLLOW

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Contents

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Contents

INTRODUCTION Garba Raas Aarti Navratri Origins Music Styles

DANCE Styles Health Natyashastra DEVOTION Ganesh Saraswati Lakshmi Durga Nine Shiva Krsna Raas Leela Divine Dance Raas Garba

EVENTS Places People Causes Food Singers Benefits FASHION

GALLERY Images

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Introduction

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Introduction Garba and Raas Garba and Raas are the most popular folk dances of Gujarat and are performed as devotional dances several times a year during the festivals of Navratri Words do not easily capture the vibrancy, the energy, the ecstasy and so much more of a Garba and Raas happening and it’s blissful blend of music and dance, glowing and flowing with grace and radiance. Every year Gujaratis all over the world dissolve and dazzle in dances of delight and devotion in their nine day festivals of Navratri. These happenings are filled with the noise and swaying of people, the tinkling and jingling of the dancers and the delighted faces of the people amazed by the rapture.

Conceived in ancient times Garba and Raas dances are immersed in amazing philosophy and  have been borne out of much wonderful and profound thinking.

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The dance and music of Garba and Raas is spectacular and immerses the dancers and gathering in delicious devotion. Engaging in this circular and cosmic dance provides a wonderful chance for mixing and mingling with friends, families and wider society and sustains a healthy and enjoyable way of refreshing and rejuvenating ourselves and the people around and about us.

Dance and music also have a greater and higher purpose in life and Garba and Raas are infused with meaning and purpose. There is profound wisdom embraced in Garba and Raas and these dances have universal appeal. Those of firm faith and those with little or no faith, can all engage pleasantly in these dances.

Garba and Raas dances are not restricted to Gujarat, they are danced wherever there are Gujaratis. They are not the exclusive preserve of  Gujaratis either, they are a common enchantment for people over all continents and many places in between. .

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Far more than any devotion professed for the divine, it is how we treat and respect each other, that is the best foundation of any faith and all devotion. Garba and Raas dances help to foster good manners and graceful etiquette and as such are invaluable for our existence in joy and togetherness.

This short book briefly covers the main elements of these dances and their devotional aspects. Many of the more important areas will be covered in greater detail in future publications.

Those who are passionate about Garba, and eagerly await its exciting and glorious arrival every year, know the enchantment that Garba brings. Those new to Garba, or perhaps disillusioned with Garba, may find this work to be of interest.

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Dance is a stunning achievement of humanity. Â Dance is universal, it reaches, rejuvenates and refreshes...everyone...everywhere

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A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in."

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Garba Garba Garba is a circular devotional dance in celebration of fertility and the divine feminine The word garba literally means a womb. Garba can also refer to a perforated pot with a light in it and the name Garba is given to the songs which are sung when garba is danced.

Garba Garba Deep is the name given to a clay pot, which is usually perforated and decorated on the outside with a hand made Diva ( wick ) lit and placed inside. Garba means a womb and Deep means light.

The light inside the pot represents the divine shining through the perforations and the pot symbolises the womb universe. The term GarbaDeep has another symbolic interpretation, that the vessel itself is a symbol of the body, within whom Divinity, in the form of the Goddess resides.

Garba is danced around this symbol to honor the fact that all humans have the Divine energy within them.

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Raas

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Raas Raas The Dandiya Raas is a stick dance played by a group of evenly numbered dancers, dancing in two concentric circular lines, with one line moving clockwise and the other moving counter clockwise.

The dancers may twist, turn and sway and even change places depending on their ability and inclination. The circular form and the moving lines allow the dancers a few moments to interact as they click their Dandiyas with each other. This dance is also referred to as Dandiya and or as Raas.

Sticks The sticks with which the dance is played are called Dandiyas and dancers may play with either one or two Dandiyas. The Dandiyas are usually about 40 cm or so long and about 8 cm wide and are made of plain wood, or metal, with many Dandiyas decorated and embellished with colourful patterns and designs, with bells and other frills. .

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It is believed that the Raas dance, without sticks was originally performed by the Divine Krsna and the village girls of Vraj, the Gopis, in the forests of Vrandavan by the banks of the Yamuna river.

The word Raas is derived from and linked to the word Rasa. Rasa is a complex term with several meanings however it may be taken to mean the nectar or essence of a thing. One rationale behind Rasa is that it allows the exposition and exhibition of various emotions and longings through art, in this instance the art of dance. The significance of Rasa is further explored in our section on the Natyashastra.

Mixed The Dandiya Raas is played by just men or just women and also by women and men together. As dancers interact with each other when they click their Dandiyas, they have a few moments to acknowledge and greet most everyone who takes their place on the swirling dancing circles. For the boys and girls there is the chance to exchange flirting glances and swooning smiles.

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When you observe Dandiya Raas danced with energy and passion it becomes obvious that the dance has martial origins and elements, evoking fighting with swords as the player warriors click and hit and swipe with the sticks.. The dance is also performed as a mock fight to emulate the battle of the Goddess Durga against evil in many forms including the slaying of the demon Mahishasura. In some regions of Gujarat the dance is performed by men in a martial style and manner.

Songs The songs and tunes played when dancing Dandiya Raas have different connotations and meanings and many of them refer to the escapades and dalliances of the Divine Krsna in his youth. The dance took its most popular form during the Raas Leela dance referred to above. The Raas dance and its songs and themes were later modified and made suitable for the worship and veneration of Divine Mother Goddesses during the festivals of Navratri.

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Aarti

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Radiance flickering and shimmering, bells tinkling and jingling, eyes sparkling and shining, the fragrance of sweet mellow incense flowing and mingling with mesmerising mantras,

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Aarti Aarti At a devotional Garba event, the first two hours or so are devoted to performing Garba dances. There is then a short period of communal worship known as an Aarti, in which the gathering stand in a circle around a image or sculpture of a mother goddess and sing and chant a devotional composition. This is done whilst whilst clapping hands, with some people holding a decorated tray of small lit divas ( wicks ) which they wave in a gentle swaying motion.

The dancers for several hours having swirled and whirled in dance, now with all onlookers, gather in a circle several lines deep and surround the central figure of the gloriously decorated and adorned divine goddess. The worshippers then commence singing and chanting in unison and harmony, continuing in this worship and veneration for a short while, usually for about ten minutes. .

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There is radiance flickering and shimmering, bells tinkling and jingling, eyes sparkling and shining, the fragrance of sweet mellow incense flowing and mingling with mesmerising mantras, casting an enchantment, upon these fortunate ones gathered in praise and adoration It is believed that through this ritual of the aarti, the divas acquire the spirit and power of the deity, The divas are then circulated amongst the worshippers, who will lightly cup their downturned palms over the flame and then raise their palms over their forehead so that the divine blessing passes from the flame to the devotees. People also place currency notes or coins in the tray of divas as a token of their appreciation for the blessings of the divine

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Prasad Prasad is a gracious gift of edible delicacies, such as fruits, nuts and other, mainly sweet, items which have been lovingly prepared by the devotees. These goodies are then carefully set upon decorated silver or metal trays and placed as offerings around the figure of the deity in the centre of the dance circle.

The prasad having been offered to and then blessed by the deity, is believed to have the blessing enshrined in itself. After the aarti has concluded, the prasad is ready to be offered to the devotees as they leave the occasion It is believed that the offering and partaking of this sacred prasad to as many people as possible allows positive thoughts to be fostered .

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Navratri

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Navratri Nine divine days and nine dancing nights of passion and devotion Navratri, which means nine nights, is a devotional and spiritual event. As the name suggests, Navratri takes place over a period of nine days and nights, during which various rites and rituals take place.

The festival of Navratri falls four times a year, in line with the change of the seasons. and certain cosmic alignments. The majority of people usually only celebrate the main Navratri, known as Sharana Navratri, which occurs in late September or early October.

The primary significance of Navratri is the worship of the energy known as Shakti, which represents the power of the Divine Feminine represented by the Goddess of power and strength Durga who is worshipped on the first three days. The next three days are dedicated to the Goddess of spiritual and material wealth Lakshmi.

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The last three days are in honour of the Goddess of wisdom and learning Saraswati Garba and Raas dances are the most significant devotional element of Navratri for Gujarat and Gujaratis and they are danced by most women and a substantial number of men. Navratri is a mainly feminine occasion as this was the one occasion during which women could partake in acts of worship, as for many years religious rituals and worship were mainly male preserves The devotion during Navratri has several aspects.

During the day there are recitations and chanting of scriptures in praise of the mother goddesses, with garba and raas dances taking place in the night..

Over the course of the festival there are also ceremonies which involve the feeding of young girls and the worship of tools of trade and of books of learning. Many people fast before and during Navratri. There are various festivals of Navratri in different regions of India, each with their own particular elements, rituals and ceremonies.

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Vijayadashmi Vijayadashmi, the day of victory, falls on the tenth day of Navratri and is celebrated in honour of the final victory of the Goddess Durga in her battle with the demon Mahishasur.

