Explained: Everything you need to know about Arangetram - a tradition that's in the news due to Ambanis

Yesterday, a barrage of images flooded the social media feeds of users from what seemed like a high-profile event hosted by the Ambanis. The who’s who of Bollywood - the likes of Ranveer Singh, Salman Khan and Aamir Khan, among others were in attendance. The fashion police dissected and analysed the outfits worn by the Ambanis and B-town stars but for some reason, no one seemed to know what the occasion was. What is _Arangetram_ and why is it important? All classical dancers and musicians participate in the Arangetram _c_eremony after the completion of their training. The ceremony has a two-fold purpose. 1. It marks the completion of the formal training of the classical dancer 2. It is also the first on-stage performance of the dancer, after the completion of their training Arangetram is a rite of passage that all classical dancers undergo towards the end of their training. The tradition has been in practice since time immemorial. The significance of Arangetram Arangetram signifies that the classical dancer, a disciple, after years of training under her guru, can now ascend the stage and pass the knowledge of the art form to other aspiring learners. It also means that the dancer can now perform the classical dance on her own, in front of a live audience. For the urban population, an equivalent of Arangetram would be a graduation ceremony, which takes place at the end of the completion of a course and signifies the attainment of a particular skill set An Arangetram performance begins with the dancer bowing before the God to seek blessings. The dancer then begins the performance and dances to the beats and the taals. The Arangetram ends with an abhinaya to a Sanskrit Sloka. Shlokam, known also as Mangalam. Why don’t we hear about Arangetram often? While we know about the baby showers, birthdays, haldi, mehndi and all other traditions - why Arangetram remains fairly unknown to the masses is a question up for debate. Does it mean that urban India, due to the advent of modernisation and digitisation has lost touch with its roots? There is, of course, no simple answer to it. However, encouraging our young ones to pursue classical dancing and singing to stay in touch with their roots, is indeed the need of the hour. Read all the  **Latest News** **,**  **Trending News** **,**  **Cricket News** **,**  **Bollywood News** **,**  **India News**  and  **Entertainment News**  here. Follow us on  Facebook**,**  Twitter and  Instagram**.**