21 March 2013, 04:44 AM IST
Alameda Sarutaia is a quiet street in the leafy neighbourhood of Jardims, just off Avenida Paulista, the main avenue that runs through the centre of this megalopolis. Here, tall buildings rise from the corners of streets and old villas sit amid Italian cafes and restaurants offering traditional Brazilian food. There is a whiff of coffee in the air, mixing with the smell of ethanol fumes being emitted by cars zipping towards the avenue. Just as you turn into Alameda Sarutaia and cross a couple of buildings with terrace gardens, you come across an old, beautiful villa with red walls and green gate. It's not just the sheer beauty of the house that makes you stop in front of it. The sounds coming from inside -- tabla beats mixing with the strains of sitar and an Indian voice singing an old song devoted to a god -- make you stop. A step closer to the gate and you smell incense.
This is the Indian Cultural Centre (ICC) of Sao Paulo. A few days ago as we went there to attend an event, it was amazing to see so many Brazilians present there. The ICC has a decent auditorium, but it was overflowing, with people sitting on the floor, on the steps or standing just standing outside the hall. When you see such a large number of Brazilians at an Indian cultural event, it's impossible not to ask what attracts them to Indian dance and music and culture. The two countries have been so far -- geographically as well as culturally -- from each other that there hasn't been much cultural exchange between the two countries.
Iara Ananda performs Bharata Natyam
But at least here is Sao Paulo, the scenariohas changed in the past couple of years. With the opening of the centre less than two years ago, the ICC has become Little India, where anyone interested in any aspect of Indian culture can drop by and get immersed in Indian dance, music, spiritual traditions or in the impressive collection of books in the library.
But if the centre has become a thriving hub of Indian culture in such a short span, it's because of hard work and dedication of some people -- Indians and Brazilians. And some of them showed their dedication to their work that evening.
The first one to perform on stage was Iara Ananda, who teaches Bharata Natyam at the centre. She is a young Brazilian dancer who is equally at home in classical traditions as well as in Bollywood dancing. Extremely talented, Iara is at the centre every Thursday, sitting on the floor with a stick on her hand which she beats on a little drum as a group of Brazilian girls swirl on their feet and move together in a rhythm. This evening she performed an ode to Shiva (the day being Mahashivratri). The dance was so captivating and Iara's movements and expressions so natural, it's almost impossible to think that she is not Indian by birth, born in a family of classical dancers. But she is a Brazilian who has spent some time in India.
The next person on stage was Gyaneshree Karahe, the Kathak instructor at the centre. A disciple of Kathak legend Birju Maharaj, Gyaneshree too performed a dance about Shiva. During the time she was on stage, dancing with a smile on her face, the audience just couldn't take their eyes off her. The Brazilians know a few things about drums, beats and dancing. They are a musical people. Even they talk in a sing-song way. For such people to be awestruck by an Indian dance, Gyaneshree must be an excellent dancer, which she is. Certainly, she got many new students that evening for her classes at the centre.
Gyaneshree performs Kathak at the event
Silvana Duarte was up next. An elegant lady with very polished manners, she is the Odissi teacher at the centre. Silvana, a disciple of Odissi legend Kelucharan Mahapatra, too dedicated her dance to Shiva. Yet again, not a missed step and not a wrong expression. As Silvana moved on the stage in her elegant steps, I noticed a few young Brazilian girls sitting near the stage. Their mouth were wide open and eyes shining. Probably, they hadn't seen such a beautiful blend of colours, music and dance ever before. Imagine, this lady travelled to India several times to learn Odissi from the doyen of this form of dancing.
Silvana Duarte on stage at the centre
A few months ago, Sonia Galvao, who too learnt Odissi from the great Kelucharan Mahapatra, gave a performance at the ICC. Dedicating her dances to her guru, Sonia was on stage for more than an hour in the ICC auditorium packed to its capacity. There were just a few Indians in the crowd. Sonia Galvao's dance was so impressive that one may think that she is born and brought up in Bhuvaneshwar. She is a very much a Brazilian from Sao Paulo and she has spent a lot of money and time in travelling to India and learn this dance from the biggest Odissi guru. Even before the cultural centre opened here, Sonia had been performing in the city and across Brazil, promoting Odissi and Indian culture on her own.
Sonia Galvao during her Odissi performance at ICC
The evening ended with food -- a mixture of Indian Brazilian cuisine -- brought by many of a few hundred people who had gathered at the centre for the event. The programme was held under the umbrella of Brazil India Club, a brainchild and initiative of Indian consul-general, G V Srinivas, and the ICC director, Kamaljit Singh. In a short span, the club has become a platform for Indians and Brazilians to meet and share food and their experiences at the centre.
The centre is always buzzing with activity. Walk through its three floors and you see Brazilians learning Indian dances, music, Hindi and yoga. And it's all free. As one Brazilian said, "In a city where the only thing free is air, it's unbelievable that you can learn so much without paying anything." But it's not free courses that has made the centre so popular. The director of the centre, Kamaljit Singh, brings amazing energy to the place. He organises events, invites people, addresses the gatherings, moves chairs and even makes coffee for his guests, all this with a smile on his face. It's his tireless work that has made the centre a Little India in the heart of Sao Paulo.
Next Wednesday, the centre celebrates Holi. The India lovers in this city are eagerly waiting for the colourful event.
Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang
A Little India in the heart of Sao Paulo
Dengan url
http://osteoporosista.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-little-india-in-heart-of-sao-paulo.html
Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya
A Little India in the heart of Sao Paulo
namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link
A Little India in the heart of Sao Paulo
sebagai sumbernya
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar