Rasa Karunyam or compassion is Sohini Roychowdhury's art mission this summer as she leaves for her summer 'Dance for Empathy' tour of Austria and UK. The hills will be alive with the sound of her ghungroos as she will be performing for UNESCO for the various schools and universities of Austria, storytelling with Bharatanatyam, creating a better understanding of our ancient Vedic culture and our Natyasastra amidst the Alps.
Regarded as a performing arts legend, Sohini will be performing her thematic choreographies in the ancient Tanjore style, set to contemporary and relevant themes. She has always been an artist with a voice, and this time she bears the torch of healing and hope after the world has been suffering for two years. Dance is an expression of love and peace for Sohini as she emphasises the global oneness and the empathy needed in these times of war… praying for Ukraine… and humanity. Rasa Karunyam is sadness and compassion that leads to rethinking, restructuring and adapting to a new normal, a new world, and a closer bonding with nature.
From Austria Sohini moves on to the UK to London and Edinburgh to heal and hope with her Tanjore and World dance beats. Her 'Dance for Empathy' will see the entire city of St Andrews dancing with her at the Botanical Gardens, stretch tented for this purpose in collaboration with the Mayor and the City Council. Tagore poetry, Scottish bagpipes Tanjore style of Bharatanatyam is definitely Sohini's holy trinity in May in this mission of dance towards empowerment inclusivity.
The humanity of Tagore will be celebrated on his birthday in the Scottish coasts, through Sohini's interactive workshops and master classes culminating in a performance at the iconic Byre Theatre at St Andrews University, where Prince William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are among the alumni.
As mentioned by her at her session 'Sringara and the dance of Gods' at the Jaipur Literature Festival in March, Sohini will be performing, teaching and living through her art - the eternal truth 'Humanity is the greatest religion of all 'without discrimination, and with complete empathy combining the ethos of Tagore, Rumi and Robert Burns.
Some book reading sessions with live demonstrations of her book,'Dancing With The Gods' published by Rolibooks at Edinburgh university and at the Indian Embassy for 'India at 75 will showcase Shaktism through dance and our glorious saga of the Mother Goddesses and storytelling from our Markandeya Puranas .
Sohini will also be performing at the Festival Fringe and Edinburgh festival with body poetry and dance operas in her Moksha style.