GARBA KEYNOTE BOOK 15th DEC 2015 pdf

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, 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 a1w51aken the Ras.Tuesday, 15 December 2015

Dance, of course, is the greatest of the devices forthe Ras to be awakened and Garba and Raas arethe greatest of dances,The Natyashastra profiles nine main rasas, andthere are also sub rasas. The nine highlighted inthe Natyashastra are ;The Nine RasasThe AmorousThe PatheticThe ValorousThe FuriousThe RepellantThe JovialThe TerribleThe WonderfulThe Pacific The gestures and movements we see in Indianclassical dance originate from the Natyashastraand these take time to learn, appreciate andunderstand. Accomplished classical dancers,through the rigorous practice of their art andcraft were, on more than a few occasions, able toawaken this essence, this sap, this Ras, the Ras”awithin. 152Tuesday, 15 December 2015

To reach such accomplishment rigorous trainingwas required and such dancing became thepreserve of very few. It became the asset of thosewho expended considerable time, effort anddedication to become accomplished. Suchaccomplishment was not, and is still not withinthe reach of the majority of people; thoseonlooking and appreciating.We see an exhibition of many of the Rasas coveredin the Natyashastra whenever we watch a film, ora play or indeed when interact with otherhumans.The Natyashastra is a fascinating and complexwork and we hope to explore the work further infuture books. 153Tuesday, 15 December 2015

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devotion 155Tuesday, 15 December 2015

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faithIt is very much the essence of the humancondition that it seeks the union of its individualsoul and being, with the cosmic soul and infiniteexistence. In order for this union to sparkle,moods of great passion and ecstatic emotion haveto be brought into play. Faith and culture mattergreatly to most people and to have the benefits ofdance as a fundamental dimension of worshipand devotion is a great blessing. Dance in faithalso shakes off the seriousness with which peoplefollow faith. Without dance as an essentialelement and meditation as it core, faiths arerendered less than whole.When men and women engage in powerful formsof art or devotion, some of the ras/sap that canconnect them with the divine awakens and flows.This is why religion exerts such a powerful holdon the human condition and imagination. It is ameans to awaken this union. Also why Art,despite, perhaps because of, its abstract forms,also grips the imagination so deeply. 157Tuesday, 15 December 2015

Garba and Raas were brought into existence anddeveloped in order that the majority of peoplewould have a simpler way of seeking this unionwith the divine, to have their Rasas flowing andglowing. Given its powerful effect the flow ofRasas had to be handled with care and sensiblytrouble was taken to ensure that the manyemotions and longings awakened through Garbaand Raas, did not so enchant and excite thepeople, that the Ras overflowed and made themtoo wildly ecstatic, too much out of control. Afterall when you have the devices to awaken suchprofound and deep desires, some element ofrestraint has to be put in place, hence properpatterns and forms were instilled, to keep the rasain check and control, or to let it lose as well,depending on the mood to be encouraged, themorals to uphold, the decency to maintain, thepurpose to be served.At Garba and Raas dances, some rare few will flowinto ecstatic trance and lose control and appearpossessed. They will dance and move as if they areno longer themselves, as if some mysterious thinghas happened to them and they can no longer beheld accountable for their actions andmovements. 158Tuesday, 15 December 2015

Of course the majority of the people will notascend into trance, but it shows the power ofdance, 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 ofthe Ras within you and allowing your being toconnect and play in togetherness with divinity.This is the reason for its endurance and expansionOn Garba as it is important to understand faith inthe context of todays world and beliefs and howother belief systems regard dance and music toenable one to see where the differences lie, butalso to recognise the common places wherebonding and understanding may happen. 159Tuesday, 15 December 2015

Hinduism has changed several times over manythousands of years and this is now an age whenour thoughts should turn to our beliefs andtraditions and see how we can enhance andembrace and have them more fitting to blend ingracefully with our contemporary age. This iseven more important when the current state ofknowledge and wisdom of humanity is moreextensive than ever in the past. In order to do thiswe should start by learning more about thebeauty and grace of what we already have andthen seek to improve and enhance, to make itbetter. Hence the presentation of this work sothat an important aspect of faith, Dance , may bebetter experienced and understood.In Hinduism dance has been a foundationalelement in the scriptures and works flowing andfollowing from them as well as the rituals andpractice which place dance at the very heart andthe forefront of hindu spirituality, culture andheritage. It is music and song and dance that haskept hinduism vibrant and radiant in these and alltimes. Any spiritual dimension needs music andsong and dance, otherwise it becomes stagnantand corrupted. Other faiths have to search longand hard to invoke dance in their scripture andspirituality, hinduism is overflowing with dance. 160Tuesday, 15 December 2015

