DMS News: Uncultured Dance in Cultural Program

From: "LiilaKrsna Deva"
To: am-global@earthlink.net
Subject: DMS News: Uncultured Dance in Cultural Program
Date: Sun, 10 Jun 2012 16:01:29 +0530

Baba

== DMS NEWS: UNCULUTRED DANCE IN CULTURAL PROGRAM ==

Namaskar,
The RAWA cultural program at the May 2012 DMS displayed some things that we should all be aware about.

HOW SRI PATHAK DIRECTS THE PROGRAMS

First off, the program itself was directed and organised, once again, by Sri Mrinal Pathak.

Here it should be understood that Mr Pathak earns his livelihood by directing dance / dramas for the general society. This is how he earns his food; so he is well-accustomed to creating programs that suit the Hollywood taste of the common public. That means he regularly uses 16-21 year-old boys and girls in his programs. And he encourages them to dance and sing together. Mr. Pathak's shows are designed in the ways of Bollywood and Hollywood. There is an open degree of sensuality in his performances.

WHAT HAPPENED AT THE DANCE PROGRAM

For example, at his recently displayed performances at Ananda Nagar in May 2012:

(a) All females aged 16-21 danced with their mid-section totally uncovered. That means the entire region from just above their waist to just below their chest was totally bare.

(b) All males aged 16-21 danced with their entire top exposed, from the waist up. Males were only wearing a dhoti; their upper body was totally naked.

(c) These males and females - or young men and women - were dancing on the stage together, holding and touching one another, according to the role of their characters. In that way they were in each other's grasp.

We know of course that per the Ananda Marga system, adult males and females should not dance together on the stage; indeed, no females should dance in front of a male audience. That is just one crude scene. And our RAWA stage is not a night-club, where all kinds of sensual acts are put on display

(d) The males also had shaved all the hair from their underarm; this was visible to all. Of course we know this is totally against Baba's guidelines of 16 points, i.e. "Do not cut the hair of the joints of the body." This gives the wrong message to the audience.

(e) Amazingly, the theme of the show was how youths prepare their mind to become avadhutas and avadhutikas. Yet, in reality, the entire program only served to goad people's minds toward sensuality - not towards divinity. Our RAWA programs should goad the mind from muladhara cakra to the sahasara cakra - not sahasrara to muladhara. So see what Mr Pathak's dance program did - that is the irony.

SENSUALITY AND PSEUDO-CULTURE

IMPOSED ON THE AUDIENCE

Indeed, all of the above sets a tone of extreme sensuality and pseudo-culture. Never was such a degrading performance ever allowed to be done in front of Baba. Yet now this has become a regular feature of DMS where our dadas and didis, males and females, including margiis young and old, are essentially forced to watch these degrading displays again and again. It is completely against the spirit of our RAWA programs.

AC ACINTANANDJI PUBLICLY APPRECIATED MR PATHAK'S WORK

And now, our top Dadas herald such events. It is really quite shocking. See here how  Ac Acintanandji - the RAWA in-charge - spoke in such glowing terms about this program.

"Mrinal Pathakji is establishing Ananda Marga bhagavad dharma through these cultural programs. His work is unparalleled. He is a true dharmika. With Rawa, dance dharma will be established gradually. Everyone should follow in his footsteps." - Dada Acintananda

WHAT DID YOU EXPERIENCE

Those who attended please write what other things you experienced.

Sincerely,
LiilaKrsna Deva

 

PRABHAT SAMGIITA

"Tumi prabhu ele ye rauna d'ha'lile ta'ha'r a'di-anta na'hi pa'i..."  (PS 4857)

Purport:

Baba, You came and coloured everything in the divine color of effulgence and ideology. There is no beginning and end of Your magnificent love; You coloured everything. You Yourself ignited the fire of ideology in the sleeping and frustrated hearts of the people. And You filled their sunken, hopeless hearts with divine love. In this entire universe there is no comparison of what You did and of what You have done: How You poured Your loving grace unto one and all.

Baba, You brought a basket full of heavenly blessings along with You to distribute. And You showered and saturated the animate and inanimate worlds with that divine grace. You gave the direction to all: Live and let live. And You gave the teaching how one can grow physically, psychically, and spiritually. You fulfilled all the requirements to the highest capacity, done in such a way that, even in the future, nobody will say that they need anything more.  

Baba, since eternity You have been residing in the core of everyone's heart and mind. And You are living and You will go on living with everyone up to infinite time through Your ota and prota yoga. The serpentine noose of maya will be ripped to shreds with Your divine liila, "dharma moves secretly and does everything". And it will lead me to the divine Goal, You.  

