Bharathanatyam Dance in Mamallapuram, India
Saturday, January 23rd
Learning Moments: Mamallapuram, India
I often get asked why I love to travel so much.
In response, I can offer a day like today...
We went to Mamallapuram to see the monuments located in the World Heritage Site. During our walk we saw centuries-old carvings; scenic vistas over rice fields and ocean; goats, dogs, and monkeys living in peace; and loads of friendly people.
At the end of the day, we headed to the Mamallapuram Dance Festival. There, we bought some trinkets from a wandering carver and chatted with a husband and wife who have retired from teaching in Michigan. They are now on a two and a half month journey through India.
Then the dances started. There were three dance troupes - a local folk dance troupe, a large group of folk dancers from Uttar Pradesh, and a local classical dance troupe from Chennai.
The first group was amusing, but unremarkable. Most folk dance is rather unsophisticated, but these dances looked like they were choreographed under the influence of heavy drinking. The second group was very good - beautiful girls, colorful costumes, and great music.
The third group performed Bharathanatyam, which we have seen many times before. This time, however, felt like I was seeing the dance for the first time. Grace, precision, and athleticism combined to hold the entire audience in a trance.
Angie and I were in awe. Our drive home consisted of each of us saying "Wow. Could you believe when they did that?"
We've often wondered if it is redundant to return to a country or region that we've visited before.
Today reminded me that life (or travel) is like a kaleidoscope - the elements might be fixed, but the arrangement is always changing. To take just one look insures that we'll miss a lot of beauty.
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