'Inculcating cultural heritage of India through the Ramayana'

New Delhi, Apr 23 (UNI) At a time when the influence of the West is all pervasive, what could be a better way to keep the rich cultural heritage of India alive in the minds of the younger generations than presenting them with the ancient gospels "in a modern backdrop".

In one such endeavour, the story of the legendary Ramayana, one of the most profound spiritual texts of India, couched in a modern context, was staged in the form of a play before a huge gathering comprising of school children, clearly the harbinger of the modern era, at the Talkatora stadium in the capital.

'Ramayana in the modern context', a dance-drama based on the legendary epic by Valmiki was staged last thursday by the HT Next in association with Delhi Public School R K Puram, amid the presence of eminent personalities including Minister of State for women and child development Renuka Chaudhry, former chairman CBSE, B P Khandelwal and others.

Directed by noted theatre personality Ms Meenal, the play was staged by a cast of 150 students of the Delhi Public School in the age group of 11 to 16 years.

According to the principal of the DPS R K Puram S Chona, the play was an effort to retrieve humanity from its present materialistic shell and expose it to love and virtue, and to tell the audience that the need of the hour is not only to read the Ramayana but also live by its cherished ideals. Hence the title, 'Ramayana in the Modern context'.

''Ramayana's universal principles can be applied to all aspects of our lives. And today, while the impact of the West is predominant in our lives, it is our earnest endeavour to keep our rich cultural heritage alive in the minds of our younger generations. For, we firmly believe that modernisationn should be intrinsically linked to our roots,''Mrs Chona said.

''Dr Radhakrishnan once wrote,"the future has to be built on the foundations laid in the past and the present". This is what we hope to accomplish through this performance,''she said.

Mrs Chona said the dance drama, staged primarily in Sanskrit, was aimed at reliving and reviving not just the principles portrayed in the story but also to bring alive the beauty of the language.

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