Mumbai: A thorough presentation of ethnic tradition induced in culture though an art form was performed by a group of Muslims from Indonesia on Tuesday at the NCPA. Over 43 Muslims from Indonesia performed Ramayana Ballet, a traditional dance form, and a live Angklung Orchestra, with the help of Angklung a distinct musical instrument made out of bamboo tubes.
Distinct variations in the form of drama, dance and singing created a spectacular aura bringing alive the mythological tale of Ramayana. With ritual dancing including trance music, a sense of martial arts and colourful costume design, the performers presented Ramayana in a unique way which captivated the attention of the audience despite the language difference.
The performers practiced for three months for this act as it was their first ever performance in India. Shekhar Sen, an attendee, said, “I could not understand the language but I understood the message that the performance was trying to convey. Performing acts can go beyond language barriers as the performance was enthralling.”
An initiative of the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia and KABUMI and Faculty of the Art and Design Education and Indonesia University of Education (UPI), Bandung, this act aimed at spreading the message of cultural exchange and unity in diversity. Saut Siringoringo, Consul-General of the Republic of Indonesia, said, “Our aim is to bring about cultural exchange between India and Indonesia. We have a large number of Muslims in Indonesia. We wanted them to perform the Ramayana because we wanted to convey that religion and culuture is meant to unite us and not divide us.”