Vijayadashmi is also used to commemorate the triumph of Lord Ram over the demon Ravana and on this day many Indian Army regiments venerate and worship their weapons This day is also an auspicious day for students to start the process of learning and books and instruments of learning are worshipped. Vijayadashami is also considered to be an auspicious day for new businesses start ups and other ventures This Navratri gathering and devotion in dance for the Divine is one of the most magnificent sights in existence A ravishingly radiant wonder of our world

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Origins

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Origins Origins In ancient times people were in awe and wonder at the world and sought to appeal to higher powers which they sought to appease and worship in numerous ways including dance. The origins of dance in general come from these primitive rituals.

In India these dances were nurtured, refined and made intricate and classical to portray various emotions and longings. As time passed it became difficult for those not accomplished in classical forms of dance to take part. In due course folk dances such as garba came into being to allow the mass of people to enjoy the benediction of dance, and allow them to express and realise differing moods and passions. These dances arose by an interplay of philosophy, theology, social conditions and the needs of the people, and accordingly they slowly evolved to reflect the values and concerns of the age, whilst resting their faith and belief on solid devotional foundations.

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The Garba dance was evolved out of the Raas dance and associated with the worship of the divine feminine. Since Garba was strongly attached to the worship of divine mother goddesses, it’s form and structure is different from Raas. Garba is believed to have been evolved and nurtured into its now current traditional form, between the fifth and fifteenth centuries of the western era.

The Raas dance is of older origin than Garba and was first believed to have been performed by the divine deity known as Shri Krsna, also spelt as Krishna. The Divine Krsna played and performed a dance, known as the Raas Leela with village girls, known as Gopis, on the banks of the River Yamuna in the forests of Vrandavan. The antiquity of this dance is as old as Krsna and he is believed to have played and performed the Raas Leela from about three thousand to five thousand years ago. The Raas dance was later adapted and evolved by the worshippers of the Goddess Durga to be performed with sticks to evoke the staging of a mock fight between the Goddess Durga and the demon Mahishasur

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Musix

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Music Music A mellow beginning, a sumptuous middle reaching a crescendo in spinning splendour.

Unless they have a good understanding, of music, the vast majority of people do not fully appreciate the intricacies of music and the significance of various notes and chords. In general people wish to enjoy something which is fairly easy to appreciate.

The music of Garba and Raas is folk music, which is popular with the masses and gives them a musical style and form which they find pleasant and which is easy to assimilate and emulate The songs and tunes to which the Garba and Raas dances takes place are are usually about twenty to thirty minutes long not just a few short minutes, as is the case with a lot of other dancing tunes. The length of the Garba is tailored so that the tune has a mellow beginning, a sumptuous middle and a rapturous ending. .

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The dancing is not over in a few minutes and enough time is taken over the music to allow the dancers ample time to flow and glow.

Garba and Raas compositions have been handed down over the generations and their words and themes range from the devotional and spiritual, to social and domestic concerns. There are compositions in praise and worship of the mother goddesses and there are loving symphonies and refrains on the dalliance of Krsna with Radha and the Gopis. The songs are almost always composed in the Gujarati language. The compositions of Garba cover a wide spectrum of life and its loves and longings, its weaknesses and woes, in loving words, teasing lyrics and cheeky asides.

The clapping with the hands and the clicking of the dandiyas resonate all over the dance floor and often little accompaniment is needed other than a drummer with a two headed drum known as a Naal, to keep the beat and rhythm. The traditional instruments used by the performers are most commonly a Naal or other drum, the shehnai or flute and a harmonium,

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Garba does not need very elaborate instrumentation, however in modern times many forms of electronic and percussion instruments are used. Garba can also be performed to prerecorded music, and it is better to dance to prerecorded music if the musicians or singers available are not very accomplished Maa Taro Garbo Jhakamjhod, Patan Thi Patola, and Maa Pava Te Gadh Thi are some of the popular Garbas performed in praise of the Divine Mother Goddesses. Tara Vina Shyam Mune, Tari Banki Re Paghladi Nu and Aaj No Chandaliyo are some of the Raas compositions played in love of the Divine Krsna and his enchanting activities. There are several examples of popular garba and raas and performances set out in the media section of the Garbaworld web site.

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Styles

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Styles Style The basic garba steps are simple, so simple that it does not much time to learn them as long as the person guiding or assisting does not over complicate matters. The steps should never be taught on a crowded dance floor. The basic steps are as simple as stepping backwards and fowards, with a slight lift. Once the basic steps become second nature, variations can then be attempted. There are many enhancements which can then be introduced, and these then make the dancer stand out and shine.

There are many ways in which the clapping can happen and if done well the clapping regulates the spinning and swirling.

It is best, even if you an accomplished dancer, to keep the flow of the steps and claps in balance and harmony, rather than be diverted into distracting moves and manoeuvres, which spoil the flow and sweep of the dancing and which makes the dancing, far more tiring and trying than it should be. The dancing will go on for several hours and more and if garba is taught and

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There are many forms and styles of garba and raas, with many elegant variations on the traditional and many good modern styles. Sadly however too many of the modern garba steps and styles spoil the flow of the dance as they are invented solely for the sake of novelty or to win some competition and have not always been well considered and put together.

Garba and Raas steps and styles cannot really be brought across in words and it is best to watch live performances or videos to learn more. There is a selection of styles exhibited in some performances on the videos section of the garbaworld.com website.

As the Garba and Raas dances culminate at the end of the evening, often there are some extra dances which have their own enchantment and excitement, such as the Fudadari and Ramjanyu The Fudadari is done at the end, when it otherwise seems that the dancing has finished. Along then comes this wonderful bonus. In this style of dance two dancers hold each others hands with criss crossed arms and lean back and then turn and sway in a circle, going faster and faster and faster,

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This dance with its spinning and swirling in an exhaustive and dangerous manner has few other equals, It is amazing to see groups of tens and hundreds doing this with so much energy unleashed and beaming excited faces glowing as they sway away screaming with laughter.

The Ramjanyu is a dancing march. The dancers move in a march of dance backwards and forwards, marching their bodies in time and rhythm and balance.

The ramjanyu happens at end of the evening just after or before the Fudadrri. By this time everyone is sweating, as the last raas finishes and there are some moments to relax and then the ramjanyu starts

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Events

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Events Events The late evening breeze, the cool blue sky, that tingle in the air, the fragrance of night awaiting the hours to follow, longing to get high on dance Town Halls, Church Halls, Community Halls, Temples, Hotels, Stadiums, Streets, Parks, Courtyards, Open Grounds, Marquees are all taken over for Garba and Raas dances.

Timing Garba and Raas generally take place at one time period in the year for seasonal and spiritual reasons. It is not very common knowledge that there are four times when Navratri could be celebrated.

There is no reason why Garba and Raas dances, with or without elements of worship and devotion, may not take place throughout the year in better seasons and better places. Garba and Raas enshrine an awesome heritage of dancing, singing, teasing and pleasing and there .

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There are many good and substantial reasons why these dances should be held most of the year round At Navratri time during the day Garba dances, though not usually Raas, take place in temples, small and large, and the participants are in the main women and mostly older ladies. The surroundings of the temple and its ambience lend a special sacred feeling to these daytime dances and these garbas have a special charm and the happening is far more devotional than the night time dances. At night, the events are held in a variety of places depending on what is available and affordable. The night time dances will include firstly Garba dances for the first half, followed by an Aarti and then Raas dances.

In India there are mega events which take place in large halls and vast grounds and are held on a commercial basis, though in some instances a part of the profits may be donated to good causes. These events seek to attract the top garba performers and therefore the expenses of the events are quite substantial and these are recouped through high entry prices, advertisements and sponsorship.

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The people attending such events may have some link with the community and organisers, but generally they are open to all. The attendance at such events ranges from about 5000 to 30,000 people.

Often families will hold or sponsor a night or two of garba during Navratri and these will be restricted to friends and relatives. At these events there is a practice of giving small gifts to all the girls and ladies who attend. In times past this would include some small item of stainless steel crockery, such as bowls and containers, engraved with the name of the family offering the gift.

Weddings Up until the late 1980’s an evening of garba and raas dancing was considered an essential part of any Gujarati wedding. At weddings nowadays as there are several events such as musical nights and lavish receptions, the practice of holding a wedding Garba in Britain has sadly declined. This is regrettable as a Garba happening is the best occasion for bringing the guests of the bride and groom and their families in closer connection with each other. Often the couple will play garba and raas with their guests for most of the evenings.

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Often the couple will play garba and raas with their guests for most of the evenings.

Wedding Garbas when they are held, are held in suitable halls and a good deal of time attention and money is spent not only on the event but also on expensive garments, food and music. However even at relatively low cost these dances can make any wedding festivities much grander.

There are many community associations of Gujaratis in cities all over the world. These organisations do good work for the benefit of the community and at Navratri time, wherever possible they will arrange Garba and Raas dances even if it is just for a night or two rather than the full nine nights. There is a wide variety of such associations ranging from those of common religious affiliations, to groups of the same caste, to worldwide organisations such as the Lions Clubs.

Garba and Raas dances may be performed in familiar groups of several hundred, to community gatherings of several thousands and for public extravaganzas of many tens of thousands.

