Dance, Devotion And The Many Forms Of Devi Take Center Stage In ‘Amba’
India-West News Desk
IRVINE, CA – There are dance performances that entertain, others that impress, and then there are the rare ones that leave you speechless, struggling to find the right words. As one rasika remarked, ‘Amba: The Eternal Mother,’ presented by the Shrishti School of Performing Arts, was precisely one of those rare experiences.
On September 19, the auditorium at Northwood High School was filled to capacity for the performance. Conceived, directed, and choreographed by Charulatha Jayaraman, founder of the Shrishti School, the production brought together Jayaraman and her senior students in a captivating homage to the Divine Mother, all in support of Orange County’s Siva Kameshwari Temple.
Accompanied by a stellar ensemble of live musicians -vocalist Gomathy Nayakam, mridangist Sakthivel Muruganandam, violinist Sigamani, and flutist Sunil Kumar -the dancers traversed the vast spiritual landscape of Bharat. Rather than confining the narrative to a single regional story, ‘Amba’ celebrated the multifaceted aspects of Devi as Gayatri, Saraswati, Mahalakshmi, and the all-powerful Durga Maa and Kali Maa.
The repertoire wove together diverse languages and traditional musical forms from across India, moving effortlessly from the vibrant rhythms of the Maharashtrian Gondhal and the joyful procession of “Kolhapur Chi Amba Bai” to the soul-stirring Bengali bhajan “Jago Tumi Jago,” each piece unveiling a distinct layer of the sacred feminine.
Delicate yet powerful movements combined with fluid, expressive abhinaya to created a divine atmosphere. A highlight of the production was Guru Charulatha Jayaraman’s own portrayal of Devi Maa; her commanding presence, grace, and luminous expressions had the audience’s attention.
By dedicating the proceeds to the expansion and support of Siva Kameshwari Mandir, the production united art and spiritual purpose into a single, cohesive offering. The tangible aura of bhakti and prema vibrated throughout the auditorium.
Jay
/
Amba…mother our everlasting Shakti! The reference to mother and shakti has scientific base also.
September 28, 2026Here is the scientific as well as the philosophical reason why we have such a reverence for
mother. According to Saivat philosophy Shiva is the creator and is represented by a bindu that is
formless or has no attributes. Shiva is an unexpressed form or Purusha or potential, and Shakti,
the divine feminine principle, his other half is a dynamic presentation of the universe.
Shakti literally means ENERGY. According to biochemical science we know that we human
beings derive energy by metabolizing food through cellular processes. The end stage of this
energy formation takes place in subcellular organelles called MITOCHONDRIA. They generate
most of our energy in the form pf ATP. These organelles in human beings are derived from
mother only. Father does not contribute mitochondria at the beginning of life. Hence, no matter
what we do, it is the feminine Shakti, in the dynamic form in the universe that allows us to enjoy
and appreciate the life! This emphasizes our understanding of Shakti which is so ancient! It also
tells us that every day is Mother’s Day!
Celebrate the power of females and males through the Shankara’s text Soundarya Lahari:
O Bhagwati
Only if Shiva is conjoined with You can He create,
Without You, O Shakti, He cannot even move
O Mother, Hari, Hara and Brahma worship You
Only because of my virtuous deeds in the past
Can I salute You
Soundarya Lahari – Shloka #1: Essential Oneness of Shiva and Shakti!