BHARATI - THE WONDER THAT IS INDIA

"Dancing: the vertical expression of a horizontal desire 

legalized by music" 

~George Bernard Shaw

 During the last 'warrior' weekend I treated myself to 'BHARATI', a performance at Place des Arts, here in Montreal.  It was a tough choice for me between les Grands Ballet Canadiens' performance of 'Rodin/Claudel' and 'Bharati'.

Am sure either show would have be well worth it but in the end 'The Wonder That Is India' won out.  Really glad I went.  

"Derived from ancient Sanskrit theatrical and narrative traditions wherein the Sutradhar (narrator), 'holds' the threads of the tale, the audience is guided through a simple but contemporary tale of love and wonder, punctuated by a mix of 14 songs and dances. While the dances serve to induce a state of enchantment, the Sutradhar interweaves the distinct episodes of the plot that culminate in a single question of contemporary relevance. Along with the hero, the audience confronts the dilemma about balancing tradition and modernity."

 "Siddharth, an Indian-born engineer, raised and living in the U.S. arrives in Varanasi to work on the Ganga Cleaning Project. Cynical and contemptuous of things Indian and every inch a westerner, he is nevertheless attracted to the mysterious and elusive Bharati. 

Orphaned at an early age and raised by the Domraja, king of Varanasi's cremation grounds, Bharati's appeal for Siddharth is instantaneous. He feels her presence everywhere but is unable to get close to her and know her. Domraja, Bharati's foster father, patriarchal and over-protective, also hinders the development of proximity between the two youngsters."

"For Siddharth, the process of falling in love with Bharati is one of inner transformation. Through her, he falls in love with India, the traditional and the modern; India where all the centuries seem to coexist together in time, yet one that is constantly changing and evolving; an India enthusiastically embracing the latest the world has to offer, but without losing its cherished ancient values, India where organised disorder seems to be celebrated."

"As Bharati introduces him to the wonder of India, Siddharth who had come to cleanse the Ganga of its pollution, ends up discovering himself and the meaning of love. 

Bharati awakens in Siddharth a yearning to connect with his own roots. Siddharth's is a powerful story of homecoming and likely to strike an emotional chord across the world, in all cultures."

.....How those dancers can still stand and breathe 

at the end of the show is a marvel......