Shweta Divekar’s Auckland home is swarming with kids and adults. Each weekend for the past few weeks, a team of 26, plus their families gather at her place to practise for their routine representing Maharashtra’s rich performing arts heritage at Aotea Center. She patiently goes through the instructions in a clear voice, demonstrating the dance steps. The routine has to be simple yet engaging enough for dancers ranging from 3 1⁄2 to 35 year olds.
“Maharashtra has a very rich performing arts tradition and I enjoy representing it and presenting it before diverse audiences,” says Ms. Divekar, who has a degree in performing arts. “Performing arts is my passion,” says the Aucklander.
First performed at the upcoming India Independence Day celebration in Auckland, this dance routine, set to various Ganesha songs is to be adapted and performed at the Auckland Marathi Association’s Ganesh Festival. A public Ganesh Utsav is a highlight for the vibrant Maharashtrian community in New Zealand where everyone, regardless of their affiliation is warmly welcomed.
For now, the focus is on August 10, for the India Independence Day celebrations at Aotea Square in Auckland.
“The kids seem a bit relaxed and distracted now, but on the day, you’ll see that they are extremely focussed and well-coordinated,” says Prasad Rajapurkar, a committee member of Auckland Marathi Association. His son, 14-year-old Chaitanya is one of the participants. “We’ve been putting this up for many years now and I’m confident that all the kids will do very well,” he adds.
The challenge of managing such a range of age groups and keeping them focused is obvious. Some are trying on their costumes, silk dhotis or sohala in Marathi. There is an order to chaos that parents and teachers would be familiar with, but to a regular passer by seems like a massive weekend play date. Kids are bond over chips and speak switching between Marathi and English with ease. The older ones teach dance steps to the younger ones while singing lyrics of the song.
The one of the youngest performer in the group is the 4 1⁄2-year-old Preesha.
“She enjoys attending the practice sessions and does each step very attentively, follows the other kids,” says Rushikesh Ahinave, her proud father and also Auckland Marathi Association’s current President. “Each year the Association puts together a really well-practiced performance,” he says.