The greatest quality of Hindu philosophy andspirituality is that it is always evolving. It isincumbent in the nature of such beliefs that theychange and progress to meet the needs ofhumankind. Our understanding of existence andexistence itself changes from time to time. Inconsequence innovation should be welcomed andis a matter of evolution and progress 161Tuesday, 15 December 2015

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ganesh 163Tuesday, 15 December 2015

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lord 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. The name Ganesh mean Lord of the Gunas, Guna meaning groups or community. Ganesh has a human pot bely, with the ears and trunk of an elephant. 165Tuesday, 15 December 2015

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. 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. 166Tuesday, 15 December 2015

god of new beginnings Ganesh is invariably calledupon and worshipped at the start of any hindurituals and ceremony, including weddings.Ganesh is the remover or obstacles and he is alsoone who who places them as well., in order toteach lessons and remove ignorance. Ganeshsilently and in devotion listens to what we say andthe prayers that we utter, and then passes themon to the relevant deities. Ganesh is an evolvingdeity and his attributes change form time to timeand place to place, such flexibility being hiswhole attraction.Naturally such a deity has to have several suitablemounts and like many hindu deities, Ganesh hasmounts which would be the envy of many fancyvehicle worshippers. Ganesh strides on top of themost humblest of creatures, a tiny mouse,signifying his lack of prejudice between the greatand the not so great. The mouse being a creaturewhich is able to access the most secret of placessignifies the attribute of the all knowing Ganesh.You will also find Ganesh riding magnificentlyupon a proud peacock showing his triumph overpride and proudness and his mastery over beautyand prominence. Ganesh has other mounts as wellincluding a lion, a serpent, a horse as well asother animals 167Tuesday, 15 December 2015

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. . The festival today is a noisy, extravagant display of pomp and splendour with marching and music and chanting. attributes change from time to time and place to place. 168Tuesday, 15 December 2015

Ganesh has been lovingly portrayed by artistsand sculptors in many forms, you see himdancing, playing, lounging and battling. Hisstatues will have many differing stances andprops, symbolic of differing traits. Ganesh is anevolving god and his attributes change from timeto time and place to place.Given his association with good luck andprosperity Ganesh became the principal deityassociated with traders and his veneration byworship by merchants and traders led to hisimage being taken to many far off lands, such asJava, Bali, Borneo, Burma, Thailand, Indochina,Cambodia, Afghanistan, Tibet, China and Japan,with his shrines and temples arising all overSoutheast Asia and elsewhere. 169Tuesday, 15 December 2015

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saraswati 172Tuesday, 15 December 2015

saraswati 173Tuesday, 15 December 2015

saraswatiSaraswati the mother of the Vedas is worshippedand venerated as the Goddess who is rich inwisdom and learned in the arts.Since earliest times Saraswati has been identifiedwith the Vedic Saraswati river and she is generallyportrayed in white sitting on the bank of a river,with a peacock by her side. Saraswati has fourhands. In one hand she holds a book representingthe Vedas. In another hand she holds a Mala ofcrystals representing the power of meditation andspirituality. Saraswati holds a Veena ( a musicalinstrument ) and a pot of sacred water in theother hands. The sacred water represents creativeand purification powers and the Veena representsthe arts and sciences. Saraswati is adorned withsimple jewels and gold,representing herpreference of knowledge over worldly materialthings. 174Tuesday, 15 December 2015

