Meditations: My first Mandir recitals
- 3 days ago
- 2 min read
In my meditations, I reflect on moments during my dance journey, volunteering work in dementia care, work as a psychologist, and more.
—
The small tour we did last week for Navaratri has come to an end. We visited mandirs in three different cities and recited parts of the margam. It was a week of firsts; my first time dancing Pushpanjali, Alarippu and Jatiswaram back to back, dancing Alarippu in front of an audience and first time dancing Jatiswaram on music.
Our first stop was on Monday in The Hague, my city. The mandir was beautiful and light. I found a challenge in having a lot of space to move sideways and lack of space to move backwards. Wooden floor, some parts covered with soft rugs. I was finding my balance and trying to hear the rhythm.
Second stop was on Thursday in Rotterdam, this mandir was further and more hidden from the busy city. The murtis were breathtaking. This time around, it was my second time of the repetoire and I felt like I could have another try at it. This time, on an even carpet with more space to move.
Our third and final stop was in Utrecht, in a small village even more hidden. It was a long drive and I knew I was not recovered physically from the previous performances. Once arrived, we learned that it would be our smallest stage and audience from the week, which was somewhat a big relief. We went from big to small. I was now prepared for my best performance, it was both humbling and magical to give this in the presence of no one but God and a handful of devotees. And the challenge here was beautiful too, all carpet and a little lowering of the stage near the murtis.
Monday came around again, and I joined the beginners class as I confused the times and ran late for the advanced class. I was happy to join the beginners, who are fully captivated by the largeness of the dance. As I walk the familiar route from the theatre to home, I become aware of the change in body and mind. I always knew what I started and never once did I think about giving up, following my heart in this dance. But I never imagined what it would feel like to be here, 5 years down the road. What a gift it is that when following your heart and dreams, you lose track of the time.
