The Hindu : Music and dance can bind hearts: Kalam

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Mar 01, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Music and dance can bind hearts: Kalam

New Delhi Feb. 29. Remembering the 1962 Indo-Chinese conflict when music and dance soothed the troubled hearts at the war front, the President, A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, today advocated the use of' "divine art" in containing terrorism threatening world peace.

"In recent years, terrorism has taken a heavy toll on many innocent lives. I was thinking whether there is any alternative solution other than military, economic and judicial approach to end this problem," the President said while inaugurating the valedictory function to mark the 100th birth anniversary of Rukmini Devi Arundale, whom he hailed as "the phenomenon of 20th century".

The former President, R. Venkataraman, the Union Toursim and Culture Minister, Jagmohan, and the Sangeet Natak Academy Chairperson and renowned classical danseuse, Sonal Mansingh, also paid rich tributes to Ms. Arundale saying that Indian art and culture acquired new depth and meaning in her rebel personality. She was a legendry musician and dancer, an educationist and a social reformer, they added.

Posing a question if music and dance could bind the hearts when the minds are disturbed and hearts are heavy, Mr. Kalam came out with a reply saying, "Answer seems to be a positive `Yes'."

The President, quoting extensively from Rabindra Nath Tagore and Tamil Poet Subramanya Bharati and others, said what is required now is to use the same music and dance to remove hatred from the mind and disarm those who "stockpile terrorist tools to attack the innocent".

He opined that music and dance could play a balancing note and unify the mind for a harmonious living cutting across geographical boundaries.

Paying rich tributes to Ms. Arundale for her "outstanding" contribution to Indian art and culture, Dr. Kalam said she made commendable impact on performing arts, development of weaving patterns and design of sarees and Kalamkari printing. "She innovated, improved and modernised each one of these items and made people see the use in them."

Dr. Kalam, Mr. Venkataraman and other dignitaries also sat through the dance drama-Kannappar Kuravanji, produced by the Kalakshetra Foundation to mark the Rukmini Devi Birth centenary celebrations at the prestigious Kamani auditorium. The Kalakshetra was founded by Ms. Arundale to propagate Indian art and culture.

Mr. Jagmohan announced that his ministry has taken initiatives to take the traditional art and culture to the doorsteps of the people by opening Culture and Art Centres throughout the country. -- UNI

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