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Sun, The Annual Magnum Opus of the Natyanjali School of Dance Comes To Town
Dr. Malini Krishnamurthi was wandering through the Altes museum in Berlin, Germany when she spotted a familiar sight. The statue so familiar in so unfamiliar a setting took her by surprise. A ray of pleasure shone into her eyes. Her heart warmed as she spotted the statue of Soorya, the Sun god. Instantly transported to her home in India she remembered feeling the same pleasure when she had spotted the Egyptian Sun God, Ra in the Metropolitan museum in New York.
“Two ancient civilizations, India and Egypt miles apart had followed similar rituals and beliefs unbeknown to each other”, said Dr. Malini Krishnamurthi. “Both civilizations had similar ways of perceiving divinity. I want to share this with the rest of the world through the synthesis of North Indian, South Indian and Egyptian music and dance.”
The Natyanjali school of dance, whose artistic director and founder she is, is known for its annual magnum opus productions that are elaborate, unique and distinct. They aim to educate, inform and entertain. They appeal to both the novice and the connoisseur.
This year, in 2019, the school’s production is Sun, a tribute to the Hindu Sun God, Soorya and Egyptian Sun God, Ra will showcase the contrast and similarities of the two civilizations and their penchant for nature worship. Fifteen students from the age of ten to eighteen will perform a string of dances showcasing the two beliefs.
Choreographed to Egyptian music the dance will show the juxtaposition between the two civilizations.
While Indians offered Gayatri Mantra prayers and water to the Sun, the Egyptian civilization used their intermediaries, the Pharaohs to appease the Sun god and plead to the serpent, Apophis who challenged Ra.
The oldest surviving Indian Vedic hymns, such as hymn 1.115 of the Rig-veda, mention Surya with reverence as the one that dispels darkness, empowers knowledge, the good, and all life. TheKonark Sun Temple represents the temple built for the Sun god.
In Egypt, the obelisk, a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument that ends in a pyramid-like shape, symbolizes the sun god Ra. “The rays of the sun, touched the obelisk and hit the floor. The temples were built with no roofs,” said Dr. Malini Krishnamurthi.“Two civilizations, we now see from the records of the historians, were doing identical rituals without knowing what the other was doing.”
Highly accomplished and acclaimed musicians from Bangalore Shrinithi Mathur Vocal, Shri H Shrihari on the Mridangam and Narsimha Murthy on the flute will give music to the performance.
The performance aims to entertain and educate. Under the direction of Guru Dr. Malini Krishnamurthi from Natyanjali school of dance students are trained in the craft of Bharatnatyam. One of the leading exponents of Bharata Natyam in Los Angeles, California, Guru Dr. MaliniKrishnamurthi, Founder and Artistic Director of Natyanjali School of Bharata Natyam Dance in Los Angeles, teaches dance in West Covina, California.
Date, Time: August 3 @ 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Venue: Campus Theatre at Fullerton College, 321 E. Chapman Ave.
Fullerton, CA 92832
Website / Contact : Darshana https://natyanjali.org/event/
VIP seat ticket $50.00 Standard seat ticket $30.00 Discount seat ticket $20.00