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Each gathering has it own flavour and bhavna, and it is a joy to be able to attend these differently sized and arranged events, and be soaked in the common and communal embrace of radiant and vibrant people A very important consideration is of course the optimum size for Garba and Raas. The Garba happenings of up to thirty thousand people have their own excitement and atmosphere and are great for people watching. However the dancing loses much grace and elegance in these enormous crowds

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Dancing and Devotion Every year happenings are organised in vast grounds under the open sky, beneath radiant stars, under the gaze of a glowing moons. Gujarat in India is the home of Garba and Raas. Every year Garba events are organised in vast grounds under the open sky, beneath radiant stars, under the gaze of a glowing moons. The happenings go on till late,local politics permitting, and the resolve and buzz is there to continue dancing till the dawn rises for another day.

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Places Places Every year happenings are organised in vast grounds under the open sky, beneath radiant stars, under the gaze of a glowing moons.

Gujarat Gujarat in India is the home of Garba and Raas.

Every year Garba events are organised in vast grounds under the open sky, beneath radiant stars, under the gaze of a glowing moons. The happenings go on till late,local politics permitting, and the resolve and buzz is there to continue dancing till the dawn rises for another day. Dances are also held in small villages, courtyards, city streets and most everywhere where there is some open space. The range on offer is wide from intimate family type gatherings to events with upwards of 30000 people attending. The radiance of the festival, and the passion of the people takes over whole towns and cities for all nine nights and there is nowhere better to be on the planet, than in Gujarat at Navratri time.

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The United States Gujarati Communities in North America organise Navratri Garba and Raas dances on a major scale over all states. Many of the Universities and colleges have Raas Garba teams who compete nationally several times a year, in well organised competitions.

The Dandiya Raas dance has become hugely popular in the last twenty years and is usually performed in state wide competitions which has led to the dance being mixed and mingled with other forms of music and western themes and settings.

Britain In October begins the onset of winter and the weather is damp and cold. The people having just enjoyed the summer months are preparing to stay in during the cold winter nights and it becomes difficult to build up the enthusiasm and passion to put on your glad rags and go out for nine nights in a row to the Navratri events. However most, if not all, Gujarati communities take the trouble to arrange Navratri events with many people giving much of their time and resources to help the organisers. .

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There is competition, between different organisations, in large cities, for the best halls. The people, despite the cold weather, take the time and effort to attend, and despite the overcrowding they dance with passion and devotion.

World Africa, America, Asia, Australia and Europe and many places in between. Garba events take place in over 500 cities all over the world and wherever there are Gujaratis there is garba and there is raas.

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People People The greatest blessing that Garba and Raas events bring is the wide age range of the people attending and participating. It is fortunate that here are dance forms which have people from the age of two to the age of eighty, all gathered in one place for an evening of dancing, singing and playing. And not just dance, but moving and blending amidst great devotion, the devotion for the elders, devotion for the divine, all participants in a sacred and spiritual happening, whether dancing, sitting or posing.

At Garba happenings there are representations of love for the youth, religious themes for the older, philosophy and arts for the learned, goddesses for assurance of wealth and prosperity for the business minded. There is also the power and might of the goddesses worshipped and the mock battles with sticks. All this wrapped up in fun and laughter.

Something for mostly all, including the adorned garba princesses, the prancing princes, not to mention some glittering queens.

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The older people are delighted in seeing the children and teenagers engaged in a devotional and cultural activity. They see a whole community of their family and friends and wider society immersed in communion, having a wonderful time in tune and harmony with all others. At most garba happenings respectful attitudes are observed in the relations between the sexes, and many of the people attending will have some common link, near or distant, with others, whether through friendship, family relations or through the community Children many flowing and fluttering, beaming and grinning, enthralled by the extravaganza, enchanted by the dancing, surprised at this devotion, gazing in wonder upon this splendour. Children do not generally get much chance to dance and prance.

Children like to play and jump and dance However children are generally told to behave and keep still and their natural exuberance is dampened.

Children having fun, running around, twirling, and a leaping? God forbid !

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Causes

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Causes Causes The dances are best when some good or greater cause is helped and supported. Dance happenings are a suitable way to raise funds and followers for projects which can help to make our world a better place. Support for worthy causes should be an essential element of most dance happenings. Money in donations, and money earned by providing worth and value to the participants, can be garnered in vast measure to help needy causes.

In addition to or instead of donating financially, people may feel an inner pull to become more involved with the cause by donating their time and skill as well. By volunteering, they have the opportunity to build their social circles while reaping the physical, mental and spiritual benefits from the effort contributed to the cause. GIving is part of the transcendence of dancing

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A recent study by a Harvard Business School faculty and graduate students titled “Feeling Good about Giving: The Benefits (and Costs) of Self-Interested Charitable Behaviour," explores the ways in which charitable behaviour can lead to benefits for the giver..

While the concept that giving to others can make one feel good about oneself is not revolutionary, there are several more subtle ways that giving money or time for a cause can benefit psychological, spiritual and emotional well-being. When considering donating to a charity, many people tend to research the issues connected to that organisation. As a result, they become more aware of social injustices around the world. They may discover new points of view and opinions on topics about which they were previously uniformed. This knowledge may position them to help increase awareness of social problems among those in their sphere of influence from a balanced standpoint

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In organising a dance happening an important consideration is to see how best that event may help good causes and how people may be further inspired to continue the support of worthy projects.

There are many elements which make dances suitable for raising substantial funding and other help for those in need. Dance is itself a fine education in learning about ourselves and such awareness leads to sympathy and empathy for others.

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Food Food Delicious, nourishing, yummy, the cuisine of the dance looks good and tastes great This well prepared nourishment of many generations, the food served at garba and raas happenings has been carefully considered and created. The food is mainly a lot of small snacks and nibbles, easy to eat and digest and provides provide energy and stamina for the many hours of dancing that lie ahead.

Nourishment is an essential ingredient of the dance and the energetic dancing helps, the food to burn up helping to maintain a satisfied and healthy body and being.

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Singers Singers There are many excellent and accomplished Garba and Raas musicians and singers The entrancing and melodious voice of Shri Hemant Chauhan is utterly captivating. Hemantbhai takes the people to another dimension when he renders his masterly and soulful performances and he pierces hearts and beings with a gentility and grace which is addictive The late Shankar Ganguly Hemant Chauhan Praful Dave Damyanti Bhil Pamela Jain Soli Kapadia Nisha Upadhayah Suchita Aishwaria Majmudar Shruti Ahir Rajal Barot Page incomplete , more to follow.

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Benefits Benefits The socialising and mingling nature of Garba and Raas dances are of great worth and value and their benefits cannot be overemphasised. Within a short time of attending the event, people will start to connect with some and then assimilate and blend with many others pleasantly and easily. By the end of a Garba and Raas evening people will have connected with many others. If the event has been well organised, they will have clicked sticks and engaged with everyone who takes their place on the whirling dancing circles . There is rarely any other dance form that can lead one into making some connection or contact so quickly with most everyone present.

Garba and Raas dances are relatively easy to do.

After just a short while, within 15 minutes or less, the basic steps can be easily picked up to allow you to get into the rhythm and the flow. Enough can be learned in a short space of time to make sure that your dancing is not awkward or embarrassing, either to yourself or to others.

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With other dance forms it is not usually easy to achieve this level of mixing and mingling, even in a hall full of people known to each other. Here people will soon be dancing and connecting and clicking with each other. Here you will be, side by side and face to face, moving, flowing and dancing. fooling around.

This form of dancing smoothly takes your mind off many troubles, and soon releases you from part of the toils, troubles and worries of day to day life.

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more to follow on benefits

Devotion Socialising Circular Transcendence Music Dance Fashion Passion Exercise Mixed Sexes Romance Circular

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Fashion Fashion A dazzling display of gaudiness and glory, transcending any bling , anytime, anyplace, anywhere Those who are passionate about garba and there are tens of millions of them, look foward for many weeks and months, preparing and deciding on their adornments, eagerly anticipating the many nights of dancing and posing and prancing that lie ahead.

Women Women generally wear heavily embroidered and embellished three piece outfits, consisting of a Chaniya which is a long flowing skirt, a Choli which is a a tight midriff baring blouse and a a form of flowing scarf known as an Odhani or dupatta. The Chaniyas and Cholis have differing patterns, with a wide range of motifs. Quite often there will be vast numbers of small mirrors ( known as abhla ) sewn into the garments which reflect the colours all around and about them.

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The Chaniya is mostly embroidered and pleated, and is designed to allow freedom of movement and also to keep you cool. The Choli is cut to fit tightly to the body and usually has short sleeves and a low neck and is often cropped to expose the navel. Some modern Cholis will have cut out backs and front openings.

Men Men also dress splendidly and colourfully. They wear dhotis or a pyjama like garment which is tight towards the ankles but flowy and billowy from the hips to the knees. They wear a tight fitting top known as a Kediyu which is widely flared at the midriff and swings around as they dance. Some will wear colourful and extravagant turbans or other decorative caps, and sport multicoloured scarves.

The mens attire is also embroidered and embellished with patterns and small mirrors.

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Observing a garba happening, you are struck by the rich colours and patterns, the glitz and the razzle of the clothing and are soon immersed in the gloriousness of the decoration and this embellishment upon embellishment, in a dazzling display of gaudiness and glory, transcending any bling anytime anyplace anywhere.

