The
De-Classic
Speaking of the rich artistic traditions of India, any Indian
should be rather puffed up by pride. There are two streams of classical music
in India with their divergent schools, viz. Carnatic and Hindustani. The former
has moorings in South India and the latter has strong Persian influences and
was immortalized by the court-musicians of the Mughal emperors. Elaborate
ramifications of music have made any attempt to study classical music a herculean
task and many do not have the calling. It calls for a quasi ascetic pursuit of
the discipline. Similarly, the Indian
classical dances are Bharathanatyam, Kuchipudi, Mohiniyattam, Odissi and
Kathak. There are many more dance forms which require elaborate erudition and
systematic practice.
The rise of classical art forms are strongly linked to a
culture of leisure. The discipline that leads to erudition and aesthetic
sharpening basically springs from the fact that you have enough time and means
to pursue your taste. In a land where the majority are underprivileged and ahs
minimal exposure to the comforts of life , there can only be a spontaneous
expression of the élan and not a systematic exposition. Nowadays, the interest
for folklore are on the rise. Kudos to those who dare to see.
This occurred strongly to me as I was watching my friends ofVeo ( an interior hill country of Arunachal Pradesh in India, the foothills of
Himalayas, where the various hill tribes inhabits) rehearsing a welcome dance.
The dance steps all looked the same to me, but not without a definitive charm.
They had nuances which I was not able to appreciate. These ladies were home
after a backbreaking day of hauling sacks of grain from their fields to their
granaries uphill, which indeed was after long spells of harvesting when they
bend over with scythes. They lacked everything which could appeal to a
Classical afficianados.
I wonder how the steps exactly followed the lead,
something very remarkable in what I thought to be an impromptu situation.
Perhaps music is too rooted in their veins.
also WATCH Bihu Dance of Nocte Tribe
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