The land we now call India is an ancient place, rich in deep spiritual wisdom. Even in this day and age when wealth, power and personal prestige are the ultimate goal in life for many people throughout the world, India remains a land where saints, philosophers, and yogis still reside – people who have renounced their desire for worldly possessions, and instead seek satisfaction within. Throughout the subcontinent ancient spiritual texts such as the Bhagavad Gita and Ramayana are recited by millions as they, like people everywhere, progress through their lives and attempt to make sense of the challenges that we all experience.
Image courtesy of the Sacred India Gallery website
For well over a century, outsiders have been intrigued by this mystical land – from the artists and writers who utilised its motifs in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries in their creative work, to the millions of people throughout the world who today practice yoga and meditation. Delving deeper, many are also developing an interest in the ancient texts that underlie these traditions and the timeless wisdom that lies within.
Taking the spiritual gems of ancient India into suburban Perth, Yoga Om and The Sacred India Gallery will be presenting a special evening of kirtan, traditional dance and Gita Wisdom at Yoga Om's Mount Lawley studio. The Sanskrit word, kirtan refers to a form of melodic devotional song, glorifying the Divine, in which a group responds to a leading singer. The ambiance created by kirtan is very sweet and many yoga practitioners consider it to be an extremely powerful form of meditation.
Similarly, Bharat Natyam is considered to be one of India's foremost classical dance styles. Originating in the temples of the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, and surrounding regions, Bharat Natyam is characterised by the dancer's fixed torso position, bent legs, spectacular footwork and expressive hand gestures and facial expressions. Many of its best-known traditional dances narrate the stories contained in ancient Hindu texts. The dancer on this occasion will be Hareny Puganeswaran from the Narthanalaya School of Indian Classical Dance in Canning Vale.
Finally, Gita Wisdom will be presented during the evening by guest speaker, Jagattarini Dasi, Artistic Director at The Sacred India Gallery. Jagattarini has been following the path of Bhakti Yoga for over forty-five years, much of that time in the sacred ashram town of Vrindavan, in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. Over the last twenty years she's been based in Perth, establishing The Sacred India Gallery in Bennett Springs while regularly travelling, both in Australia and abroad, for teaching engagements. Her presentation will be based on her deep knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita and the profound realisations she's experienced over the years she's been following a yogic lifestyle.
A Night in Sacred India will be taking place at the Yoga Om studios at 3 / 147 Walcott Street in Mount Lawley, on Saturday October 15th at 6.00pm. Entry is $12.00 at the door or $13.53 online at the
Eventbrite website, and includes a delicious vegetarian supper at the end of the evening. For more information, visit
The Sacred India Gallery website or call Shree on 0490 022 383.
