Hindu youth aid Aboriginal youth by Mangalam Vasan

Kala Pravaasa, a journey of the fine arts unfolded with a bang, in the Shiva Vishnu cultural centre on Saturday the 2^nd of july 2016.   Youth unleashed their talent to a hall bursting at the seams with a rapt audience.

The evening was kicked off by Carnatic music incorporating both eastern and western instruments. Then the Ghungroo School of Dance performed  a fine vandana piece in Kathak.  The youth moved from north india to east india and the Sohamasmi school performed a beautiful Odissi item. Coming down south to Kerala and  the Tanishka Academy of Indian Classical Dances performed a soothing piece in Mohini aattam.  Moving to the adjoining state of Tamil Nadu, the closing Thillana for the first segment was a joint presentation from the Bharathanatyam schools of Bharatha Choodamani, Bharathakalanjali, Kalanjali School of Dance, Nadanalaya Academy of Dance and Nrithakshetra School of Indian Classical Dance.  This was an interesting challenge since the visiting maestro Shri. P.T.Narendran had choreographed and trained the multi school students in exactly five lessons to perform together.

The second half opened with sitar rendition from Sharda Kala Kendra followed by a nice bajan segment by the youth.  This was followed by young men and women dancing garbha  taking us to Gujarat.  Then moving all the way down to SriLanka,  a striking Kandyan dance item was presented from the school of Rangana and Udumbara Ratnatunga.  Closing the wonderful evening of colour, costumes, variety and such a charged atmosphere was, the all men Bhangra performance from  the Melbourne Bhangra Regiment. The Dhol drum solo end was an absolutely resounding end to a smashing evening.

The architects of the fantastic evening are the Hindu youth, a newly formed youth wing of the Hindu Society which is exploring the possibilities that are imaginable when Hindu youth unite. The Hindu youth is the brain child of Shanthini Arunothayaraj,  who heads the spiritual committee  of the Shri  Shiva Vishnu Temple in Carrum Downs. The key players in organising this grand event were Lakshnaya Vasan, Satheepan Elankumaran and Sachin Sureshkumar. They rightly decided that their first endeavour must aid the aboriginal youth.  The charity of their choice was Red Dust role models providing health development in remote indigenous communities.

The Chief Guest for the evening was Shri.P.T.Narendran, the esteemed dancer, teacher choreographer from the prestigious school of fine arts, Kalakshetra in Chennai Tamil Nadu.  His gratifying comment on the night’s performance was that they were as good as the youth back home.  On behalf of RED DUST role models charity, Samantha Guttridge received the donation from the Hindu youth.  Nildhara Gadani,  regional advisory council member for the eastern metropolitan region attended from VMC,  and was highly appreciative of the youth.

The evening would not have been complete without the aboriginal dance. The Yumbi dance group  played the didgeridoo and danced the aboriginal creation dance centred around Bunjil, the eagle hawk creator.  There must be  a connection to Hindus by way of the garuda  the vahana of  Lord Vishnu. As the rich sound of the digeridoo resonated through the cultural hall, a request was made to the chief guest Shri P.T.Narendran  to try dancing to  indigenous instrument.   After the initial hesitation, he jumped on stage and what a delightful combination it was, the master doing an impromptu mini thandava to the aboriginal elder’s playing.

An utterly pleasing evening and appropriately acknowledging the original citizens of Australia as the NAIDOC week started on the 3^rd of July, deserves a  big kudos to the Hindu youth who are aiding the aboriginal youth.