The women adorn themselves with glittering necklaces and earrings with their arms covered with bangles of many colours and compositions. Many will sport a bindi on their forehead and some will have ankle bracelets, which give off tinkling and jingling sounds as they dance and sway. Some few or more will have adorned themselves heavily and completely and they stand out and shine, these are the garba queens whose passion and devotion for the dance is apparent from the time and imagination taken over their adornment. Many others will adorn themselves colourfully but in simple and rustic ways.

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Baubles, bangles and beads, in many shades and shapes and colours, glittering and sparkling further adorn the already kaleidoscopic garments. Around the ground colourful umbrellas will be waved and twirled as the dancers spin and flow in their dance.

At certain events women will carry a pot or a multitude of decorated pots on their heads and will dance in elegant deportment. There is little problem of what shoes to wear, as when dancing, footwear is taken off for reasons of cleanliness and safety and most importantly due to respect for the deities; the garba floor being hallowed ground.

Odhani A huge amount of good things can be written about the odhani. It flows in breezes, it hides the coy, it shapes the figure, it covers the bare, it can leap out and kiss, with a gentle glance, a wispy stroke, a twisty tease, it can bind and tie, pull and caress, float away and never be found, it wraps around you in comfort, waves around you in celebration, it is cheap and cheerful, graceful and extravagant, exotic and exciting

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Patola There is also the choice of wearing a traditional Patola Saree, which is specially made in Patan in Northern India. This garment is believed to bestow a spiritual essence arising from the time, care and devotion with which it is crafted. Patola Sarees are very expensive costing around ten thousand sterling pounds or a lot more.

Some of the younger girls and boys will go that much further and have temporary tattoos of icons and elements of the dances and devotion, painted on their bare arms, shoulders and backs, all this to stand out and increase their showing and their allure and to provide further buzz to their personality and adornment.

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With men and with women generally the more elaborately they are dressed, the greater their enthusiasm and passion for the dance and devotion.

The ideal dancing garments are those which are alluring and flowing and allow freedom of movement, traditional garba attire mostly, though not always allows for this and the swirling and swooshing of the garments adds further motion and movement to the dancing. The garba garments rich and full of patterns, shapes, glitter, sparkle and shine, are like a flowing exhibition of traditional and abstract art in motion and devotion. The garments and adornments are very much a part of the rich heritage of these dances and should be valued, and preserved, and over time evolved and developed to make them fitting to blend with contemporary times.

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TO FOLLOW; Modern, Traditional Women Men Children Jewelry Range of Garba Jewelry Accessories Make up and beauty Hairstyles Shola Shringaar Different sized people Patan Patola

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Dance Dance To dance is to be out of yourself, more beautiful, more powerful, this is glory on earth and it is yours for the taking Dance is perhaps the most shining achievement of evolution, whether divine or not. It is movement in dance that distinguishes us from many other life forms. Without dance we miss out on much of the ecstasy of our wonderful and remain bare of the exhilaration that dancing can awaken in our being Dance steps are created from mans basic movements; the walk, run, jump, skip, slide, leap, turn and sway. Combinations of these have become traditional dance steps and have been used for folk and ethnic dances, social, dances and modern expressive dances. Dance is the body moving in rhythm usually, but not always, in time to music or chanting.

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There are various definitions of dance and these vary around the world amongst different cultures.

Dance takes various shapes and forms ranging from simple and easy steps to intricate and complex performances.

There are many reasons why people dance ranging from ceremonial rituals and social bonding to romantic aspirations. When language had not yet developed humans communicated with each other through gestures Dance can assist in reaching a better understanding of culture, our own as well as the culture of other people and such appreciation helps to strengthen the spirit of harmony in a multicultural, a multiracial, a multi religious society.

Dance, which displayed the body in public, was one of the channels of communication used to pass along important social skills from one generation to the next.

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Dance was also socially significant since it enabled the poor to see the rich as their equals and by dancing in a socially approved ways with their peers, individuals proclaimed their allegiance to society as a whole.

The nobility danced for the sake of social grace, to exhibit their finery and to meet their future wives and husbands, peasants danced to make themselves happy and to escape the routine of their life.

Dance is probably the most personal of the arts in that the feeling and emotions evoked by the dance are in the main experienced and felt by the dancer, it is the dancer who is mostly moved by her dance.

The watchers look and see the effect of the emotions and the movement, but they cannot fully fathom the dance. A painter and his painting are separate, once painted if the painter is not there the painting still exists, with a poet, the poem remains even if the poet does not, the same with a sculptor and his sculpture. However with dance when the dancer goes, so does the dance, they are linked and depend on each other.

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As for experiencing and engaging in dance, there are the performance dances, where professionals or the accomplished perform and the rest watch. and and there are social dances that people dance themselves in a non accomplished non professional ways As for the performance dances, you have to learn and practice and work hard and long in most cases and this takes time, effort and dedication. After all you are performing for an audience so you have to be proficient. With social dances you do not need to work hard to learn them and can become good just by engaging now and then. Even if you are not very good it does not really matter in the main.

It is not possible to say when dance became part of human culture, but dance is probably the most ancient of the arts and the oldest means of expression, reflecting the need of humans to express emotion and need, by using the most immediate instrument available, the body.

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Astronomical events made a deep impression on ancient man and movements of the heavenly bodies were imitated through circle dances and there are many and various rituals amongst the cultures of the world, present and past, where dance is an important element in the life and well being of the community, with love work and ritual all finding expression through dance. Many important events, such as births, marriages and death were celebrated and mourned with dancing and humans would dance for the heavens to send rain and would dance in bliss when these dancing prayers were answered.

Dance has certainly been an important part of ceremony, rituals, celebrations and entertainment since the earliest human civilisations. Archeology delivers traces of dance from the prehistoric era such as the 9,000 year old Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka paintings in India and Egyptian tomb paintings depicting dancing figures from c. 3300 BC. One of the earliest structured uses of dances may have been in the performance and in the telling of myths.

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Dance was also sometimes used to show feelings for one of the opposite gender. Before the production of written languages, dance was one of the methods of passing stories down from generation to generation.

Another early use of dance may have been as a precursor to ecstatic trance states in healing rituals.

It is only since 1890 that it has been possible to portray dance in moving images on film. For many thousands of years, dance could only be preserved by words or paintings hence we only have fleeting glimpses of the breadth and range of the dancing that enriched and enchanted man and womankind for eons. Sadly the vast majority of the human experience of dance is lost to us. Sound recordings were first possible after 1877 and so the songs, melodies and refrains that accompanied dance have only been available for our enjoyment since the late 1800s’.

In primitive and ancient times the natural elements were given personalities, which were in turn abstracted as spirits and gods. By wearing masks and moving in certain patterns, individuals could impersonate these deities.

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Sacred dances were performed to influence the course of nature to bring rain, to facilitate a good harvest or a hunt, and to drive out evil. One of the most important patterns was the circle dance. The circle stands for itself; it is closed to the surrounding world and to spectators. The circle, or ring, dance was seen as an earthly counterpart of the heavenly dance of the angels.

In the western world artistic dancing remained a special preserve of technical groups of artists; dance as an art to be practiced and learnt. The majority of people did not consider dance to be a respectable activity to be performed in public and hence dancing was reserved for those who took the time and trouble to become accomplished in the skills of dance. In Hinduism however, dance has been a part of the scriptures and the works flowing and following from them, as well as rituals and practices, which put dance at the very heart and forefront of Hindu heritage and spirituality Dance is a form of art which has a time structure, a maximum and minimum length, which are the same.

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There is nothing to dictate how long you must admire a painting, or a poem, or a sculpture, but with dance as also with music, the form requires that a certain portion of your time be taken.

Hence timing is important and the dance and the music has to use that time well if it is too short it will not have time to make much of an impression, if it is too long people may drift. Dance is an art which is more connected and to do with the body than any other art, painting, sculpture, music, writing. These other arts do involve the use of some small part of your body but dance claims the whole. As an art form dance reconnects you with your body and limbs.

As the dancer cannot overlook and properly admire his dance and the onlookers cannot be in and within the dance, to what extent can a dance performance really be appreciated and understood? It seems as if this dichotomy between the dance, the dancer and those being dazzled by the dance, is destined to remain.

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What is important however is to understand that this distinction is there and your appreciation of dance is mainly of a subjective nature.

In many respects it is similar to religious experiences, and enlightenments, that those who have felt and been moved by such phenomena have difficulty in adequately getting across to another the power and emotion of the happening. Of course all this also has a lot to do with the fact that often, the experiencer himself does not fully fathom the precise nature of the mood and emotion that he has undergone and its motivation and purpose. It is therefore very difficult to get across in words or other media what you feel and experience when you dance. And so it should be, that is the essence of such phenomena

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Dance- Styles Dance Styles As for dances done for social pleasure they are in the main of momentary significance and some of them still require a lot of energy and effort. Rarely are there dances which can be done for social pleasure and also have significance and some higher purpose.

We need to appreciate that the best and most significant form of dance is not that of the professionals. In the main you have to be fairly knowledge about the professional dances and hence the best and most significant and useful dances are communal dances. They soar and transcend far above professional performances Folk dance is a participation dance, displaying the characteristics and temperament of the people who create it. It is usually a dance of anonymous origin that has been passed from generation to generation.

Most Indian dances have grown from popular dances into art forms.

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The classical range is also immersed in cultural and dramatic works, in carefully contrived settings.These take time trouble and expense to arrange and organise. You cannot just start dancing.

