The festival celebrated by Hindus marks the triumph of good
over evil and comes after a period when the Hindu Goddess is invoked. Legend
has it that on Deepavali day the citizens of the ancient city of Ayodhya welcomed back
their King Rama after 14 years of exile in the forest and the defeat of the
demon Ravana in battle. The hero of the Indian epic returned at dusk in triumph
with his beautiful wife Sita.
This also is the day that the Goddess Lakshmi is thought to
visit the homes of Hindus, who prepare for her arrival by taking an oil bath in
the morning and opening their homes to guests who are treated to delicious
festive treats and sweets.
The free show was organised by Nayika Indian Dance for the
local community, who were treated not only to the lamps and traditional
Deepavali sweets, but also classical Indian dances performed by students and
friends of Nayika Indian Dance. The students letterboxed streets in Redfern, Darlington and Chippendale. Dancing by the spectators
ended the evening.
Local resident Vimala Sarma, Artistic Director of Nayika, is
a frequent user of the space at the centre practicing her routines. She has
been invited to perform in India
at the Chennai dance festival. She said that though Nayika Indian Dance is a
small organisation, it is a significant player in the Asian arts cultural scene
as it puts on quality performances to make such cultural experiences accessible
in the inner city.
The next performance will be the ‘Lotus & Phoenix II’,
on February 23 2008, 7.30pm at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, as part of
the City of Sydney Chinese New Year
Festival. Versatile musicians of the Sydney Sizhu
Ensemble led by Tony Wheeler, and Vimala Sarma, will celebrate Chinese New Year
in a unique concert featuring Chinese traditional music and classical Indian
dances inspired by the symbolism of the lotus and phoenix. The lotus is a symbol
of purity and beauty in both Chinese and Indian cultures.
This show provides an opportunity for Chinese traditional
music-lovers to hear Chen Hong Yu, an inspirational vocal artist. The Indian
classical dances featured will include pieces by Vimala from the festival in
Chennai.
Photo: Caity Burridge: A Nayika Indian dancer at the Redfern
Community Centre
Source: South Sydney Herald December 2007 www.southsydneyherald.com.au/