Posted by Ranjana (203.94.212.146) on June 12, 2005 at 14:36:33:

 In Reply to: some of these professionals have settled in the US for their career and for a better life (NOT a materialistic one)????????????????? REALLY???

Posted by gayatri on June 12, 2005 at 01:12:01:

 I agree and disagree with Gayatri. Some people abroad definitely think of dance as a superficial economic activity. And THAT is SELLING CULTURE. It's just blasphemous, according to me. But when Gayatri says that dance is a soul's vocation and yoga and a service to the Gods, I would choose to add a note of dissent. I have personally seen people putting a price tag to their art. Many institutions and Gurus shamelessly ask for ridiculous amounts of Gurudakshina. A significant but simple arangetram has now turned into a five lakh rupee monster, which is why many students choose not to have their arangetrams. The fees for any music or dance class are really steep almost everywhere in India. Dance has been commercialized and uprooted from those very small villages and hamlets where it originated. India is a country where more than seventy percent of people live in villages. How many of these actually learn dance? Just an example - Today, we have prestigious Odissi dance troupes in all big cities. How many Gotipua troupes still flourish in all their splendour amidst the villages of Orissa. How many Maharis still dance for the Lord in grand temples. We are in an era where Maharis and Devadasis who devoted themselves to the Supreme Lord are being called 'prostitutes' and 'Vaishyas.'But at the same time, mujras, where art becomes a display of sleaze and lust, are a staple element of any town or city's nightlife.
I deviated from the topic, but I really had to write about this.
Ranjana