The onlookers, the audience also have to have a certain degree of knowledge and understanding for them to appreciate and enjoy the performance.

Accomplishment is therefore required for those watching. This naturally restricts the audience for a classical dance performance. SImilar constraints apply to classical music and other such arts. It is not something of the people, by the people and for the people.

There is not a lot that can be written on dance, as it a thing to be seen and experienced or performed.

However much can be written on the benefits of dance and why people should dance.

There are innumerable benefits in dance and dancing. Dance can make us fitter and healthier, mentally and physically. Dance can also increase our social interaction and bonding with like minded people. Dance is something that can be done by all ages from infants to the elderly.

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Even the infirm can enjoy dance to some extent.

Dance can be done as part of a group or even alone.

Dance can happen in a variety of places and settings, and for different purposes and reasons.

Apart from wars, dancing was the chief factor making for social solidarity in primitive life and there is every reason to suppose that is still the case today. The value of dance as a method of individual and national education was recognised as civilisation became increasingly self-conscious. In the Laws Plato remarked that a good education includes knowing how to dance and sing well.

Dance is one of the most environmentally friendly activities, as it hardly uses up any of the precious resources of our world. The energy used up in dance comes from food we would usually consume. Dance does not need lavish places or buildings for it to happen and a simple music player with speakers and and a small piece of ground or field is all that is needed. Great dancing can take place using no more than instruments which were available a few thousand years ago.

Dance has fairly minimal requirements in terms of equipment and resources.

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Dance has fairly minimal requirements in terms of equipment and resources.

In this day and age more people are leading physically inactive lives and rates of obesity are on the increase and there is an urgent need to improve the physical health of people. Dance can have a profound effect on health and well being. In comparison to other repetitive forms of healthy exercise, it is far more pleasant to engage in dance.

It is therefore important that the benefits of dance are available to as many people as possible.

For the individual depending on the nature of the chosen dances, there can be personal and mental growth and a more fulfilled life. There is a chance to form and sustain friendships and relationships, whether platonic or romantic. Dance being a fusion of many forms of art, including music, literature and the visual arts, helps individuals to grow intellectually as well. Dance also exposes people to more music and studies have identified that good forms of music can improve our mental well being.

Dance helps to improve rhythmic and creative expression and enriches our imagination and innovation.

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Dance has an impressive number of styles and forms and themes and there is something to suit most people.

A community which blends and bonds better in dance will also be more enriching and caring. Dance can assist in reaching a better understanding of our culture, as well as the culture of other people and such appreciation helps to strengthen the spirit of harmony in a multicultural, multiracial and multi religious society.

It seems obvious, that there is little reason to avoid dance, and every reason to dance more.

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Dance- Health Dance Health The New England Journal of Medicine reported in 2003 on a 21 year study carried out by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine New York, on the effects of recreational activities on the elderly.

The study examined cognitive activities such as reading books, writing, doing puzzles, playing cards and musical instruments. It also examined physical activities such as tennis, golf, swimming, bicycling, walking and doing housework.

The study found that almost none of the physical activities appeared to offer any protection against dementia. The only physical activity which did offer protection against dementia was frequent dancing.

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The study reported as follows; Reading - 35% reduced risk of dementia Bicycling and swimming - 0% Doing crossword puzzles at least four days a week 47% Playing golf - 0% Dancing frequently - 76%.

Dancing contained the greatest risk reduction of any activity studied, cognitive or physical.

It was believed that dancing had these benefits as dancing integrates several brain functions at once.

Dancing simultaneously involves kinesthetic, rational, musical and emotional processes.

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Of course the kind of dancing you do does matter, and further research is needed on this. However it seems sensible to conclude that folk dances such as garba and raas have many elements in them which make them suitable as dances for improving mental and physical health.

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Dancing Helps To: Boost memory Improve flexibility Reduce stress Diminish depression Help your heart Lose weight Balance better Increase energy Make friends

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Natyashastra Natyashastra The Natyashastra is a treatise on dance and drama attributed to the sage Bharata Muni. It is believed to have been composed in In the Fifth Century ( check ) AD Bharata established artistic principles and a system of training. These rigid rules of the language of gesture were laid out in his treatise the Natya Shastra. Sanskrit has a single word for dance and drama, the two being considered inseparable: Natya. Bharata speaks of Nritya the expressive dance that tells a story through pantomime; and Nritta, the pure dance performed for its own sake, in which the dancer surrenders to intoxicating rhythm.

The Natyashastra is important as it is a treatise on the various human emotions and longings that exist in us and how they can be awakened, brought out and expressed. According to the Natyashastra creating plays and paintings, writing poetry, making sculptures, chanting, meditating,

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even religious discourse and listening to myths and legends and communal singing, are some of the acts and behaviours, that can help to beckon, engage and awaken the Ras. Dance, of course, is the greatest of the devices for the Ras to be awakened and Garba and Raas are the greatest of dances, The Natyashastra profiles nine main rasas, and there are also sub rasas. The nine highlighted in the Natyashastra are ;

The Nine Rasas The Amorous The Pathetic The Valorous The Furious The Repellant The Jovial The Terrible The Wonderful The Pacific

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The gestures and movements we see in Indian classical dance originate from the Natyashastra and these take time to learn, appreciate and understand.

Accomplished classical dancers, through the rigorous practice of their art and craft were, on more than a few occasions, able to awaken this essence, this sap, this Ras, the Ras�a within.

To reach such accomplishment rigorous training was required and such dancing became the preserve of very few. It became the asset of those who expended considerable time, effort and dedication to become accomplished. Such accomplishment was not, and is still not within the reach of the majority of people; those onlooking and appreciating.

We see an exhibition of many of the Rasas covered in the Natyashastra whenever we watch a film, or a play or indeed when interact with other humans.

The Natyashastra is a fascinating and complex work and we hope to explore the work further in future books.

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Devotion Faith It is very much the essence of the human condition that it seeks the union of its individual soul and being, with the cosmic soul and infinite existence. In order for this union to sparkle, moods of great passion and ecstatic emotion have to be brought into play. Faith and culture matter greatly to most people and to have the benefits of dance as a fundamental dimension of worship and devotion is a great blessing. Dance in faith also shakes off the seriousness with which people follow faith. Without dance as an essential element and meditation as it core, faiths are rendered less than whole.

When men and women engage in powerful forms of art or devotion, some of the ras/sap that can connect them with the divine awakens and flows. This is why religion exerts such a powerful hold on the human condition and imagination. It is a means to awaken this union. Also why Art, despite, perhaps because of, its abstract forms, also grips the imagination so deeply.

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Garba and Raas were brought into existence and developed in order that the majority of people would have a simpler way of seeking this union with the divine, to have their Rasas flowing and glowing.

Given its powerful effect the flow of Rasas had to be handled with care and sensibly trouble was taken to ensure that the many emotions and longings awakened through Garba and Raas, did not so enchant and excite the people, that the Ras overflowed and made them too wildly ecstatic, too much out of control. After all when you have the devices to awaken such profound and deep desires, some element of restraint has to be put in place, hence proper patterns and forms were instilled, to keep the rasa in check and control, or to let it lose as well, depending on the mood to be encouraged, the morals to uphold, the decency to maintain, the purpose to be served.

At Garba and Raas dances, some rare few will flow into ecstatic trance and lose control and appear possessed. They will dance and move as if they are no longer themselves, as if some mysterious thing has happened to them and they can no longer be held accountable

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for their actions and movements Of course the majority of the people will not ascend into trance, but it shows the power of dance, that but for the lack of a little more Ras, many more would float and fly in trance.

The path of Bhakti is very much the awakening of the Ras within you and allowing your being to connect and play in togetherness with divinity. This is the reason for its endurance and expansion On Garba as it is important to understand faith in the context of todays world and beliefs and how other belief systems regard dance and music to enable one to see where the differences lie, but also to recognise the common places where bonding and understanding may happen.

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Hinduism has changed several times over many thousands of years and this is now an age when our thoughts should turn to our beliefs and traditions and see how we can enhance and embrace and have them more fitting to blend in gracefully with our contemporary age. This is even more important when the current state of knowledge and wisdom of humanity is more extensive than ever in the past. In order to do this we should start by learning more about the beauty and grace of what we already have and then seek to improve and enhance, to make it better. Hence the presentation of this work so that an important aspect of faith, Dance , may be better experienced and understood.

In Hinduism dance has been a foundational element in the scriptures and works flowing and following from them as well as the rituals and practice which place dance at the very heart and the forefront of hindu spirituality, culture and heritage. It is music and song and dance that has kept hinduism vibrant and radiant in these and all times. Any spiritual dimension needs music and song and dance, otherwise it becomes stagnant and corrupted.

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The greatest quality of Hindu philosophy and spirituality is that it is always evolving. It is incumbent in the nature of such beliefs that they change and progress to meet the needs of humankind. Our understanding of existence and existence itself changes from time to time. In consequence innovation should be welcomed and is a matter of evolution and progress

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Lord Ganesh Ganesh The delightful Ganesh, the god of wisdom, education and new beginnings, is the most cherished and well regarded of all Hindu deities. His name and iconography have spread far beyond India and Ganesh is widely known and loved throughout the world Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism have many sects and widely differing beliefs, philosophies and theologies, however Ganesh is the only deity that is loved, worshipped and adored throughout all these faiths and his worship is universal in India and in many other places all over the world. A large part of Hinduism considers Ganesh to be one of the prime divine deities together with Brahma, Vishnu, Durga and Shiva Ganesh is the son of a great mother the Goddess Parvati, and a magnificent father, the Lord Shiva.

