Reclaiming

And that evening, last September, I watched Alarmel Valli dance to Alarulu Kuriyaga, an Annamayya Krithi. What touched me most was the sacred sensuality, the glory of being alive, the playful wondrous nature of the body in movement. Strength and fluid grace intertwined with joy and delightful embrace of one's existence! The sacred and the profane, intertwined with no divisive lines.

As I watched, I knew that the sparkling gems on the anklets of the goddess were lighting me up from within. In a strange sort of way, I knew, here was the clue, the energy, the healing source for reclaiming my own tired body.  As if infused by new life essence, I remained in a trance for many days just letting that dance flow into my veins. 

And slowly I have watched my body come alive after years in pain, a reclamation, a vessel to contain my spirit, a spirit to contain my energies...

Quiet, thankful and moved by the immense power of Bharatanatyam, the incredible meaning of practice, the beauty of a tradition that has delved so far into 'Beingness' in all its forms of art. Thanks Akka for the deep change you have brought into my life.



Reclaiming,
like the roots of the ficus
growing in glory 
on concrete human accomplishments

a strange thread of physical movement,
intertwines with my architecture
reclaiming,
the earthy essence,
threading me back 
to the sky
as if we had never
been apart,

and the waters of life
intermingled with 
the scent of the earth,
the tenacity of the tree,
the gentle lullaby of
stars on the river bed
flow, 
relentlessly...

reclaiming me
back to
the earth
and in 
reverie,
I clutch
a dream passing by...

A remnant of a past tale
earthern pot
mud house
wet ground
life abundant
Fluid grace
of dance...

Tyagesa reveling in movement
in the affectionate glance
of the Goddess,
embraces me 
and sprinkles all that he holds
into fine dust!

I scatter
and a thousand
stars
reclaim me...