India's Art Is Its USP: Renowned Classical Dancer Sonal Mansingh At Republic Sangam Summit

Indian classical dancer and former Rajya Sabha MP Sonal Mansingh graced Republic Media's cultural conclave, Sangam on December 20. She emphasised India's soft power and the potential the country's arts have in shaping the future of the country and its existing influence on the world.

Sonal Mansingh on how Indian soil helps in driving her energy

"Bharat ki kala uska usp hai," Mansingh said, adding, “I have said this in Rajya Sabha earlier as well. Tali se vighnon ka nash hota hai, har jagah jo tali bajti hai, jo ashudi hoti hai dur hoti hai. Jab tak tali laye mein baje, betali na baje."

Sonal Mansingh spoke about deriving her energy from the roots of the nation. She stressed that the Indian soil provides a confluence of literature and culture. Additionally, she shared that energy comes when one sacrifices arrogance. Mansingh shared, “Lal rang kamaal hai bemisal hai, mera dil lal hai, urja shkati ka rang hai jo yahan faile huyi hai. Where does energy come from? Meri shraddha meri aastha aur jo bhagwati ne kala ka aashirwad diya hai pratidin ek naya din hai. Usko lekar main chalti hoon. Bharat ki mitti mein jadu hai, yahan sahitya ntriya ka sangam hai. Energy wahan se aati hai jab aap apna arrogance smarpit kar dete hain.”

Sonal Mansingh shares differences between Western and Indian classical dance

Sonal Mansingh shared the differences between Western and Indian classical dance and shared, “Dance mein geet aur sangeet sab kuch hai. Panch tatv jo kehta hai. Urja humein prithvi se milti hai, we do not know the Western dance at all. They do it in the air on their toes. They don't connect with the round, hamara shareer prithvi se uthta hai. Hamara sar akaash mein hai par hamara pair zameen mein hai. Pure shreer ka jo chalan hai uska ek shahstra hai usse poem ujagar hota hai.”
 

The classical dancer also shared anectodes of Radha-Krishna and added, “Radha ke naam ke bina krishna apne bhakt ki araj nahi sunte hai. Radha gopi toh thi par woh lokeshwari hai, Vrindawaneshwari hai. Yahan ek madhuur bhav aata hai. Radha jab gussa hoti hai toh Krishna bhi unke sharan mein pad jate hain." She added, "Draupadi Maharani hai, woh agni se janmei hai, agni prithvi hai, unke baal agni ki shikhaon ki tarah hai. She has taught us not to compromise on self-respect.”


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