By IANS
New Delhi : Against the magnificent lighted ruins of the Purana Quila, the 16th century Old Fort in the Indian capital, the untamed spirit of Africa and the ancient dances of India fused in a brilliant synergy at a colourful cultural melange on the eve of the first India-Africa summit beginning Monday.
The hour-long show, titled “A Tribute To Africa”, was presented by the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR).
“This is the first time such a show is being organised in the country,” dancer Sangeeta Ishwara, who choreographed the show, told IANS.
As many as 89 artistes from 12 African countries took part in the concert showcasing their traditional dances and music.
More than 2,000 people sat spellbound watching the dancers from Africa decked in their traditional attires, ethnic jewellery and elaborate headgears perform to the symphony of an array of percussion and string instruments from Africa and India, sounds of which reverberated through the ruins of a mighty empire.
The lighted façade of the fort’s ramparts and the landscaped garden added to the exotic aura – as if a slice of the past had come alive after nearly 500 years.
For the crowd in the capital, the concert was an eye-opener.
The highlight of then were the ‘jugalbandis’ (duets) between the Mohiniattam dancers from India and the native dancers from Ghana, and South Africa, while the Dolkundita dancers of Karanataka shared space with a troupe from Kenya. A Kathak troupe danced to beat of Sub-Saharan Africa.
Drummers from temples of South India played the panchavadhyan, or the combination of five instruments, mostly percussions and horns in duet with percussionists from Ghana and Libya. A troupe from Uganda presented the traditional Bakisimba dance.
“India and Africa share several cultural similarities and the fusion performance is an attempt to showcase the common traits that bind music and dances of India and Africa,” Ishwara said.
“African dances are very grounded. They worship the earth through their dance forms like Indians. Just as we invoke panchabhoot (five elements) in our traditional dance forms, Africans, who are animistic by nature, also worship their spirits of earth, life, air and nature through their ritual dances. In fact, Africa has a dance for every occasion,” Ishwara explained.
Another aspect that binds Indian dance forms to those of Africa is the predominance of the body. According to Indian religious tradition, body is one of the 16 offerings made to god and in the African dances, the gyrations of the body convey the emotions.
Dancers from Nigeria narrated the country’s rituals of love and courtship through their performance, while the Ethiopians showed what it was to be possessed by spirits of nature in their trance dance recital. The Bakisimba dancers from Uganda were raucous in contrast to the Sapera flautists and the Manipuri percussion dancers from India.
“We have never seen African dances. ICCR has done the capital a favour by providing space to performers from both lands to collaborate and bring to us the traditions of both the land,” said Preeti Mishra, a teacher, who was at the concert with her children.