There are differing legends concerning his birth or creation and his original and subsequent forms.

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Ganesh is believed to have cut off one of his tusks, so he would have a suitable implement with which to write the Mahabharata.

Ganesh, the bestower of prosperity and protection is the most regularly worshipped deity in India and all HIndus homes will have a idol of Ganesh. Ganesh is also present in his role as a protector at the doorways and entrances to temples and homes.

Ganesh removes obstacles ensuring good luck as well as making sure that bad luck stays away as well.

Ganesh is the master of Buddhi which means Intellect. He is also the bestower of Siddhi- meaning Spiritual Power as well as Riddhi meaning Prosperity. The wives of Ganesh are called Riddhi and Siddhi and he has two sons firstly Labh, meaning profit and secondly Subh, meaning auspicious. Ganesh is venerated as the remover of spiritual and material obstacles and as the patron of the arts and sciences, intellect and wisdom. In his role as the god of new beginnings Ganesh is invariably called upon and worshipped at the start of any hindu rituals and ceremony, including weddings.

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Ganesh is the remover or obstacles and he is also one who who places them as well., in order to teach lessons and remove ignorance.

Ganesh silently and in devotion listens to what we say and the prayers that we utter, and then passes them on to the relevant deities. Ganesh is an evolving deity and his attributes change form time to time and place to place, such flexibility being his whole attraction.

Naturally such a deity has to have several suitable mounts and like many hindu deities, Ganesh has mounts which would be the envy of many fancy vehicle worshippers. Ganesh strides on top of the most humblest of creatures, a tiny mouse, signifying his lack of prejudice between the great and the not so great. The mouse being a creature which is able to access the most secret of places signifies the attribute of the all knowing Ganesh. You will also find Ganesh riding magnificently upon a proud peacock showing his triumph over pride and proudness and his mastery over beauty and prominence. Ganesh has other mounts as well including a lion, a serpent, a horse as well as other animals

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The sage Ved Vyasa was the composer of the hindu epic poem, the Mahabharata, He recited the work to Ganesh and it is believed that Ganesh broke off part of one of his tusks so that he would have a suitable implement with which to write down the poetry and wisdom of the sage. His sacrifice of his tusk is a symbol of the sacrifices that writers and scholars make in their pursuit of knowledge and portrayal of their art. Ganesh is therefore invoked at the beginning of writing and learning sessions

Ganesh Chaturthi is a ten day festival which falls in late august early September. The festival is celebrated by small and large clay idols and other representations of Ganesh being made and then venerated. The icons are then immersed in a lake or body of water, after adding herbal and medicinal herbs and plants. The addition of these items was regarded as having purifying qualities such as kept the water suitable for drinking. The most elaborate festivities today take place in the Indian state of Maharashtra, where the iconography of Ganesh was used by nationalist leaders in 1893, to unite the people in strong solidarity against British rule..

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The festival today is a noisy, extravagant display of pomp and splendour with marching and music and chanting.

Ganesh has been lovingly portrayed by artists and sculptors in many forms, you see him dancing, playing, lounging and battling. His statues will have many differing stances and props, symbolic of differing traits. Ganesh is an evolving god and his attributes change from time to time and place to place.

Given his association with good luck and prosperity Ganesh became the principal deity associated with traders and his veneration by worship by merchants and traders led to his image being taken to many far off lands, such as Java, Bali, Borneo, Burma, Thailand, Indochina, Cambodia, Afghanistan, Tibet, China and Japan, with his shrines and temples arising all over Southeast Asia and elsewhere.

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Saraswati Saraswati Saraswati the mother of the Vedas is worshipped and venerated as the Goddess who is rich in wisdom and learned in the arts.

Since earliest times Saraswati has been identified with the Vedic Saraswati river and she is generally portrayed in white sitting on the bank of a river, with a peacock by her side. Saraswati has four hands. In one hand she holds a book representing the Vedas. In another hand she holds a Mala of crystals representing the power of meditation and spirituality. Saraswati holds a Veena ( a musical instrument ) and a pot of sacred water in the other hands. The sacred water represents creative and purification powers and the Veena represents the arts and sciences. Saraswati is adorned with simple jewels and gold,representing her preference of knowledge over worldly material things.

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Saraswati is considered as a consort of Brahma, the Hindu god of creation. Together with the goddesses Lakshmi and Parvati or Durga, she forms the Tridevi ("three goddesses") who are consorts of the male trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, respectively.

Saraswati is generally shown to have four arms, which represent the four aspects of human personality in learning: mind, intellect, alertness, and ego. Alternatively, these four arms also represent the 4 vedas, the primary sacred books for Hindus. The vedas, in turn, represent the 3 forms of literature. Poetry, Prose and Music. The name Saraswati means the essence of one’s self and given her association with rivers and waters, she is known as the one who flows.

Whenever when you lounge by the banks of a graciously flowing river you realise this suitable association for the Goddess of Wisdom, Learning and Arts as a vedic river goddess Saraswati takes oxygen from the ether and blends it with hydrogen and creates water, she is the flowing river as well as the water, they are inseparable.

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The flowers bloom, the crops grow, thirsts are sated, garments are washed, bodies are cleaned. Saraswati lets her essence be carried up into clouds so that her radiance may shower from above and rejoin the river to continue this cycle. This circular dance of water, this cleansing element ever flowing, ever enriching, an ideal of energy and matter, never diminishing, always revolving and deliciously dancing.

On the ninth day of Navaratri, i.e., the Mahanavami day, books and all musical instruments are ceremoniously kept in front of the Goddess Sarasvati early at dawn and worshipped with special prayers. No studies or any performance of arts is carried out, as it is considered that the goddess herself is blessing the books and the instruments.

The festival concludes on the tenth day of Navaratri (Vijaya Dashami), and the goddess is worshipped again before the books and the musical instruments are removed. It is customary to start the study afresh on this day. Saraswati represents academic knowledge as well as divine knowledge. Saraswati is one of the Navdurgas forms of the Goddess Durga.

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Saraswasti is the worldwide web and she represents the new tools and technologies of the age, she is the force behind the many amazing gadgets and gizmos of our age. It is through Saraswati that we can read and understand the great thoughts and insights of the world, that we can recite the great works and engage in the great deeds of life. Through her we appreciate and understand language and philosophy and spirituality, without Saraswati the world is bereft of much of its wonderfulness.

Saraswasti is the Hindu Goddess who facilitates the dance in our mind, our heart and our body, whether the dance is actual dance or whether dancing through surfing, writing, painting, and sculpting.

Saraswati is the one who dances, the one who learns, the one who creates the one who sings and sways and composes and paints and designs, moving in a smooth flow and showering her grace upon all who are accepting and aware.

Saraswasti is there to inspire us with grace, beauty and wisdom. To engage in any intelligent, learned or artistic passion we need capability and ability, passion and creativity.

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Saraswasti instills and fills us with that ability, that longing and yearning, without which nothing much of any value would be achieved.

Saraswati is well known outside India and there are temples to Saraswati in Japan where she is known as Benzaiten, In Burma where she is called Thurathadi, In Cambodia where she is referred to as Vagisvari, In Thailand her name is spelt Surasawadee and Saraswati is also worshipped in Indonesia. There are similarities to Saraswati in the Greek goddess Athena, and in the Roman goddess Minerva.

The most learned people of the ancient world gathered and settled along her banks. They thought and pondered on many things, the stars in the firmament, the deepness within man, they composed music, they sang and they danced.

Saraswati is the one through whom we today praise and devote ourselves to all other divinities.

Saraswati is the scriptures which are chanted, the shastras which are studied, the revelations which are followed, Saraswati is the translation and interpretation, Saraswati is the debate and discussion.

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Saraswasti is graceful, glowing flowing, through her, all others are contained, all philosophies and messages, inspiring us to spread‌..

The Word !

The Music !

The Devotion !

And of course The Dance !

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Lakshmi

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Lakshmi Lakshmi Glittering goddess of spiritual wealth, material prosperity and radiant beauty Lakshmi is the embodiment of the superior feminine energy of the divine and is worshipped as the goddess of wealth, prosperity and love ( both material and spiritual ) as well as the embodiment of beauty. Lakshmi is a domestic household goddess and is worshipped daily but especially at full moon in October and on Diwali.

Lakshmi is generally depicted with a lotus in her hands and with an owl as her mount, surrounded by two elephants on either side showering her with water. Lakshmi is usually adorned in red and gold, these being symbolic of beauty and wealth and is radiant and rich in adornment and ornamentation

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Lakshmi does not appear in the early Vedic literature, however the term Sri appears often and given that they have the same attributes, it becomes clear that Sri is in fact the later goddess Lakshmi.

