Visiting Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai Poem by Denis Mair
Visiting Kalakshetra Foundation, Chennai
A song session under a banyan tree begins the day
Girls in moth-wing saris, young men in white tunics
Disperse to cottage-style classrooms in a forest
Students follow after their teachers, learning by ear
Soaking up the song cycles of Ghandarvaveda music
Devotional strains ring out in this secular school
Art is the vehicle, so a wanderer like me feels at home
As Bach's chorales made me Christian at least in sympathy
Now I peek into the dance theater, roofed in thatch
Bharatanayam dancers are going through basic steps
Bodies and heads tilt as if guided by inner gyroscopes
As if all movements are encompassed in imaginary circles
As if wearing elaborate headdresses that must not fall
Carrying invisible pagodas of heads atop their heads
Their steps seem placed in footprints of a larger being
Self-presenting in freeze-frames, in precise iterations
Like a bead-necklace of moments strung together in a story
Like folkloric variants, or a myth coming down through time
Every gesture an act of self-offering, yet always aloof:
Pouring forth, maintaining, taking back, concealing-
All these creative phases were embodied by Rukmini Devi
From Theosophy's inner circle, founding this art school
From ashes of patronage networks and prurient connoisseurship
She brought devadasi dance into the modern world
A song session under a banyan tree - - now isn't that a lovely way to begin a poem? Girls in moth-wing saris, young men in white tunics- - - I see them, and moth-wing? enchanting! THEN you describe the dancers dancing and your readers' souls are set a-wing: - - - - - - -Bodies and heads tilt as if guided by inner gyroscopes As if all movements are encompassed in imaginary circles As if wearing elaborate headdresses that must not fall Carrying invisible pagodas of heads atop their heads Their steps seem placed in footprints of a larger being Self-presenting in freeze-frames, in precise iterations Like a bead-necklace of moments strung together in a story - - - - - - - -I cannot see a poetic misstep here anywhere! I can see this scene as if I am there, watching them keep those invisible pagodas balanced delicately on their heads Thank you for sharing the sights surrounding your life, they are wondrous!
I agree fully to Susan Williams.Such a live casting of one day's performance of Mrs Rukmini Devi and Her disciples is amazing with the inner meanings.
thanks for sharing this poem, Denis. It's a lovely poem. Are you still in India?
I'm back in a Beijing now. After Delhi and Chennai I went to several places in Karnataka. It was quite an adventure and I'm eager for more. I will make another trip to India in late November of this year.
Kalakshetra in short...amazingly beautiful and amusing write...many **************
As if all movements are encompassed in imaginary circles As if wearing elaborate headdresses that must not fall great visiting great observation great description great 10+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
An Interesting poem flowing gently in multicoloured images. You have captured each moments with passion. Loved reading it. Thanks for sharing.
This poem has not been translated into any other language yet.
I would like to translate this poem
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4/25/2024 5:36:19 AM # 1.0.0.1119
It is an incredibly VISUAL poem and one that deals with the senses and well as sprit of art.. The aesthetic brilliance is evident as has been rightly pointed out by my fellow member.. You have encapsulated your experience in a fine poetic form.. Thank you for sharing Denis. Picturesque and brilliant.