Saraswati is considered as a consort of Brahma,the Hindu god of creation. Together with thegoddesses Lakshmi and Parvati or Durga, sheforms the Tridevi (\"three goddesses\") who areconsorts of the male trinity of Brahma, Vishnu andShiva, respectively.Saraswati is generally shown to have four arms,which represent the four aspects of humanpersonality in learning: mind, intellect, alertness,and ego. Alternatively, these four arms alsorepresent the 4 vedas, the primary sacred booksfor Hindus. The vedas, in turn, represent the 3forms of literature. Poetry, Prose and Music. Thename Saraswati means the essence of one’s selfand given her association with rivers and waters,she is known as the one who flows.Whenever when you lounge by the banks of agraciously flowing river you realise this suitableassociation for the Goddess of Wisdom, Learningand Arts as a vedic river goddess Saraswati takesoxygen from the ether and blends it withhydrogen and creates water, she is the flowingriver as well as the water, they are inseparable. 175Tuesday, 15 December 2015

The flowers bloom, the crops grow, thirsts aresated, garments are washed, bodies are cleaned.Saraswati lets her essence be carried up intoclouds so that her radiance may shower fromabove and rejoin the river to continue this cycle.This circular dance of water, this cleansingelement ever flowing, ever enriching, an ideal ofenergy and matter, never diminishing, alwaysrevolving and deliciously dancing.On the ninth day of Navaratri, i.e., theMahanavami day, books and all musicalinstruments are ceremoniously kept in front ofthe Goddess Sarasvati early at dawn andworshipped with special prayers. No studies orany performance of arts is carried out, as it isconsidered that the goddess herself is blessingthe books and the instruments. The festivalconcludes on the tenth day of Navaratri (VijayaDashami), and the goddess is worshipped againbefore the books and the musical instruments areremoved. It is customary to start the study afreshon this day. Saraswati represents academicknowledge as well as divine knowledge.Saraswati is one of the Navdurgas forms of theGoddess Durga. 176Tuesday, 15 December 2015

Saraswasti is the worldwide web and sherepresents the new tools and technologies of theage, she is the force behind the many amazinggadgets and gizmos of our age. It is throughSaraswati that we can read and understand thegreat thoughts and insights of the world, that wecan recite the great works and engage in the greatdeeds of life. Through her we appreciate andunderstand language and philosophy andspirituality, without Saraswati the world is bereftof much of its wonderfulness.Saraswasti is the Hindu Goddess who facilitatesthe dance in our mind, our heart and our body,whether the dance is actual dance or whetherdancing through surfing, writing, painting, andsculpting. Saraswati is the one who dances, theone who learns, the one who creates the one whosings and sways and composes and paints anddesigns, moving in a smooth flow and showeringher 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 andability, passion and creativity. 177Tuesday, 15 December 2015

Saraswasti instills and fills us with that ability,that longing and yearning, without whichnothing much of any value would be achieved.Saraswati is well known outside India and thereare temples to Saraswati in Japan where she isknown as Benzaiten, In Burma where she is calledThurathadi, In Cambodia where she is referred toas Vagisvari, In Thailand her name is speltSurasawadee and Saraswati is also worshipped inIndonesia. There are similarities to Saraswati inthe Greek goddess Athena, and in the Romangoddess Minerva.The most learned people of the ancient worldgathered and settled along her banks. Theythought and pondered on many things, the starsin the firmament, the deepness within man, theycomposed music, they sang and they danced.Saraswati is the one through whom we todaypraise and devote ourselves to all other divinities.Saraswati is the scriptures which are chanted, theshastras which are studied, the revelations whichare followed, Saraswati is the translation andinterpretation, Saraswati is the debate anddiscussion. 178Tuesday, 15 December 2015

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Saraswasti is graceful, glowing flowing, throughher, all others are contained, all philosophies andmessages, inspiring us to spread….. The Word ! The Music ! The Devotion ! And of course The Dance ! 180Tuesday, 15 December 2015

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maha lakshmi 183Tuesday, 15 December 2015

lakshmiglittering goddess of spiritual wealth,material prosperity and radiant beautyLakshmi is the embodiment of the superiorfeminine energy of the divine and is worshippedas the goddess of wealth, prosperity and love( both material and spiritual ) as well as theembodiment of beauty. Lakshmi is a domestichousehold goddess and is worshipped daily butespecially at full moon in October and on Diwali.Lakshmi is generally depicted with a lotus in herhands and with an owl as her mount, surroundedby two elephants on either side showering herwith water. Lakshmi is usually adorned in redand gold, these being symbolic of beauty andwealth and is radiant and rich in adornment andornamentation 184Tuesday, 15 December 2015

