"Margamkali Dance" by Joji Varghese Kuncheria is from the Anthology "An Ode to Arts" published at Amazon.

Picasso once said, "The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our souls." In this work, a collection of short poems in a variety of forms that celebrate the arts are presented: poetry, dance, painting, music, theatre, among others. Feel the dust lift and wings sprout as you read... Kuncheria shares a poem which describes an ancient Middle Eastern Dance that came to India by way of the silk route, titled, 'Margamkali Dance'.

Margamkali Dance 

By Joji Varghese Kuncheria

Far from the Middle East, 

No one knows precisely when, 

Came this art form to India, 

Either the traders of Judea, 

Or the Jewish exiles in 68 AD, 

Brought this art form to Cochin. 

Through the silk route it came, 

Since then it remained with, 

The people of the New Way, 

In the southern tip of India, 

So integral to their culture, 

Did this art form has become. 

A dozen dancers sing and dance, 

Around a lighted wick lamp, 

An allegorical enactment is this, 

With the lamp representing Christ, 

And the performers his disciples, 

'Margam Kali' is this unique art. 

"Margam" means path or way, 

Traced back from the diaspora, 

And derived from the Brahmins, 

So synonymously is it linked, 

With the people who are called, 

St. Thomas Nasranis of Kerala. 

  

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Ebook: ISBN- 10 / 1980584222

Paperback: ISBN- 13 / 1980584223