Sharing geography through Bharatanatyam

Sharing geography through Bharatanatyam 

The paper on how Bharatanatyam can be a way for older adults (and for anyone really) to make deep and meaningful connections mentions connections with the natural environment. At the YM&YWHA of Washington Heights and Inwood, we started a song on the river Narmada. This song brings together my love for rivers and dance, and helps us learn and share a bit about Indian geography. It is also a great way to think about the rivers we all know and love - the Hudson River, East River, Bronx River etc - and the life that these rivers subsist. 
The song Narmada Ashtakam was composed by Sri Adi Shankaracharya, and set to music by my teacher Smt. Nivedita ShivRaj of RagaChitra Fine Arts in the ragam Alarmagal. 
​Video credit: C.S. Rani 
The verses below talk about the drops of water that make up Narmada and how Narmada (and all rivers) have the capacity to renew and rejuvenate.