Lakshmi does not appear in the early Vedicliterature, however the term Sri appears often andgiven that they have the same attributes, itbecomes clear that Sri is in fact the later goddessLakshmi. The story of the gods and the demonschurning the ocean to obtain the nectar ofimmortality is a fundamental part of Hinducreation myths. It is believed that this churningproduced Sri or Lakshmi and Lakshmi is hence thenectar, the rasa of creation which lends tocreation its distinctive flavour and beautyLakshmi has four hands representing the fourgoals of human life considered valuable inHinduism – dharma ( pursuit of a moral life),kama ( pursuit of love ), artha ( pursuit of wealth ),and moksha ( liberation ). Lakshmi in Sanskritmeans to perceive and to know your aim orobjective.Lakshmi is the embodiment of gods superiorspiritual feminine energy which purifies,empowers and uplifts the worshipper hence she isthe Goddess of Fortune bringing her devoteesgood luck and protection from miseries. Lakshmiis known as Bhudevi who represents materialityand moveable assets and she is also known asSridevi who represents spirituality or immoveableassets. 185Tuesday, 15 December 2015

Lakshmi is one of the three goddessesworshipped during Navratri on the second threenights and is especially venerated on SharadPoonam the night of the full moon.Given that Lakshmi is the consort of Vishnu she isalso the consort of the Ram and Krsna avatars ofVishnu. The relationship between Vishnu andLakshmi is symbolised in the rituals andceremonies for the bride and groom in Hinduweddings and a new bride is considered asLakshmi as she brings beauty, prosperity, loveand spiritual wealth to the home.In certain parts of India, Lakshmi plays a specialrole as the mediator between her husband Vishnuand his worldly devotees. When asking Vishnu forgrace or forgiveness, the devotees often approachHim through the intermediary presence ofLakshmi.When Diwali comes along in October/ Novemberevery year, Lakshmi takes centre stage in theworship and celebrations. This festival of lightssignifies the victory of light over darkness,knowledge over ignorance, good over evil, andhope over despair. 186Tuesday, 15 December 2015

Before Diwali night, people clean, renovate anddecorate their homes and offices. On Diwali night,Hindus dress up in new clothes or their bestoutfitds and light up divas inside and outside thehome. They then worship and venerate Lakshmi ina pooja. After the pooja, there are usuallyfireworks followed by a lavish feast and anexchange of gifts between family members andclose friends. Diwali also marks a major shoppingperiod, since Lakshmi connotes auspiciousness,wealth and prosperity. This festival dedicated toLakshmi is considered by Hindus as one of themost important and joyous festivals of the year.Lakshmi is associated with flowers, animals, andother deities, as set out below.The Lotus, a flower that blossoms in clean or dirtywater, also symbolizes purity and beautyregardless of the good or bad circumstances inwhich its grows. It is a reminder that good andprosperity can bloom and not be affected by evilin one's surrounding. 187Tuesday, 15 December 2015

Lakshmi is sometimes shown with one or twoelephants, and occasionally with an owl.Elephants symbolize work, activity and strength,as well as water, rain and fertility for abundantprosperity.Lakshmi is also more commonly seen besideGanesh rather than Vishnu and this bond issuitable as they are both revered as bringers ofriches and good luck.The owl, signifies the patient striving to observe,see and discover knowledge particularly whensurrounded by darkness. The Owl, a bird thatbecomes blind in daylight, is also a symbolicreminder to refrain from blindness and greedafter knowledge and wealth has been acquired.Wealth symbolically pours out from one ofLakshmi’s hands in some representations, or shesimply holds a jar of wealth in somerepresentations. This symbolism has multiplemeanings. Wealth manifested through Lakshmimeans both material as well as spiritual wealth.Her face and open hands are in a mudra thatsignify compassion, giving or daana (charity) 188Tuesday, 15 December 2015

