Welcome to Silambam’s Digital Treasure Hunt!

Are you ready to explore Treasure Terrain? Learn about a character from the Indian epic, the Mahabharata. Explore specific hand gestures and motifs used in Indian classical dance. Find fun activity sheets and interesting tidbits!
The activities and clues all point to an important character from the Mahabharata. If you can’t figure out the answer, don’t worry! The path will lead to one of our ‘Storytime With Silambam’ videos, which will reveal this character.
Learn more about the character, and the story, and then head to the Miller Outdoor Theater on August 13, 2021 to see the story come alive in Silambam’s newest dance theater production, “Chakravyuh: Battle Against The Odds”

For the best experience, please view our Treasure Hunt pages on a computer or tablet!

Digital Treasure Hunt 2 - July 20, 2021

Visit our DTH homepage to find a new treasure hunt each week,
or click here to be added to our mailing list,
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Credits

Digital Treasure Hunt Concept, Choreography, Content Creation: Anjali Kadur and Gayathri Sampathkumar
Graphics: Kaavya Rajarathnam
Dancers for Hastam Hill and Sanchari Sea videos: Crystal Tennyson and Ramya Dharmendran
Social Media Manager: Reshma Shajan
Storytime Video credits:
Script and Choreography: Gayathri Sampathkumar and Crystal Tennyson
Narration: Minu Joshy
Cast: Gayathri Sampathkumar, Minu Joshy, Tejaswini Mohankumar, Crystal Tennyson
Audio Editing: Meghna Yennu
Video Editing: Ramya Dharmendran, Aarushi Lakhi, Crystal Tennyson
Lighting: Crystal Tennyson
Camerawoman: Saronsri Senthamilselvan
Crew: Kaavya Rajarathnam, Ramya Dharmendran, Aarushi Lakhi, Meghna Yennu
Direction: Anjali Kadur and Gayathri Sampathkumar

The Digital Treasure Hunt project and Storytime With Silambam videos are funded in part by a Let Creativity Happen! grant from the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance.

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Enjoy these fun activities!

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What are hastams?

Indian classical dance uses gestures of the hands to represent various objects, concepts, and even emotions! These hand gestures are called 'hastams' or 'mudras' and they are part of the basic vocabulary of every Indian classical dancer.

See the hastams for intelligence, and for rolling a pair of dice, in this video!

Click here to see a video on some of the hastams used in this treasure hunt!

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What is a sanchari?

A sanchari is an elaboration of a lyric told with deeper meaning. It is often seen in the varnam or the centerpiece of a Bharatanatyam recital, but can also be seen in other pieces. The dancer will enact a sanchari or a story that relays a broader understanding of the lyrics.

In this sanchari, we will see a loving brother and sister go into a dark and mysterious forest. The sister says, “Oh no, I am too scared to enter this dark place.” To which, the brother says, “Don’t be afraid, I am here.” He collects fireflies and vanquishes the darkness that his sister was fearful of, leading her into the brightness that he has gathered.

Click here to see this sanchari!

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Congratulations!

We hope you enjoyed your journey through Treasure Terrain! By now, you might have guessed that this Digital Treasure Hunt is all about Shakuni, who was the shrewd mastermind behind the family feud in the Mahabharata.

Enjoy the Storytime With Silambam video below, then go to Feedback Forest to tell us what you thought of this Digital Treasure Hunt!

Click here to see this Storytime With Silambam video on Shakuni, and why he schemed to divide the Pandavas and Kauravas!

Tell us what you think!

Click here