The story of the gods and the demons churning the ocean to obtain the nectar of immortality is a fundamental part of Hindu creation myths. It is believed that this churning produced Sri or Lakshmi and Lakshmi is hence the nectar, the rasa of creation which lends to creation its distinctive flavour and beauty Lakshmi has four hands representing the four goals of human life considered valuable in Hinduism – dharma ( pursuit of a moral life), kama ( pursuit of love ), artha ( pursuit of wealth ), and moksha ( liberation ). Lakshmi in Sanskrit means to perceive and to know your aim or objective.

Lakshmi is the embodiment of gods superior spiritual feminine energy which purifies, empowers and uplifts the worshipper hence she is the Goddess of Fortune bringing her devotees good luck and protection from miseries.

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Lakshmi is known as Bhudevi who represents materiality and moveable assets and she is also known as Sridevi who represents spirituality or immoveable assets.

Lakshmi is one of the three goddesses worshipped during Navratri on the second three nights and is especially venerated on Sharad Poonam the night of the full moon.

Given that Lakshmi is the consort of Vishnu she is also the consort of the Ram and Krsna avatars of Vishnu. The relationship between Vishnu and Lakshmi is symbolised in the rituals and ceremonies for the bride and groom in Hindu weddings and a new bride is considered as Lakshmi as she brings beauty, prosperity, love and spiritual wealth to the home.

In certain parts of India, Lakshmi plays a special role as the mediator between her husband Vishnu and his worldly devotees. When asking Vishnu for grace or forgiveness, the devotees often approach Him through the intermediary presence of Lakshmi.

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When Diwali comes along in October/ November every year, Lakshmi takes centre stage in the worship and celebrations. This festival of lights signifies the victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, and hope over despair.

Before Diwali night, people clean, renovate and decorate their homes and offices. On Diwali night, Hindus dress up in new clothes or their best outfitds and light up divas inside and outside the home. They then worship and venerate Lakshmi in a pooja. After the pooja, there are usually fireworks followed by a lavish feast and an exchange of gifts between family members and close friends. Diwali also marks a major shopping period, since Lakshmi connotes auspiciousness, wealth and prosperity. This festival dedicated to Lakshmi is considered by Hindus as one of the most important and joyous festivals of the year.

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Lakshmi's iconography and statues have also been found in Hindu temples in Southeast Asia. The Goddess Kishijoten of Japan corresponds to Lakshmi, as the goddess of beauty, fortune and prosperity. The Goddess Vasudhara in Tibetan and Nepalese culture is closely analogous to Lakshmi.

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Goddess Durga represents the united energy of all divinities against evil and wickedness and is a stunning blend of bravery and strength, destroying evil wherever it arises In Hinduism Goddess Durga is considered to be the greatest goddess and was created by the gods to defeat the demon Mahishasur and his army who were ravaging the world, the gods being powerless to fight the demon, as Mahishasur had been granted his powers by the gods themselves.

Goddess Durga is the mother of the universe and is believed to be the power behind the work of creation, preservation, and destruction of the world.

Since time immemorial she has been worshipped as the supreme power of the Supreme Being.

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Goddess Durga is depicted as having eight or ten or eighteen hands. These represent eight quadrants or ten directions in Hinduism This suggests that she protects the devotees from all directions. Goddess Durga is also referred to as "Triyambake" meaning the three eyed Goddess. The left eye represents desire (the moon), the right eye represents action (the sun), and the central eye knowledge (fire).

The conch shell in Durga's hand symbolises the 'Pranava' or the mystic word 'Om. The bow and arrows represents energy.

The thunderbolt signifies firmness.

The lotus in Durga's hand is not fully bloomed, symbolising certainty of success but not finality. The lotus also represents the spiritual quality of her devotees amidst a world of greed and evil.

The "Sudarshan-Chakra" or beautiful discus, which spins around the index finger of the Goddess, while not touching it, signifies that the entire world is subservient to the will of Durga and is at her command.

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The sword that Durga holds in one of her hands symbolizes knowledge, which has the sharpness of a sword.

The trident or "trishul" is symbolic of Durga as the remover of the three major obstacles- physical, mental and spiritual.

The lion represents power, will and determination.

Mother Durga riding the lion symbolises her mastery over all these qualities. This suggests to the devotee that one has to possess all these qualities to get over the demon of the ego Goddess Durga rode into battle and challenged the demons. Mahishasura's entire army, of demons attacked Durga all at once and with fight and might Durga slew all of them with unparalleled cruelty. An enraged Mahishasura attacked Durga in the guise of a buffalo. Durga bound it with ropes. The buffalo morphed into a lion and leapt onto Durga, and Durga beheaded it with her sword. Mahishasur began to fight in form of a swordsman. Durga pinned him down with a torrent of arrows.

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Mahishasur then assumed the form of a giant elephant and tugged at Durga's lion. Durga lopped off its trunk with her sword and freed her lion. The elephant turned into a buffalo and charged at Durga.

Sipping from her wine cup, Durga flung her trident and beheaded Mahishasura.This day of victory became the celebration of Vijaydashmi.

The stride and strength, the swagger and the boldness, of this mighty figure straddles the world and seeks out, battles, in a fierce fury against evil and injustice, this Goddess of manic menace, plunges and lunges and is covered in blood and gore from the dirty fighting. Her grand task to destroy or be destroyed. This is the divine feminine, powerful and radiant, resplendent in her figure and form and all conquering in her fight and her might.

There are many incarnations of Durga: Kali, Bhagvati, Bhavani, Ambika, Lalita, Gauri, Kandalini, and more . Her nine appellations are Skondamata, Kusumanda, Shailaputri, Kaalratri, Brahmacharini, Maha Gauri, Katyayani, Chandraghanta and Siddhidatri. The name Durga means a fort or an unreachable place

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Goddess Durga was regarded by some factions of Indian nationalist reformers and freedom fighters as an icon for the indian independence movement, instillling pride and fight and might for the battle ahead, against foreign rule and oppression.

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Nine Mother Goddesses At Navratri, there are nine forms of the Goddess Durga who are venerated and each of the nine days is dedicated to one of the forms.

First Day- Maa Shailaputri Second Day - Maa Brahmacharini Third Day- Maa Chandragantha Fourth Day- Maa Kushmanda Fifth Day - Maa Skandamata Sixth Day - Maa Katyanani Seventh Day- Maa Kalaratri Eighth Day- Maa Mahagauri Ninth Day- Maa Siddhidatri

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Maa Shailaputri, is like someone who is of some status, toughened by life and is confident in dealing with situations. Her vehicle is sturdy and experienced.

Maa Brahmacharini, is like a chaste person who gets on with the chores and has an interest in spiritual affairs.

Maa Chandragantha, is like someone who is quick to deal with disharmony and her vehicle is aggressive.

Maa Kushmanda, is like someone involved with ordinary matters and her vehicle is comfortable.

Maa Skandamata, is like someone loving and her vehicle is placid.

Maa Katyanani, is like someone balanced and her vehicle is contemplative.

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Maa Kalaratri, is like someone eccentric and her vehicle does what it wants.

Maa Mahagauri, is like someone noble and her vehicle is proud.

Maa Siddhidatri, is like someone who is wise like a teacher.

The vehicles and mounts of the goddesses are like an extension of the aspects of the character of the personality of the goddess.

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Shiva Shiva The Mighty Dancing Shiva According to Hindu legend the world was created by Lord Shiva in a dancing mood. With a divine dance Shiva annihilated his monster enemies . Ever since then the gods have danced. With the principle in mind, that what delights the gods must delight man, dance was conceived of as coming from the gods as their great gift to man.

The Significance of Shiva's Dance This cosmic dance of Shiva is called 'Anandatandava,' meaning the Dance of Bliss, and symbolizes the cosmic cycles of creation and destruction, as well as the daily rhythm of birth and death. The dance is a pictorial allegory of the five principle manifestations of eternal energy — creation, destruction, preservation, salvation, and illusion. According to Coomerswasmy, the dance of Shiva also represents his five activities: '

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Fritzof Capra in his article "The Dance of Shiva: The Hindu View of Matter in the Light of Modern Physics," and later in the The Tao of Physics beautifully relates Nataraj's dance with modern physics. He says that "every subatomic particle not only performs an energy dance, but also is an energy dance; a pulsating process of creation and destruction‌without end‌For the modern physicists, then Shiva's dance is the dance of subatomic matter. As in Hindu mythology, it is a continual dance of creation and destruction involving the whole cosmos; the basis of all existence and of all natural phenomena."

The Nataraj Statue at CERN, Geneva: In 2004, a 2m statue of the dancing Shiva was unveiled at CERN, the European Center for Research in Particle Physics in Geneva. A special plaque next to the Shiva statue explains the significance of the metaphor of Shiva's cosmic dance with quotations from Capra: "Hundreds of years ago, Indian artists created visual images of dancing Shivas in a beautiful series of bronzes

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In our time, physicists have used the most advanced technology to portray the patterns of the cosmic dance. The metaphor of the cosmic dance thus unifies ancient mythology, religious art and modern physics."

In a marvellously unified and dynamic composition expressing the rhythm and harmony of life, Nataraj is shown with four hands represent the cardinal directions. He is dancing, with his left foot elegantly raised and the right foot on a prostrate figure — 'Apasmara Purusha', the personification of illusion and ignorance over whom Shiva triumphs. The upper left hand holds a flame, the lower left hand points down to the dwarf, who is shown holding a cobra. The upper right hand holds an hourglass drum or 'dumroo' that stands for the male-female vital principle, the lower shows the gesture of assertion: "Be without fear."

