THE RUMI PROJECTS
“An Ode to Rumi” explores the separation of mankind with the Divine through the mere metaphor of the reed in the famous “The Reed Song”.
Akin to the art of dance, Sufism’s call for the divine is an old tradition practiced throughout the world. The Rumi Project’s, ‘An Ode to Rumi” explores the separation of mankind with the Divine through the mere metaphor of the reed in the famous “The Reed Song”. The reed in the poem laments this loss from its original state, just like Rumi himself feels the loss of the Divine within him. And in this piece, the dancer too seeks the Divine through her dance.
Manjari has married her style of dance to Rumi’s simple yet intricate poetry. The dance movements are at times minimal and at times ecstatic– denoting Rumi’s own thoughts and emotions. The storytelling of the poem is translated to linear and angular dance movements; for Manjari then, her dance becomes a way to use the familiar grammar to tell a story of an ancient mystic from a faraway land. By taking this journey herself, Manjari helps her audience discover the Divine too; her art form is a journey through history and rediscovery. Manjari interprets the pain of the reed through Sufi Kathak, effectively bringing two ancient mystic art forms in her piece.