January 20, 2010
Amritapuri Campus
 

SPIC MACAY is a 30-year-old movement that has garnered much support worldwide. Chapters of this Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music And Culture Amongst Youth, are active not only in the IITs and NITs but also in US universities such as Carnegie Mellon, Stanford and Cornell. Recently the Amrita SPIC MACAY chapter invited renowned Odissi dancer, Kavita Dwivedi for a performance at its Amritapuri campus.
 

 
The Saturday evening performance saw a huge turnout of students as well as faculty and staff. “To watch such a performance, ordinarily, one would have to go to an auditorium in a big city, buy tickets and only then be able to attend,” stated Abhay Ramesh, Project Manager at the e-learning center. “So I didn’t want to miss the opportunity. Before every segment, the danseuse gave an explanation to the audience; that made it even more enjoyable.”
 

SPIC MACAY, through its 200+ chapters, works to bring performances of renowned cultural artists to educational institutions, both in India and world-wide. The artists, in support of the Society’s lofty mission, perform usually without charging any hefty fees. Performances are punctuated with an explanation of the timeless principles of the art. “The next segment depicts Radha’s plight when she is separated from Krishna,” explained Ms. Dwivedi.
 

 
Many in the audience were clearly moved by the performances. The depiction of Radha’s separation from Krishna brought tears to the eyes of many. When asked about the performance, Ms. Dwivedi replied, “The performance in Amrita was different. The audience was so very enthusiastic and involved. These feelings made me dance with my whole heart. I would say that I performed beyond my usual level. It happens rarely. It was almost divine.”
 

For Ms. Dwivedi, Odissi is like meditation. It is the perfect blend of mind, soul and body. The students invited her back to campus for a workshop on the dance form. “These students are intelligent,” she stated later. “They know about the dance forms and are very keen on learning. Odissi was new to them, so I tried to introduce the dance form with both theory and practice. I had read about Amrita. Here I got a chance to experience what I had heard and read.”
 

Ms. Dwivedi had performed in many educational institutions around the country and the world. Did she feel that Amrita was different?
 

“In Amrita, one gets a feeling of peace,” she said. “When I have entered other colleges, I have felt a tension of exams, etc. I am not saying that there is no tension of exams here, but still there is a peace. Here every morning the classes start with the prayer, and this calms the mind. Amrita is different probably because it is drawing inspiration from Amma.”
 

Afterwards, Ms. Dwivedi met Chancellor Amma. “I was waiting for this moment for the past twelve years,” she stated. “I first heard about Amma when I was in Sweden. A family gave me her books and photos. I learned more about Amma through the books. When I finally met her yesterday, Amma asked me to sit beside her, while she continued giving darshan. It was an experience I will never forget. I want to come here again with my family.”