The Show

Performers

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Asia Society in association with Indo-American Arts Council Present

NINE LIVES - IN SEARCH OF THE SACRED IN MODERN SOUTH ASIA AN EVENING OF READINGS, MUSIC AND RITUAL DANCE Readings: William Dalrymple; performances: Paban Das Baul and the Bauls of Bengal, Shah Jo Raag Fakir, Susheela Raman, Chandu Pannicker Theyyam Dance Group

Friday and Saturday, June 18-19, 2010 7:30 pm

at Asia Society and Museum 725 Park Avenue (at 70th Street), NYC

Writer and historian William Dalrymple reads from his latest book, Nine Lives: In Search of the Sacred in Modern India at a special evening program featuring music and traditional dance from South Asia. The evening offers unique insight into the lives and spiritual beliefs of the performers, exploring how faith and rituals are thriving in South despite huge social and economic changes.

Nine Lives explores how South Asia's diverse sacred traditions are managing to survive through personal stories of a Sufi, a possession dancer, a Buddhist monk, a Jain nun, a tantric, and others. While much has been written about how India is transforming at the most incredible rate - the economy has been predicted to overtake that of the US by 2050 -little has been said about the way the country's growth has affected the great South Asian traditions of mysticism, monasticism, music and dance.

The evening's performances include the Bauls of Bengal-a group of mystic minstrels whose beliefs draw on Vaishnavite Hindu and Sufi Muslim thought-and the Shah Jo Raag Fakirs, who sing at the shrine of Sufi saint Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai in Sindh, Pakistan. Susheela Raman offers insight into the Thevaram hymns of Tamil Nadu, and while the Theyyam Dance Group showcase the spectacular ritual folk and tribal dance from Kerala.

The program is followed by a reception and book signing.