THIRTY-FIVE Malaysian Indian classical dancers joined 5,500 Bharatanatyam enthusiasts to set a new Guinness World Record at the Baratha Malai 5050, held at Saveetha University in Thandalam, Chennai, yesterday.

The 16-minute Bountiful Rain dance, to pray for rainfall in India, also saw participation by Kuwait dancers, and rewrote the records in the Asia Book of Records and India Book of Records.

The founder of Natyanjali Arts Academy in Malaysia, R. Kogilaah Nisha, said this was the first time, to her knowledge, that Malaysian dancers took part in the Guinness World Record event.

“My students had sleepless nights practising the dance. It took me five days to teach them the steps.

“The achievement is made possible with their dedication and hard work. It is not only for ourselves, but for Malaysia.”

Kogilaah, a former student of Kalakshetra Foundation, one of the oldest cultural academies in India, said she received the invitation to joined the performance in August, based on the academy’s qualification and exposure to classical dance, and her work with famous Bharatanatyam institutes in India. – Bernama, December 3, 2017.