Built in 1010 AD, the Brihadeeswara temple in Tanjore, Tamil Nadu recently celebrated its 1000th year of existence. There are surprises in store even before you enter the temple grounds. The temple has been built like a fort, shielded from all sides. As you pass the main entrance, the grandeur of it ALL hits you in the face! The enormously sized Nandi is what greets you, up front. The giant Lingam in the sannidhi, the lush green fields around the premises are a treat to the eyes. This is the only temple that houses the Lords of the all eight directions. Looking around at the astounding architecture of the temple and its hugeness makes you feel like an ant in a giant's world !
Mechanically moving in with the crowd after having gotten a good glimpse around the entire temple, we had to move to our zone positions. There was a hint of drizzle now and then, which felt as though He was mockingly testing whether we'd get nervous or worked up. Since we had some time to kill, Preethi and me tried to imagine and conjure up flashback. Same temple, same architecture all around, same sannidhi up front, but about a 1000 years back. The era where the similar type of dance (now called "Bharatanatyam") was performed by the dancers, earlier known as "Devadasis". The energy that radiated from the grounds that these devadasis once danced upon, was felt by all. There were positive vibrations all around. A thousand years later, we were about to dance on these same grounds - History was about to repeat itself !
The time had come. The emcee has announced the list of dance items that were to come. The lights went on. Cameras were flashing all around. Video cameras set into place. All of us got into our positions. Ten feet, 2 rows, in front of me, were the senior dancers - the cream of our dance industry - whom we are all in awe of, waiting for the music to begin in the same position. Behind me, 900 odd dancers doing the exact same thing. Once the music had begun, there was no stopping us. All of us danced like there was no tomorrow ! Every time there was a turning movement, we all tried to save and lock up the visuals that our eyes were observing. In one of the lines of the song, my favourite quote was roped in - "Life's a stage, all men and women are mere players". Speaking for all, I can say that at that moment, there were no thoughts about work, city, food, family or anything else. After soaking in every single second spent there, we finished with a bang! History was created !
There were talks about this performance being nominated in the Guinness Book of World Records. But a line my father just mentioned, made me wonder how I hadn't thought about it before :
"Bringing in a 1000 dancers for just one performance can be easily achieved, your record can be broken, it isnt impossible. But bringing in a 1000 dancers for one performance to commemorate the 1000th year of the Big Temple, NOW thats impossible to repeat. Thats a story that'd make your grandchildren proud of you !"
Its was wonderful to be One in a thousand - to be a part of history !
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