Prajwal Vajracharya, one of the premier Buddhist ritual dancers of Nepal, has worked tirelessly to keep alive the traditional arts and dance of Nepal, now seriously endangered due to the impacts of industry, economic and political hardships, and tourism.

Traditional Nepalese Dance
Prajwal performs the Charya Nritya, a Sanskrit term meaning "dance as a spiritual discipline." An ancient classical art, it is one of the religious disciplines practiced by the Tantric Buddhist priests ("Vajracharya") of the Kathmandu Valley. The Vajracharyas of Nepal have performed the dance secretly as part of their meditation, ritual, and celebration for over a thousand years. Each Charya Nritya features a Tantric Buddhist deity, and the dancer himself becomes an embodiment of the deity.

It is important to realize that the dance is not a performance in the usual sense, but part of a powerful ritual and yogic meditation. It is a vehicle of bodily and spiritual transformation and a sacred opportunity for the audience to witness a vision of divine beauty.

The dance is deeply spiritual, symbolic, and colorful. Tantric Buddhist deities both serene and wrathful are ritually invoked and actually personified in the dance through "mudras" (hand postures), dance postures, and elaborate costumes and masks. The meditation/dance is performed to lead the participant to the realization of emptiness or Shunyata, the true nature of existence. For those familiar with the Tantric Buddhist pantheon, some of the deities invoked might include Avalokiteshvara, the Compassionate One and Healer of Suffering; Vajrayogini, Goddess of Yogic Practices and the Indestructible Diamond Path; Mahakala, Wrathful and Ferocious Destroyer of Negative Emotion and Protector of Dharma Beings; Manjushri, Lord of Wisdom, Intellect, and the Inner Voice; Tara, The Fearless Protector and Savioress; and Vajrapani, Fearless Protector of the Righteous Path and the Dharma.

It was MacroSun's privilege to sponsor the first full performance of the Charya Nritya in North America, and a full international tour of the dance in 1993. Wealso hosted Prajwal's performances in 1994 and 1998.