Baba You came and saturated everything with Your infinite grace. You have filled everyone's heart...

Re: DMS News #3: Holding Hands Women & Men Danced

Date: 24 Jan 2011 23:04:46 -0000
From: "Pramod  Dev"
To: AM-GLOBAL
Subject: Re: DMS News #3: Holding Hands Women & Men Danced

Baba

      == RE: DMS NEWS #3: HOLDING HANDS WOMEN & MEN DANCED ==

Namaskar,
Yes, I read this posting about the cultural program at the January DMS and what was written is accurate. Not only that, but we should ask that Dada (mentioned below) to share the video with us. Dadaji captured the program on video as he apparently likes romantic events.

As described in the posting, the cultural programs at this January DMS 2011 at Ananda Nagar was "off-colour" and set a poor example. In those programs, young women were up on the stage dancing and shaking themselves according to the direction of Sri Mrinal Pathak of Ranchi. For more about this refer to DMS news posting #3 cited below.

But what is not commonly known is that Dadaji - i.e. Citsvarupananda - filmed those girls while they were dancing on stage during that cultural program. Many report that Dada has deep interest in watching those videos during his leisure period.

When I see one of our avadhutas doing like this I feel ashamed for what is going on in his mind.

Namaskar,
Pramod Dev


MODERATOR'S NOTE: If any reader is interested to know more about Citsvarupananda Dada's conduct, feel free to read these following postings.

http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2010/12/story-dadajis-lust-infatuation.html

http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2010/04/ny-news-interesting-facts.html

http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2009/11/various-points-of-sadhana-news.html

http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2009/09/why-groupists-are-not-reliable.html

http://am-global-01.blogspot.com/2010/07/story-onion-garlic-purified-by-guru.html


On 01/14/2011 08:46 PM, AM-GLOBAL wrote:

To: AM-GLOBAL
From:
Date: Fri, 14 Jan 2010 23:48:11
Subject: DMS News #3: Holding Hands Women & Men Danced

DMS News #4

To: AM-GLOBAL
From:
Date: Tue, 18 Jan 2011 06:45:12
Subject: DMS News #4

Baba

"E kii toma'ri liila', toma'ri khela'..." (PS 544)

Purport:

  O' Parama Purusa, what a supremely divine play You have created; what a grand liila this is of Yours. Baba, on the one hand You are virat*, and on the other end of the spectrum You are hiding in each and every tiny molecule. Baba, You are formless; yet, You are floating Your raft in this expressed universe. You are manifesting Yourself in the multifarious expressions of this world. Baba, You remain both in the expressionless cosmos as well as within each and every unit entity. Baba, Your divine liila is beyond conception.
  Baba, You are omnipresent. Where are You not; You are everywhere. Baba, by Your grace, You are in the depths of my mind; You are in the soft, gentle breeze; You are in the fragrant flower pollen; and, You are in the beautiful blue sky. Baba, You are everywhere. When I contemplate Your greatness, then I cannot find any direction where You are not. Baba, by Your grace You make those who think You full of immense longing. You fill their heart with an irresistible attraction for You.
  Baba, Your exquisite love knows no bounds; it is vast and limitless. Baba, by Your grace, You make meagre beings into something vast, great and immortal. Baba, You look upon everyone with equal love and affection. You never discriminate between one human being and another between the virtuous and the sinners, between the dharmic and the adharmic, between the good or the bad. Baba, You graciously lift everyone onto Your lap. You accept all. Baba, with Your soft, lotus hand, You lovingly shower Your causeless grace-compassion.
  Baba, Your divine liila is unfathomable. Nobody can conceive of the greatness of Your liila. It is very beautiful and has no comparison...


ASTERISK NOTES (*):

*Vira't'a= Literally meaning immeasurable, unfathomable etc. Only Parama Purusa is virat, not any worldly entity.

Baba says, "Parama Purus'a is very great, very very great. When the greatness becomes immeasurable, unfathomable, it is called vira't in Sam'skrta. Parama Purus'a is very great and very vast." (PNS-17)

Baba says, "Anything big having no boundary lines is known as vira't'a in Sanskrit. Parama Purus'a is vira't'a." (SS-21)


                                    == DMS NEWS #4 ==

Note: This letter addresses a dynamic array of significant & critical points.

Namaskar,
It is quite common at Ananda Nagar DMC / DMS to present the cho dance. This happened repeatedly in Baba's presence and He would regularly explain the significance and symbolism of this local dance. That way everyone could understand what was happening.

Unfortunately, at this recent January 2011 DMS, the cho dance was not properly introduced. There was no explanation about the theme or subject of the dance. Hence, many margiis were complaining that it was boring- and rightfully so.

