The Durga Chronicles
current Project
Two worlds simultaneously bleed: one where gendered violence is endemic and another where Goddesses destroy demons.
Durga is the Goddess of protection, motherhood, and war. Also known as Mariamman and Korravai, Durga is a primordial being of complex multiplicities, recognised as the carrier of feminine strength.
The Durga Chronicles evokes a metaverse in which the Goddess is ruler and destroyer of demons in one world, whilst in another, her kin are assaulted and murdered.
At once a rite of collective mourning and a call to action, The Durga Chronicles remembers the stories of women who have been harmed and harnesses the force of Durga to provoke empowered resistance against gendered violence.
Drawing on contemporary, classical Indian postmodern aesthetics, this rich work uses music, dance and stunning visuals – along with a world first; an exquisite, moving Carnatic choir of 12 women – to create a storytelling experience that operates on a visceral level.
Internationally renowned dancer/choreographer/writer Priya Srinivasan’s works explore issues of social justice. Rooted in South Asian dance practice, her performances make women’s histories visible and have been presented in major festivals across the globe.
Here she is joined by long-time collaborator Philipa Rothfield along with Uthra Vijay, an intergenerational Keerthana Women’s Choir, Hari Sivanesan, Govin Ruben and Marcus Salvagno to explore the ritual power of movement, song and storytelling as a means to incite change.
The Durga Chronicles is the winner of the Breaking Ground award and was a nominee for Best Visual Design and Outstanding Creation award for the 2023 Green Room Awards in dance.
Performance History
- 2023
- 2022
Narre Warren, Australia
Melbourne, Australia
Media
“The central strength of The Durga Chronicles is the exquisite, mesmerising dancing of Priya Srinivasan, even if (like me) you do not know the meaning of the traditional precise hand and body movements. And yet, the dancer, surrounded always by the choric choir, conveys both the divine and the earthly.”