Mangaluru Girl Dances Into History With 170-Hour Bharatanatyam Feat
Dancing 170 hours without sleep, while maintaining balance of mind and body, is divine. She has created a record that brings pride to Tulu Nadu and India itself”: Dr. Shrividya Muralidhar
MANGALURU: Remona Evette Pereira, a BA student at St Aloysius Deemed to Be University, has danced her way into the Golden Book of Records by completing an incredible 170-hour Bharatanatyam dance marathon.
The marathon began by offering prayers to Lord Ganesha on July 21 morning at the university campus and concluded the dance for her record at noon on Monday with a prayer to Mother Goddess Durga.
It was an emotional moment when she was invited on stage to receive her certificate, as her fellow Bharatanatyam students welcomed her with a graceful dance procession followed by a special performance that narrated her journey.
Speaking to the media, an Remona thanked the Almighty, her mother, teachers and classmates, who she said constantly reminded her, “You can do it.”
Performing with just a 15-minute break every three hours, Remona explored the full grammar of Bharatanatyam, including intricate footwork, expressions, gestures and postures.
Her Guru Dr. Shrividya Muralidhar called the achievement “a feat that must be written in golden letters.”
“Dancing 170 hours without sleep, while maintaining balance of mind and body, is divine. She has created a record that brings pride to Tulu Nadu and India itself,” she added.
Throughout the week, round the clock, her friends and well-wishers turned into a cheering squad, filling the hall with placards, applause and energy. Remona’s mother Gladis Pereira was by her side throughout the marathon. People shared her progress on social media, while admirers travelled from afar to watch the record being created. The audience included students, art lovers and political leaders, who praised her for preserving the richness of Indian classical dance.
Dr. Manish Vishnoi, India Representative of the Golden Book of World Records, who handed over the certificate, said, “We told her five days of continuous dance would qualify for a record, but she insisted on seven. Through this, she has set a new record of 10,200 minutes of continuous Bharatanatyam.”
St Aloysius Deemed to be University Vice-Chancellor Rev. Dr. Praveen Martis recalled that Remona had expressed her dream of setting a record when she joined the university. “Over the last one-and-a-half years, we made all the arrangements to support her. She has brought great pride to our institution,” he said.