Soorya Festival Invokes a Powerful Sense of Unity —- Soorya Krishnamoorthy’s ‘Sangamam’ Premiered in Houston May 5
By Ian Staff Reporter
STAFFORD: In Tamil and Malayalam, the term ‘sangamam’ describes the coming together of various platforms for a common goal. For those who attended the Soorya Festival’s premiere showcase in Houston on May 5, ‘sangamam’ was brought to life through the diverse performing art forms of India. Padmashree Dr. Soorya Krishnamoorthy, the founder-director of the Soorya Stage and Film Society, made his first visit to the United States as he presented his highly-anticipated Soorya Festival to an eager and receptive audience. Attendees arrived from various parts of Texas to see the show, and the performance surpassed expectations.
Samudra Natanam (a unique dance form combining classical dance and martial arts) was among the various forms presented at the Houston Soorya Festival.
One hour and forty-five minutes flew by as the audience was truly at the edge of their seats wanting more. The 20-artist troupe proved their passion and endurance as they performed nonstop, weaving together Bharatnatyam (Dakshina Vaidyanathan), Kathak (Sonia Gupta), Samudra Natanam (Madhu Gopinath and Vakkom Sajeev), Dhol Dholak Cholam (Manipur Dancers), Percussion (Lazer Sasi and Pathrose Jayakumar) and Vocal (Ziaya ul Haq). Powerful music by Mohammed Rafi served as the background for the performances, and all were moved by the compelling finale that brought together all the dance forms symbolizing ‘Unity in Diversity’…a true ‘Sangamam’.
The Soorya Festival is touring 15 cities throughout the United States in one month, with Texas as the first stop on the tour. Houston-based production company Freedia Entertainment, the national promoter of the Soorya Festival, was proud to bring the Festival for its first American tour. The Houston show held last week was hosted by Shingari’s School of Rhythm who wanted to share this artistic delight with local cultural enthusiasts. For the event’s inauguration, there was a rare scene, the directors of nine area dance schools came together on stage to welcome and show their respect for Krishnamoorthy’s contribution to the world of performing arts. At the end of the show, he expressed his appreciation to Shingari Makkora, director of Shingari’s School of Rhythm, for starting the show on a positive note by uniting all the dance gurus of the local dance community. “Gurus show our children the path to God,” Krishnamoorthy said during his final words, encouraging the audience to continue their support of authentic, non-commercialized artists.
Left: Manipuri dancers presented a lively exhibition of Dhol Dholak Cholam using a variety of percussion instruments native to India.
Dr. Soorya Krishnamoorthy
Krishnamoorthy remains the only person to have received the highest artistic honors from three state governments: Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. The highly-decorated creative director was named Man of the Year 2003 by the Limca Book of World Records, who also appointed Soorya as the largest cultural society of Asia. He served as the director of the Kerala State Film Development Corporation for three terms, as a member of the India National Film Award committee, the Kerala State Film Award committee, the NFDC Script Committee and the National committee for selecting Indian Panorama films. He has also been a member of the Expert Committee of the Department of Culture for the Government of India where he was instrumental in advancing the cultural policy of the country.
The Soorya Festival is the longest and among the most prestigious cultural events in India, in which the finest and most accomplished artists in Indian classical dances and music participate.