devotion ganesh durga lakshmi saraswati nine shiva krsna

raas leela divine dance

devotion

It is very much the essence of the human condition that it seeks the union of its individual soul and being, with the cosmic soul and infinite existence. In order for this union to sparkle, moods of great passion and ecstatic emotion have to be brought into play. Faith and culture matter greatly to most people and to have the benefits of dance as a fundamental dimension of worship and devotion is a great blessing. It is the unifying force of dance that non dancing faith lacks. Dance in faith would also shake off the seriousness with which people follow faith. Without dance as an essential element and meditation as it core, faiths are rendered less than whole.

ras

When men and women engage in powerful forms of art or devotion, some of the Ras/sap that can connect them with the divine awakens and flows. This is why religion exerts such a powerful hold on the human condition and imagination. It is a means to awaken this union. Also why Art, despite, perhaps because of, its abstract forms, also grips the imagination so deeply.

garba

Garba and Raas were brought into existence and developed in order that the majority of people would have a simpler way of seeking this union with the divine, to have their Ras flowing and glowing. And the flow of Rasa had to be handled with care, it being a powerful potion of emotion. Sensibly care was expanded to ensure that the many emotions and longings awakened through Garba and Raas, did not so enchant and excite the people that the Ras overflowed and made them too wildly ecstatic, too much out of control. After all when you have the devices to awaken such profound and deep desires, some element of restraint has to be put in place, hence some pattern and some form was instilled, to keep the rasa in check and control. Or to let it lose as well, depending on the mood to be encouraged, the morals to uphold, the decency to maintain, the purpose to be served.

trance

At Garba and Raas dances, some rare few will flow into ecstatic trance and lose control and appear possessed. They will dance and move as if they are no longer themselves, as if some mysterious thing has happened to them and they can no longer be held accountable for their actions and movements. Of course the majority of the people will not ascend into trance, but it shows the power of dance, that but for the lack of a little more Ras, many more would float and fly in trance.The path of Bhakti is very much the awakening of the Ras within you and allowing your being to connect and play in togetherness with divinity. This is the reason for its endurance and expansion

hinduism

On Garba as it is important to understand faith in the context of todays world and beliefs and how other belief systems regard dance and music and relevant aspects of faith and spirituality to enable one to see where the differences lie, but also to recognise the common places where bonding and understanding may happen.

Hinduism has changed several times over many thousands of years and this is now an age when our thoughts should turn to our beliefs and traditions and how we can enhance and embrace and have them more fitting to blend in gracefully with our contemporary age. This is even more important when the current state of knowledge and wisdom of humanity is more extensive than ever in the past. In order to do this it is best to start by learning more about the beauty and grace of what we already have and then seek to improve and enhance and make it better. Hence the presentation of this work so that an important aspect of faith, Dance, may be better experienced and understood.

The greatest quality of Hindu philosophy and spirituality is that it is always evolving. s incumbent in the nature of such beliefs that they change and progress to meet the needs of humankind. Our understanding of existence and existence itself changes from time to time. In consequence innovation should be welcomed and is a matter of evolution and progress. It is music and song and dance that has kept hinduism vibrant and radiant in these and all times. Any spiritual dimension needs music and song and dance, otherwise it becomes stagnant and corrupted.