10 November,2009 07:53 AM IST | | Navdeep Kaur Marwah
Om Tara, a contemporary dance do, is all set to bring to light a little known side of Buddhism that of Tara Devi, the revered female Bodhisattva
Sitting in a simple cotton suit, Chokyi Palmo was playing the rehearsal tape as we made our way into the tiny attic above the legendary Regal theatre. After the initial exchange of pleasantries, the thirty-something politely shied away from our requests for a photograph. "Don't focus on me," she pleaded, with more important things on mind.
A practice session in progress at The Attic, Connaught Place PIC/Rajeev Tyagi |
World team 11
The eleven-member group comprises seven girls and four boys, who've come together from different parts of the world. If Madina Andassova is from Kazakhstan,u00a0 Carolina Prada is from Colombia. Among others, Rajesh Saibabu, Rakesh Saibabu, Ram Hari and Deviyani Sharma are from India and Rahele Obritcke is from Latvia.
Nevertheless, they're one in their devotion.
What Tara Devi's mantra means
In Om Tare Tuttare Ture Soha,
>>OM is the body, speech and mind of the Buddha
>>TARE is Dharma that liberates beings from sufferings
>>TUTTARE frees beings from danger
>>TURE is what releases beings from sickness
>>SOHA is laying the foundation
Widely known forms of Tara
>>Green Tara, known as the Buddha of enlightened activity
>>White Tara, also known for compassion, long life, healing and serenity; also known as The Wish-fulfilling Wheel, or Cintachakra
>>Red Tara, of fierce aspect associated with magnetising all good things
>>Black Tara, associated with power
>>Yellow Tara, associated with wealth and prosperity
>>Blue Tara, associated with transmutation of anger
>>Cittamani Tara, a form widely practiced at the level of Highest Yoga Tantra in the Gelug School of Tibetan Buddhism, portrayed as green and often conflated with Green Tara
>>Khadiravani Tara (Tara of the teak forest), who appeared to Nagarjuna in the Khadiravani forest of South India and who is sometimes referred to as the "22nd Tara."
Believe it or not!
Buddhists in Russia recognise Russian president Dmitry Medvedev as the White Tara
OM TARA
When: Tomorrow, November 11
Time: 6.30 pm
Where: Amphitheater, Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA), opposite National Archives of India, Janpath
Ring: 23746050