Lakshmi's iconography and statues have alsobeen found in Hindu temples in Southeast Asia.The Goddess Kishijoten of Japan corresponds toLakshmi, as the goddess of beauty, fortune andprosperity. The Goddess Vasudhara in Tibetan andNepalese culture is closely analogous to Lakshmi. 189Tuesday, 15 December 2015

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durga 191Tuesday, 15 December 2015

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durga 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 arisesIn Hinduism Goddess Durga is considered to bethe greatest goddess and was created by the godsto defeat the demon Mahishasur and his armywho were ravaging the world, the gods beingpowerless to fight the demon, as Mahishasur hadbeen granted his powers by the gods themselves.Goddess Durga is the mother of the universe andis believed to be the power behind the work ofcreation, preservation, and destruction of theworld. Since time immemorial she has beenworshipped as the supreme power of theSupreme Being.Goddess Durga is depicted as having eight or tenor eighteen hands. These represent eightquadrants or ten directions in Hinduism 194Tuesday, 15 December 2015

This suggests that she protects the devotees fromall directions. Goddess Durga is also referred to as\"Triyambake\" meaning the three eyed Goddess.The left eye represents desire (the moon), theright eye represents action (the sun), and thecentral 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 ofher devotees amidst a world of greed and evil.The \"Sudarshan-Chakra\" or beautiful discus,which spins around the index finger of theGoddess, while not touching it, signifies that theentire world is subservient to the will of Durgaand is at her command. 195Tuesday, 15 December 2015

The sword that Durga holds in one of her handssymbolizes knowledge, which has the sharpnessof a sword.The trident or \"trishul\" is symbolic of Durga as theremover of the three major obstacles- physical,mental and spiritual.The lion represents power, will anddetermination. Mother Durga riding the lionsymbolises her mastery over all these qualities.This suggests to the devotee that one has topossess all these qualities to get over the demonof the egoGoddess Durga rode into battle and challengedthe demons. Mahishasura's entire army, ofdemons attacked Durga all at once and with fightand might Durga slew all of them withunparalleled cruelty. An enraged Mahishasuraattacked Durga in the guise of a buffalo. Durgabound it with ropes. The buffalo morphed into alion and leapt onto Durga, and Durga beheaded itwith her sword. Mahishasur began to fight in formof a swordsman. Durga pinned him down with atorrent of arrows. 196Tuesday, 15 December 2015

Mahishasur then assumed the form of a giantelephant and tugged at Durga's lion. Durgalopped off its trunk with her sword and freed herlion. The elephant turned into a buffalo andcharged at Durga. Sipping from her wine cup,Durga flung her trident and beheadedMahishasura.This day of victory became thecelebration of Vijaydashmi.The stride and strength, the swagger and theboldness, of this mighty figure straddles theworld and seeks out, battles, in a fierce furyagainst evil and injustice, this Goddess of manicmenace, plunges and lunges and is covered inblood and gore from the dirty fighting. Her grandtask to destroy or be destroyed. This is the divinefeminine, powerful and radiant, resplendent inher figure and form and all conquering in herfight and her might.There are many incarnations of Durga: Kali,Bhagvati, Bhavani, Ambika, Lalita, Gauri,Kandalini, and more . Her nine appellations areSkondamata, Kusumanda, Shailaputri, Kaalratri,Brahmacharini, Maha Gauri, Katyayani,Chandraghanta and Siddhidatri. The name Durgameans a fort or an unreachable place 197Tuesday, 15 December 2015

Goddess Durga was regarded by some factions ofIndian nationalist reformers and freedom fightersas an icon for the indian independencemovement, instillling pride and fight and mightfor the battle ahead, against foreign rule andoppression. 198Tuesday, 15 December 2015

nine mother goddessesMAA SHAILAPUTRI MAA BRAHMACAHRINIMAA KUSHMANDA MAA SKANDMATA MAA KAALRATRI MAA MAHAGAURITuesday, 15 December 2015 199

nine mother goddesses At Navratri, there are nine forms of the Goddess Durga who are venerated and eachMAA CHANDRAGANTHA of the nine dMaayasCihsadnderdaigcaanttehda Day 3 to one of the forms. MAA KATYANANI First Day- Maa Shailaputri Second Day - Maa MAA SIDDHIDATRI BrahmachariniTuesday, 15 December 2015 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 200