DESH (NATION) is a thematic presentation in Bharatanatyam envisaged as a homage to India. It was first presented in several Indian and US cities in 1997-98 by sisters Sumitra Nitin and Sunanda Narayanan on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of India’s Independence. It is a reminiscence and a re-affirmation of the moral and spiritual legacy of the people of the Indian subcontinent, tracing their history from ancient times to the era of Independence.

Conflicts, both internal and external have been resolved more through Self Control, Sacrifice, Compassion, and Tolerance than through aggression or armed warfare. Every age produced a leader who laid down precepts, led people to realization/freedom, and who is revered as the Upholder of Dharma (Righteousness).

The presentation falls into seven episodic parts in a format known as the Margam which projects a homogenous whole composed of heterogeneous numbers. In keeping with the tradition of Indian performing arts, the emphasis is on the expression of the individual exploration and experience. The format of the Margam is woven into the episodes in an innovative and almost imperceptible manner. The songs are in several Indian languages such as Tamil, Sanskrit, Bengali, Telugu, and Hindi. The episodes are drawn from Indian epics, legends and history. The dance is a combination of movements in rhythm, mime and drama.

Legendary Guru Smt Rhadha choreographed Desh in 1997 for Sumitra and Sunanda as a duo presentation. The concept, research, theme  and music are by Sujatha Vijayaraghavan, a musician, writer and dance research scholar who has several productions to her credit.

DESH has been redesigned as a group production featuring Sunanda Narayanan, her collaborator Soumya Rajaram, and students of Sunanda’s dance school Thillai Fine Arts Academy. The Chinmaya Mission of Boston will present this production on Saturday October 15^th at the Chinmaya Maruti Auditorium in Andover MA at 4pm. 

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