INDIKA Festival: A spectacular 12-day festival of Indian arts and culture took place over Liverpool City Region in November 2023, for the first time since 2018.
INDIKA is a multi-arts festival packed full of exciting events and experiences; whether you’re an Indian music and dance lover, or eager to experience new art forms, there’s something for everyone to explore and enjoy. This Autumn, INDIKA presented some of the UK and India’s most exciting, emerging talents.
I had the pleasure to assist to “VARADARĀJAM UPĀSMAHĒ”.
So, I walked in the theatre, and I got the flyer, just to have more information about the show I was about to watch and there was written:
“Kancheepuram, a district of temples in Tamilnadu (India), is home to several deities, and one among them is Lord Varadaraja who is verily a manifestation of Lord Maha Vishnu. It believed that this Lord Varadaraja, blessing His devotees and granting several boons to them. One famous story of Lord Varadaraja is that of Gajendra Moksha, in which He rescued an elephant from the clutches of a crocodile.
The Brahmotsavam of Varadaraja Swamy temple of Kancheepuram is one of the grandest temple festivals in South India and lakhs of devotees’ flock together to worship the Lord who, they believe, lives with them, answering all their prayers.
One of the most important events of this Brahmotsavam is the “Garuda Seva” where the Lord is brought seated on a magnificent idol of Garuda who is His Vahan (vehicle).
Through “Varadarājam Upāsmahē” they took us through the different events of the Brahmotsavam that radiates with devotion for their Lord and show the glimpses of the festivities.”
Still, I was wondering, what VARADARĀJAM UPĀSMAHĒ is then? I mean, I get that Varadaraja is a Lord to them, but the title said “Varadarājam” and, also, what about “Upāsmahē”? So, I asked to the front desk and the answer was “I hope the artist will be explained to you”. Unfortunately hopes didn’t help. I still have the question in my mind today.
The show was about this breathing-taking dancer with videos projections of the events that take place in India for this festivity.
Unfortunately, the videos were described by a native voice that I couldn’t get my head around the accent and there were so many Indian words that it just leaves me really confused all the time no matter how much effort I was putting into it. I am aware that is MY limit. But that’s why I came to the festival, to know more, to expand my horizon, to get out of my ignorance. But it’s quite impossible if you can’t really understand what they are saying. So, I want to use this experience to give constructive feedback and kindly suggest some subtitles to help international people that really want to understand this beautiful culture. As a matter of fact, the audience was almost completely Indian (all of them with beautiful Sarees, wow!). But maybe, and I am saying maybe, that’s why the people that thought this event took for granted so many aspects. I am hoping for a more international-friendly event with more descriptions and help for people that do not know anything about this culture, this event, these deities but they are happy to know more. If some action will be taken, I am 100% sure that the audience will be not only Indian. And this is what is all about, to spread the culture, the ideas, the traditions of a beautiful country as India.
I want to give my best positive insight about the dancer. She has been absolutely amazing. I was hypnotized by her moves, her hands gestures, her facial expressions with the eyes make-up, the traditional dress, and accessories! It was like a moving painting, seriously. Really words can’t describe it.
I would like to conclude that this experience was like visiting a Country: of course, you can tell it’s beautiful, but you want to learn from it, you want to understand what is happing around you, you want to interact with it. I deeply hope for these little, but important, improvements next year.