A moment from the Kathakali dance drama

On Friday, September 27th, a performance showcasing traditional Indian dance was held with the support of the Vivekananda Cultural Centre of the Embassy of India. There were over 80 participants, including students of Saitama University, faculty, staff, and members of the general public. After being introduced by the moderator, Associate Professor Makoto Nagasawa (member of the International Planning Office, Graduate School of Humanities and Social Sciences), Ms. Etsuko Ishii, Program Officer, Embassy of India, read the greetings on behalf of Kanika Aggarwal, Director of the Vivekananda Cultural Centre. The performance consisted of two parts.

The “Purulia Chhau Masked Dance” performed in the first part was born out of traditional martial arts. Dancers with colorful masks and gorgeous costumes perform and somersault to the powerful beat of drums. It is characterized by such acrobatic movements.

The “Kathakali dance drama” performed in the second part is one of the eight classical dances of India known worldwide.

Dance, music, costumes and makeup come together to recreate the great stories from the Indian epics. All the audience members were captivated by the divine spectacle that extended from the stage to the floor and could not take our eyes off it.
There was a lively discussion during the question-and-answer period after the performance, giving great significance to this international cultural event.

A moment from the Purulia Chhau Masked Dance

A moment from the Purulia Chhau Masked Dance

A glimpse of the Kathakali dance drama

Scene from the Q＆A Session