‘Tantra,’ an often misunderstood ancient philosophy and practice, was demystified for 30 participants from different backgrounds who attended this year’s ‘Tantrotsav’ workshop organised by Yogishananda Peetham near Auroville.
The three-day workshop taught participants on how tantric philosophy could not just be a source of inspiration, but how its principles could be applied in the quest for a fulfilling life. ‘Tantra’ is based on the concept of the twin energies of Shiva Shakti, the male and female. Participants were made to understand that ‘Tantra’ starts from the body and ends beyond the body.
“The workshop aimed at exploring the link between life and these ancient performances. It was not just for practitioners but those who want to know more about life through art forms. We had artists from different backgrounds, including dance and theatre as well,” said organiser Lakshmanan Gurukkal.
The festival, which is held annually, also attracted participants from France, Germany and other countries, besides India. The workshop opened with four performances coinciding with Mahashivaratri on Tuesday. Lakshmana Peruvannan and his team from Kannur, Kerala, put up a scintillating ‘Theyyam’ performance, the ancient ritualistic form of worship from North Kerala.
Hima Shankar from the Theatre of Soul Seekers, Thiruvananthapuram, performed the drama piece, ‘Kaali Nadakam.’ Members from the Hindustan Kalari Sangam from Kozhikode led by Lakshmanan Gurukkal showed their mettle with martial art form ‘Kalaripayattu.’
For the first time this year, there was also an Odissi dance performance by Vandana. The performances drew a large crowd.
“While I have seen ‘Theyyam’ performances in the temples in Kannur before, I could only appreciate it as an art form. At the workshop, the tenets and principles behind the ritual were explained, making it a new experience for the participants,” said Aravindan, an advocate from Malappuram, Kerala.
The workshop consisted of tantric yoga, ‘Kalaripayattu’ and tantric meditation workshops, besides lectures. The sessions were led by L. Girish Kumar, director, Shripuram Tantra Research Centre, Thrissur, Kerala.
Mr. Aravindan said, “It was fantastic. I could feel real energy at the tantric yoga workshop. The lectures helped us understand how to apply tantric principles to lead a useful and joyful life. The core tantric principles were very well-explained. I have attended many discourses on ‘Tantra,’ where they only speak about it in theory. Here, the workshops were designed to help the common man apply these principles in daily life.”