Snakes that stand for egotism, are seen uncoiling from his arms, legs, and hair, which is braided and bejewelled. His matted locks are whirling as he dances within an arch of flames representing the endless cycle of birth and death.

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On his head is a skull, which symbolizes his conquest over death. Goddess Ganga, the epitome of the holy river Ganges, also sits on his hairdo. His third eye is symbolic of his omniscience, insight, and enlightenment. The whole idol rests on a lotus pedestal, the symbol of the creative forces of the universe.

As the Lord of Dance, Nataraja, Shiva performs the tandava, the dance in which the universe is created, maintained, and dissolved. Shiva's long, matted tresses, usually piled up in a knot, loosen during the dance and crash into the heavenly bodies, knocking them off course or destroying them utterly.

The ancient sculpture of Nataraja represents the dance of the Cosmos. The dance of Nataraja goes on at all levels in the Universe – from galaxies to sub atomic particles.

He is the creator. He is the creation. He is the dancer. He is the dance.

He is the subject. He is the object.

We are all part of this eternal Cosmic Dance

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Krsna Words cannot describe his wonderfulness, pictures cannot capture his magnificence, stories and tales cannot contain his height and depth. The Wonderfully Awesome KrsnaÂ

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Raas Leela Raas Leela

The Raas Leela of Krsna with the Gopis of Brij is famous and provides inspiration as to the wonderful ways in which Garba and Raas may be arranged.

Here is an extract from the Bhagavata Puran “Then the divine Krsna gave this command to his Illusive Power, ' "We will engage in the circular dance, wherefore do thou prepare a fair place, and remain standing here, and whoever shall ask for anything, whatever it may be, do thou bring and give it.'

The Illusive Power, on hearing this, went to the bank of the Yamuna, and prepared a large circular terrace of pure gold, and having studded it with pearls and diamonds, fixed on all sides plantain trees with young shoots, for pillars, fastened on them gay festoons of various kinds of flowers, and, returning to the divine Krishn Chand, told him.

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On hearing it, Krishn was pleased, and, taking with him the young women of Braj, the Gopis, went to the bank of the Yamuna. Having arrived there, they saw that the brilliance of the circular terrace erected for the circular dance, was four times more beautiful than that of the moon's orb, and on all sides of it the sand was spread out like the moonbeams. A cool, sweet, fragrant breeze, continued blowing, and on one side the verdure of the dense forest derived increased loveliness from the night. On beholding this scene, all the Gopis were much delighted.

Near that spot was a lake named Man Sarowar to the banks of which they went and put on clean robes and ornaments, such as their minds desired, and having adorned themselves from head to foot, returned, playing in harmony on fine instruments, such as the lute and timbrel. Then, intoxicated with love, they laid aside all care and diffidence, and, in company with the divine Krishn, began to play on instruments, to sing and dance.

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At that time the divine Govind, in the midst of the circle of Gopis, appeared as beautiful as the moon in a circlet of stars."

You need a broad mind and good philosophical understanding to appreciate the next few passages in the Puran ( which are not set out here ).

Eventually the circular dance ends thus;

“ Such was the concert of musical modes (the Ragas of which there are six ), and airs ( the Raginis of which are thirty ), that hearing them, even the winds and waters ceased to move, and the moon, with the circle of stars, being fascinated, was pouring down nectar with its rays. Meanwhile,the night advanced, and six months passed away, and no one was aware of it.�

The above is from the Bhagavata Purana, Tenth Book ( Prem Sagar )

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Divine Dance Divine Dance Osho says " Raise your sights and look at whatever is happening all around in this vast universe of ours. Is it anything other than a dance, a celebration, an abounding carnival of joy? It is all celebration, whether it is clouds gliding in the heavens or rivers rushing to the seas or seeds on their ways to becoming flowers and fruit, or bees humming or birds on the wing or love affairs between men and women. It is all a panorama of play and dance.

Raas has a universal meaning; it has a cosmic connotation and significance. The meeting of opposite energies is the cornerstone of all creation.

Raas, the dance of celebration, is the most profound attribute of the mighty stream of creation"

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" Krishna's raas with the milkmaids of his village is not an ordinary dance, on a small scale it really represents the universal dance of creation that, since eternity, goes on and on. It epitomises the everlasting drama of the making and unmaking of the universe. It gives you a glimpse of that divine dance and that immense orchestra.

It is for this reason that Krishna's maharaas ceases to have a sexual connotation. Not that it prohibits any sexual interpretation, but for certain sex has been left far behind. In reality Krishna does not dance as a mere Krishna, he represents here, the whole of the male element in creation, known in Sanskrit as purusha. And similarly the gopis represent the entire female element, prakriti. The maharaas represents the combined dance of prakriti and purusha.

It is a dance of the meeting of the male and female energies, of purusha and prakriti. It has nothing to do with any individual man and woman; it represents the mighty cosmic dance. It is because of this that a single Krishna dances with any number of gopis. Ordinarily it is not possible for a single man to dance with many women at a time.

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Ordinarily no man can be in love with many women together, but Krishna does it, and does it beautifully.

It is amazing that every milkmaid, every gopi taking part in the maharaas, believes that Krishna is dancing with her, that he is hers. " " Dance is the most primitive form of human language, because when man had not yet learned to speak, he spoke through gestures. If one man had to communicate with another, he made gestures with his face, his eyes, his hands and feet.

Even today a dumb person only expresses himself through gestures. Gestures make up the whole language of nature. It is used and understood all over.

So there is a reason why dance came to centre stage for the raas, the celebration. Gesture is the most profound medium of expression because it touches the deepest parts of man's mind and heart. Dance reaches where words fail. A dancer can go from one end of the earth to another and will, more or less, make himself understood through his dance. No language will be needed to understand and appreciate him.

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No particular level of civilisation and culture will be required to understand a dance. Dance is a kind of universal language; it is understood everywhere on this planet. Man's collective unconscious is well aware of this language.

The great raas happening in infinite space, with millions of stars like the sun and moon dancing rhythmically, is not an ordinary dance. It is not meant for entertainment; it is not show business. In a sense it should be described as overflowing bliss.

There is such an abundance of bliss in the heart of existence that it is flowing, overflowing. That is what we call the river of existence. The presence of the polar opposites in the universe facilitates its flow. " " Although Krishna and his girlfriends are no more with us as people, the moon and the stars under which they danced together are still with us, and so are the trees and the hills and the earth and the skies that were once so drunk with the bliss of the raas.

So, although millennia have passed, the vibes of the maharaas are still with us. the raas is as relevant today as it was in the times of Krishna

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More or less every primitive community is aware of the beauty and significance of the raas, of their own kind of raas. They work hard through the day, and at night both men and women gather together under the open sky and dance with abandon for hours and hours. While dancing, they forget their family relationships and mix freely with each other as men and women, and dance madly, as if all of life is meant for dancing and celebrating. They go to sleep only when they are utterly tired, and so they enter into a sleep so deep it may cause supposedly civilised and non dancing societies envy. "

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Raas Garba Words The dance is a worship of the whole body and a worship by the whole body. Your bare feet step and thump and beat on the ground Refreshingly your feet carry you away. Rarely do people get a chance to wave their hands and use the power of their arms to swing and click, and have a great time while doing so.

The good Garba steps, shake, rattle and roll your body in the right blend and rhythm and create momentum like a gyroscope, so you can spin and oscillate in balance and in harmony and keep going on and on and on. After a time the steps flow well and an almost perpetual motion ensues and enfolds.This physical action in conjunction with the pleasant dance, the music, the radiant people and situation is a heightened way of enriching ourselves, our body and our being.

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The parry of the hits from the others and the many ways that you click the sticks. Gently, hard .. soft.... missed..... with ferocity, with indifference.......with a flirting glance ,a tantalising trance, ......with a aren’t we having fun glance. eyes meet ,the eyes of a stranger, those of a friend, the glance of a dancer, the gaze of a trancer

The way that some of the dancers move in such swirling and flowing rhythm, in balance, harmony and glow, swift and speedy, in an instance they are gone to the far side. Only to reappear a few minutes later, twirling and swirling away, spinning and weaving, again and again, round and around .........all over the ground.

A communion, a bringing and coming together, a flowing and growing together. Magical, Mysterious, It is not the kind of dance you see anywhere else. it seems natural to these dancers that they should move and flow in this way and they move and flow and swirl and spin in the most awesome and amazing dazzlement.

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Like a gyroscope you are held in balance and harmony and the gravity of the spin and spinning keeps you in orbit. It is an evocation of the spinning of the cosmos, the essence that holds the stars and planets in play and sway. This dance of devotion binds these dancers together in dancing deliriousness These are not mere dancers, they are far more, taking part in this cosmic play of grace and devotion and being part of a wondrous performance, such that the gods andnd goddesses smile and play, dally and dance in wonder and merriment, gazing in amazement on the spinners and shakers, the spinners and swirlers, trancing around the ground in their devotion profound

This is not mere dancing, This is a differing dimension, This is sparkling and shining devotion, This is playing and flowing with the divine

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Some concluding pages of the book to follow

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