Indian Dancers By Sarojini Naidu
The poem โIndian Dancersโ portrays the vivid and enchanting picture of beautiful Indian dancers with โhouri-like facesโ, their โeyes ravished with raptureโ and โpassionate bosoms aflaming with fireโ. Dressed in โglittering garments of purpleโ, they treadโ their rhythmical, slumber-soft feet โwhile dancing in accompaniment with โentrancing โstrain of keen musicโ.
The aesthetics of Sarojini Naidu (Indian aesthetics) are clearly seen in the poem โIndian Dancers.โ The overabundance of lush and over-ripe imagery reflects every meaning. The Orient is painted to create the narcotic or opiate mood through extravagant sensuality. This aesthetic is supported in Naiduโs time by feudal luxury, which is declining.
The beautiful and rhythmic physical movement of the performers in the poem โIndian Dancersโ throws light on another important aspect of community life. In a group performance, each of the artists contributes to it in equal measure but without retaining her individual identity. This is a case of the individual self-merging into the whole for the larger benefit of the society. Again, the performers might be belonging to different social or economic classes or to different castes and creeds. In the perspective of human relationship, the lyric can be perceived as a record of unity in diversity.
In Sarojini Naiduโs poetry, the spirit of Indianness is shown in varied colours and contours. She followed the footsteps of Toru Dutt, Aurobindo and Tagore and explored Indiaโs rich ancient heritage and rural Indiaโs folk culture, prompting her to differentiate Indian mythology, customs, manners, festivals and thus to generate pride among colonised Indians and reaffirm their national identity.