Music
You are invited to the Woolgoolga Curry Fest, to be held at Woolgoolga in northern New South Wales on Saturday 19 April 2008. As in previous years, there will be a Sahaja Yoga stall at the festival.
It is planned to present Sahaja Yoga music in two one-hour time slots. The music will include devotional music with an international flavour, traditional Qawwali music and drum music. There will also be Indian traditional dancing. There will be a meditation tent in which meditation sessions will be held for people who want the experience of thoughtless awareness and realisation.
The main music organiser was very impressed last year with the Sahaja yogis’ performances and gracious nature, and so is insisting that Sahaja Yoga play a big part in this year’s festival.
The Sahaja Yoga stall will be on the grass next to the beach. From here, the Fest will spread out along the road to the grassy area around the pool.
“Say I Am You” is a beautiful poem written by Rumi, a Sufi poet who was born in Takistan (now Afghanistan) in 1207. With his family, he travelled extensively in Moslem countries, finally settling in Anatolia (now Turkey).
An accomplished scholar, he was introduced to Sufism by a wandering dervish, Shamshuddin. Shamshuddin’s death heralded an outpouring of Rumi’s poetry. The underlying theme of his poems is the absolute love of God.
The Youtube video (link below) shows Rumi’s poem, “Say I Am You”, illustrated by a beautiful collection of photographs and accompanied by wonderful music. Please enjoy them.
(photograph: loc.gov)
The festival of Vasant Panchami is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the bright fortnight of the lunar month of Magha (January – February).
This “Panchami” is also known as Saraswati Day, because it is believed that on this day the Goddess was born. As Diwali is to Shri Lakshmi and Navaratri is to Shri Durga, Vasant Panchami is to Shri Saraswati, the Goddess of art, creativity, knowledge and learning. She represents the free flow of wisdom and consciousness. She is the Mother of the Vedas, and chants to Her often begin and end Vedic lessons.
Saraswati literally means “the flowing one”. In the Rigveda it is said She represents a river and the deity presiding over it. In later mythology, Shri Saraswati was identified with Vach or Speech. The “flowing one” in an allegorical sense may mean speech also – perfect speech which denotes intelligence.
On this Vasant Panchami day, Lord Brahma is said to have created His consort Goddess Saraswati, infused speech into Her and bestowed the Veena in Her hands. She was thus named as Veena Vandini (veena player) and Vani Dayyani (recipient of speech). As the spouse of Brahma and the Goddess of wisdom and eloquence, She is known by various names such as Veenapani (holding the veena), Sharada (giver of essence), Vagisvari (mistress of speech), Brahmi (wife of Brahma) and Mahavidya (knowledge supreme).
The colour yellow is given special importance on Vasant Panchami. On this day, Shri Saraswati is dressed in yellow garments and worshipped. Books, articles, instruments of music and arts are placed before Her. In the evening after the Puja is over, the idol is immersed in the sea with serenity.
In all educational institutions of music, arts and science in India, Saraswati Puja is observed with great reverence. Saraswati Puja is also performed during the Navaratri or Dusshera. In India, Hindus prefer to wear yellow clothes on this holy day. Sweets of yellowish hues are distributed among relatives and friends.
Children are taught their first words on this day, for it is considered an auspicious day to begin to learn how to read and write.
Vasant means “spring”, and Vasant Panchami heralds springtime in India, a time of renewal and creativity of life in nature.
(Photograph: freewebs.com)
“Lotus & Phoenix II” will be presented by Nayika Indian Dance which features again in the City of Sydney Chinese New Year Festival 2008.
This is a unique concert with both traditional Chinese music and classical Indian dance inspired by the symbolism of the lotus and phoenix, not to be missed by the Asian arts connoisseur.
Versatile musicians of the Sydney Sizhu Ensemble led by Tony Wheeler, and Indian classical dancer Vimala Sarma, celebrate Chinese New Year in a unique concert featuring Chinese traditional music and classical Indian dances inspired by the symbolism of the lotus and phoenix. The lotus is a symbol of purity and beauty in both Chinese and Indian cultures. This show provides an opportunity for Sydney Chinese traditional music-lovers to hear Chen Hong Yu, an inspirational vocal artist. The Indian classical dances featured include pieces performed by Vimala in the recent dance festival in Chennai.
Date: Saturday 23 February 2008
Time: 7.30 pm
Location: Music Workshop, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Macquarie Street, Sydney
Cost: $35.00 plus booking fee
Bookings/Information: Tickets from www.moshtix.com.au, 1300 GET TIX (438 849) or on your mobile www.moshtix.mobi and all moshtix outlets.