The 7th International Arts Festival will witness scholars and artistes from across the globe discussing, understanding and demonstrating the positive impact of art on life, soul and mind

Life is stressful and strained with mounting pressures. In order to relax and rejuvenate the mind and body, modern science is returning to our roots and rediscovering the connection between mind, body, soul and art. It has been proven that the vibrations in music heal the body as well as environment. And dance, as an art form, is designed to send out energy waves that impact the environment positively. The 7th International Arts Festival/Symposium will witness scholars and artistes from across the globe — Germany, England and India — discussing, understanding and demonstrating the positive impact of art on life, soul and mind.

Festival director and founder member of Rays of Wisdom Society, Odissi danseuse and spiritualist Reela Hota says, “The festival was started to bring awareness about the efficacy of arts to heal the body and mind. Traditional art forms didn’t interest the youth much. This event is to impress their questioning minds with the wisdom behind certain art forms. By fusing jazz and classical raga, the dynamic and exciting aspect will be highlighted.”

The festival also highlights how ancient culture, particularly, music and dance, are vital therapeutic tools of healing and how it can successfully address the challenges of an urban lifestyle. “We want to educate people about the positive effects of sound on human body and mind. A study has also revealed that people with Alzheimer’s function better if they listen to Mozart. The music even reduces the severity of epileptic seizures as certain musical frequencies have medicinal properties. We also want to highlight the therapeutic benefits of theatre to demonstrate the scientific foundations of traditional arts and their integration in our day to day lives. It should be the aim of the Government to promote our traditional arts among children so that they grow up to be healthy and happy individuals,” says she.

Day one will commence with Odissi dance performed by Hota itself. The performance will be on Vedas, meaning of Vidya, the ultimate embodiment of ultimate knowledge.

It will be followed by fusion music by Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Salal Bhatt and German jazz guitarist Matthias Muller. Pandit Vishwa Mohan Bhatt believes that classical music soothes the heart. The manner in which a musician travels from one note to another can be so relaxing that it can give people a sense of spiritual trance. “The listener and practitioner will forget his tensions and troubles, and will be purified,” says he.

Muller talks about the therapeutic effects of music, “Jazz can help aid in stroke recovery. It provides pain relief and lower blood pressure considerably,” Muller says.

Day two will commence with a play, Rakt-Kalyan by theatre director Santanau Bose. It is a story spanning a few weeks that shows how a vibrant, prosperous society is plunged into anarchy and terror. Written by Girish Karnad in 1989 in the backdrop of the mandir-Mandal conflict, the drama draws a parallel between the socio-religious political and economic conditions of existing times and southern India in 12th century AD during the Bhakti Movement. “Art and spirituality are synonymous. They mean and work in the same way. Music does heal not only the emotional scar but also psychosomatic pain. The event would leave an indelible mark on the mind of the coming generation,” says Bose.

The play will be followed by a lecture-demonstration on music and the mind and how music therapy aids in improving mental Health by Dr Margaret Lobo, FRSA, Founder of Otakar Kraus Music Trust (OKMT), UK.

Dancer, choreographer and founder president of Natya Vriksha Geeta Chandran will also be felicitated.

(The festival is on October 30 and 31 at Shriram Centre.)