Although Tasher Desh is widely assumed to be a singularly Indian dance drama and is performed as such in schools throughout India, in fact there are far more complex resonances in Tagore's work. Originally the costumes were imagined as Balinese, until the dancers protested after the first night 's performance that they were too uncomfortable! And Indians have long been fascinated by Bali as the pure and original form of Indian culture that they lost far back. Jawaharlal Nehru remarked on a visit to Bali that it was 'the morning of the world', 'what it was like when it was still young'. So it is apt that this production of Tasher Desh should make use of Balinese dance both through the choreography of Ni Madé Pujawati and through including specifically Balinese elements. A good example is the decision to use a Balinese dancer as the exotic lure by which the Merchant attempts to keep the Prince in the palace. Interestingly this may be less fanciful than might appear, as Balinese, especially princesses, were highly priced as slaves in an international market up till the nineteenth century.

Below are some of the key scenes where Ni Madé Pujawati and Balinese dance feature in Tasher Desh.