Children of Dharma

Children of Dharma shares the stories of three archetypal figures from The Mahabharata: a god among humans, a betrayed wife, and a grieving mother. The Ramaswamy family explores the concepts of dharma (cosmic law), choice and destiny—not only through human relationships, but into the body, the environment, and the sacred. Rooted in Hinduism’s view of life as cyclical, Children of Dharma reflects on relationships with nature and community through the lens of ancient wisdom. The work was developed in response to crises over the ages: environmental devastation, unjust wars, family separations, violence against women. The onstage world created by stage designer, Willy Cessa, dissolves temples into battlefields, merging the sacred and the earthly. An original Carnatic musical score and lush Bharatanatyam choreography for 7 dancers illuminate questions of conscience, transformation, and the fragile balance between duty and destiny.