Because, when one does not know the theme, spirit, or significance of any dance program, then naturally one would find it to be boring. Only kids below the age of 7 will enjoy it because children like anything that features costumes.

Just think about it. When you were a small kid then you liked playing with toys but when you became an adult you no longer liked playing with those toys. Even if such toys are lying around the house you avoid them. But when you were a small kid you became enthralled playing with those dolls and toys; however as an adult you do not like to even think in that way. Due to the lack of a proper explanation, the cho dance became like one children's play.

Adults want to know the import and significance - not just see some glossy costumes. Without that the dance seems like a meaningless ritual. That was the complaint of many who attended the January 2011 DMS at Ananda Nagar.

But as it noted below, the cho dance is not just a silly ritual or dogmatic drama.


                              WHY PERFORMED AT THE PEAK OF DMS

Before going any further, let's investigate why the cho dance is always done at the peak of DMS just prior to PP Dada's speech. The purpose is to awaken the audience and make everyone feel fresh again. After all during the occasion of DMS, people walk around the campus all day and feel tired after their evening food. So a well-done drama will help revive them and the audience feel alert and awake.

Think of it this way. The cho dance is similar to a speaker telling jokes to make the audience feel fresh and alive. Otherwise a long drawn out monosyllabic speech is boring and hard to listen to.

All in all, the fine arts can be done anytime, but the cho dance is done at the height of DMS when most of the attendees are in the pandal. The program is meant to revive the audience.

But this time at the DMS, this effect was not achieved as the cho dance program was so boring that people remained sleepy. All should understand the importance of cultural program.


             HOW TO MAKE DRAMAS MORE INTERESTING FOR THE AUDIENCE

Here below, in His discourse "The Practice of Art and Literature", Baba pointedly tells us how to make short dramas and mystery dramas like the cho dance more interesting and exciting for the audience.

Baba says, "If there are complications in the plot, it is desirable to let the reader or the audience first form a rough guess about the plot and then introduce suspense, instead of introducing it at the very beginning, for this will help them to appreciate the suspense more." (Prout Nutshell, part 10)

So up above Baba first tells us that the audience should get an opportunity to figure out by themselves what is going on. And in the next guideline down below, Baba warns that if the audience cannot understand that crux of the story, they will become confused and even bored.

Baba says, "Otherwise, if the audience has not even understood the suspenseful plot, the desire for release from the suspense cannot be intensified; rather people spend their psychic energy more on pondering over what they do not understand in the complicate plot, instead of being curious about what is coming next." (Prout Nutshell, part 10)

Finally Baba describes how the above applies to stage performances like the cho dance and screen plays.

Baba says, "In my opinion this applies equally to both screen and stage plays and dramas. The difference between the two is that the assistance that the author of a screen drama derives from the art director or the studio-technicians, the author of a stage drama does not. The latter has to arrange the environment through the media of the dialogues of the different characters." (Prout Nutshell, part 10)

So that is Baba's key guideline as well. The director of stage dramas must create a dialogue or narration to keep the audience aware of what is going on. Since the cho dance typically has no dialogue, only dance, then those directors must incorporate a narration or some type of explanation for the audience.

Baba says, "Cho dance, which is performed after battle during times of rest in the military camp, has more mudra in it. The dancer only dances, and does not sing. Another person sings and narrates in song what is taking place." (Prout Nutshell, Part 18)

One point to keep in mind is that cho dance is based on a long mythological story like the Ramayana. But the cho dance itself is relatively short. Only those familiar with the greater story can enjoy the cho dance drama because they know each and every section of the main story. Those not familiar with the bigger story find the cho dance to be dreary and boring, like a silly children's play. This problem can only be solved when the main theme of the story is narrated beforehand.


                                    NOT JUST A MEANINGLESS RITUAL

Actually the cho dance is not a ritual.

Dogmatic rituals are senseless, illogical traditions. For example, when the Hindu priests perform certain customs in their worship like spreading holy leaves or ganges water when chanting Sanskrit verses. Participants do not understand what is going on - can the priests give any rational explanation. So the audience thinks, "Let the priest do what he likes." Such type of event is nothing but a dogmatic ritual.

But the presentation of the cho dance is not a ritual. Ours is not a mindless tradition to be carried out for ever and ever. There is a reason to it; there is a logical explanation behind the presentation of the cho dance. The only problem was that at this past DMS no responsible organiser took the time to explain the meaning of the dance to the audience. That was the main problem.


                              MORE IMPORTANT POINTS ABOUT DMS &

                          THE PRESENTATION OF THE CHO DANCE

Here following are points to consider regarding the use of the cho dance at DMS.


