A first of its kind event to raise awareness of environmental issues such as water scarcity, pollution and fracking took place in London on Saturday, 15th June. While dancing is primarily used for portraying traditional and classical themes, it is used for environmental advocacy and raising social conscience by the members of Sanskruti and Sur Bharti groups recently. They became part of global phenomenon, as dancers at 180 locations have danced simultaneously at the same local time throughout the world as part of Global Water Dances, a biennial multinational dance activity taking place near different water bodies and involving dancers and choreographers globally. Cllr Arien Areti and Cllr Philip Abraham, former Mayor of Loughton rendered opening words at the ritual before the dance presentation has commenced. In his video message on the occasion, Chair of All-Party Parliamentary Group for Dance, Nic Dakin MP has applauded Sanskruti Centre for organising the event in London and the dance participants for the community-oriented initiative.
London Site Leader Ragasudha Vinjamuri says “Sanskruti Centre has been marking World Water Day since 2017, campaigning for water conservation and efficiency in line with Paani Bachaao Jeevan Bachao (Save Water Save Life) initiative initiated under PM Modi’s govnance in India, using dance for environmental advocacy and promoting water issues. We are proud to make meaningful contribution to the society through performing arts. River Ganga is an important river in Indian culture and scriptures. That beside, the river basin also supports lives and livelihoods of millions of people, hence we chose to dance on that theme”
The site-specific section included tribute to River Ganga on Adi Shankaracharya’s Ganga Stotra, symbolising Namami Gange, an Integrated Conservation Mission to clean Ganga for abatement of pollution, surface cleaning and rejuvenation of the waters for restoration of bio-diversity and several aquatic species. This was followed by a global theme and participatory section for the audiences. The dance was presented by Jnana Suseela, Manju Sunil, Nethra Subrahmanyam, Preetha Sukesh, Priyadarshini Yelamanchi, Ragasudha Vinjamuri and Sinjini Chakraborty.
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