                                         VALUE OF THE FINE ARTS

1. Ananda Marga recognises the fine arts which include both dance and drama etc. At all our collective functions the fine arts are presented in one way or another: The singing of Prabhat Samgiita, dramas, plays, reenactments and so much more.

2. If people follow the same routine day after day then life becomes boring. In order to bring some interesting change and break up the monotony of daily living, festivals, like DMS, are needed. They garner enthusiasm. Song, dance, dramas, and music are all key elements of any festival.


                                         DISPLAY OF LOCAL DANCE

3. Because our annual DMS functions are held in Ráŕh the best local dance should be displayed. This cho dance is the best of Ráŕh that is why it is displayed. This is not one mindless ritual. There is a theme of every cho dance.

Regrettably, this time the theme was not explained to the audience that is why it was boring. Best is to explain the meaning and style of the cho dance beforehand. That way people know what is going to transpire in the program. Then they will take interest.

4. Our annual DMS program aims to guide the margii audience what to do in their local unit. For instance:  At DMS margiis go twice daily for dharmacakra; margiis should try and do this in their unit as well. And there are so many other examples. People go to DMS to learn our AM way of life and return back home with the inspiration to practice those things in their unit as well.

5. But it does not mean that they should practice the cho dance in their native land, irrespective of where one is living. That is not the idea. The idea is that the fine arts should be cultivated and guided by AM ideology, i.e. where the goal is the Supreme, not crude matter or material longings. In that spirit, at cultural program in their units, margiis should present any local sentient dance or drama etc.

Baba says, "Fine arts lead human beings to the trans-sensory realm; hence sádhakas (spiritual aspirants) should not discourage fine arts; rather they should support them, directly or indirectly. (Caryácarya, part 2)

Furthermore, if an annual DMS is held in Brazil or Iceland, then the cho dance will not be displayed. Rather some other local sentient dance will be performed.


                                          ART VS SO-CALLED ART

6. Within the domain of the fine arts, there are two distinct avenues: Art inspired by the Divine entity Parama Purusa and "art" motivated by animalistic propensities.

In this present era, most of the "so-called-fine arts" are born out of the lower propensities / vrttis. Hollywood and Bollywood are full of this. Actually it is not art. And we do not want such types of crude displays in AM.

So whatever local dances are shown in our various units should goad the mind upward towards the Supreme. Bad art is not art rather something else, just like how all chemicals are not necessarily medicine, they are just poison.

Baba says, "I said that art is for service and blessedness and not for art's sake." (Prout Nutshell, part 17)

Baba says, "That which moves along with the society, that which takes us to the real path of benevolence, to the path of growth and fulfillment, is called literature. “Art for art's sake” is not acceptable; rather the expression should be, “Art for service and blessedness.”
(Abhimata, The Opinion, 2)"


                                          CLOSING THOUGHTS

7. The conclusion is that the cho dance at DMS is done as an expression of the fine arts and to teach margiis that when they go back home they should also do something similar in their local unit: A dance or drama that get its inspiration from the Cosmic Entity. That display must be sentient. For this very purpose, at every AN DMS the cho dance is presented. It is not a ritual mindless or dogmatic.

8. It is the duty of up and coming artists to develop new stories and dance / dramas. It is not that the cho dance has to be performed. New plays can be written and presented such as how our Marga defeated the communists. One must not just rely on the old cho dance as the only display of our cultural dance dramas.

9. That said, te only thing truly wrong about the cho dance at the Jan 2011 DMS was that the theme and story were not explained. That is why it was hence boring for the margiis. I think the organisers will be more careful in the future.

Baba says, "Mańipurii dance, folk dance, Cho dance and Ramvasa dance all have a predominance of mudra. Ramvasa dance has less mudra because it is a war dance. Cho dance, which is performed after battle during times of rest in the military camp, has more mudra in it. The dancer only dances, and does not sing. Another person sings and narrates in song what is taking place." (Prout Nutshell, Part 18)

Unfortunately, at this past DMS, no one properly narrated or explained what is going on - that is why all thought the cho dance is boring.

Namaskar.
Parashram

Note 1:                            DMS NEWS POSTINGS #1 - #3

If you did not receive the first three DMS news postings, kindly write us and we will share those with you.


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                            WT Conduct Rule: Dealings

Baba says, "Supervisory workers will have to take proper care of each of their supervised staff in all respects." (Pt #2 of 'Six Additional Rules')

Note: This is a very significant rule but these days supervisory bosses are more focused on emptying the pockets of their subordinates. This is the only "care" they do. In future when standard of devotion in supervisory workers is higher, these rules are likely to be followed in which case the situation will be better.
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