The art of helping artistes
LEELA VENKATARAMAN
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There is an urgent need to look after artistes and their families as a recent fund-raising function at the Belgian Embassy proves.
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PHOTO: S. SUBRAMANIUM
THE MAESTRO IN MOOD Pandit Birju Maharaj performed at the Belgian Embassy the other day.
The week that was saw cultural activity shift from performance frenzy to events aimed at providing a scaffolding and support structure for the arts, one by way of interaction and information through a "user friendly" website and the other by setting in motion a project for aiding needy artistes. Countering constant criticism about its lack of transparency, and as a means to "reinforce its mandate" through "open, accessible and transparent" interaction, to quote Director General ICCR Pavan K. Varma, the launching of ICCR's website - w ww.iccrindia.org - was a significant step in "maximising ability to reach out to the maximum." The website placing the organisation "securely in the embrace of the 21st Century", aims at providing access to other websites through its `Gateway to Indian Culture'. One hopes that this step by encouraging greater dialogue with the public will lessen ICCR's Ivory Tower aloofness.
Concern for artistes
Driving a taxi, the driver intoned: "One good innings and fortune through government and corporate largesse falls into the cricketer's lap. But the poor bus driver struggling to regain his eyesight sacrificed in helping save 100 persons from certain death merits a paltry one lakh rupee reward from government. There's justice for you!" Carry the argument further, and one wonders if there is any concern amongst people for the myriads of struggling artistes, far from the tribe pertaining to the false glitter and snobbery of Page Three! One expects government to bear a load, which is the responsibility of every society. Barring Manipur, where the lifestyle carefully nurtures its artistes, in the rest of India it is individual effort rather than collective enterprise that has come to the rescue of distressed artistes. Thus when death suddenly snatched away Kathak maestro Durgalal, personal friends like Manna Srinivasan soliciting corporate help and special fund-raising concert with artistes performing without remuneration helped provide a degree of financial security to the stricken family.
Similarly it was dancer Sonal Mansingh's personal drive to raise funds that, after the death of friend/guide Jivan Pani, provided much needed support for his wife.
Jafa's effort
As a move to whip up social awareness about artiste welfare, one appreciated the latest effort by dancer-cultural activist Navina Jafa assisted by Sunil Ajmera for a special fund-raising event for artistes of India, held on the lawns of the Belgian Embassy, a partner in the effort, under the aegis of `Foundation for Arts'. The high-profile evening showcasing Pandit Birju Maharaj and T.V. Gopalakrishnan in a Kathak-cum- north/south music and percussion interaction, began what is hoped will be a truly philanthropic journey, by honouring doyen among art critics, Subbudu and Anant Krishnadev, art historian and learned musician, for their contribution.
The foundation also decided to promote for a year, two scions from traditional art families, Imran Khan, son and disciple of the late Taan Samrat Ustad Naseer Ahmed Khan Saheb and Deepak Maharaj, younger son of Pandit Birju Maharaj. While recognition of excellence and support for talent amongst traditional art families is all to the good, for this critic, by far the most urgently appropriate gesture, and which one hopes will receive even more attention in the future, lay in providing financial succour, however modest, to the family of late Ustad Shafaat Ahmed Khan.
With winter's falling temperatures and people strolling in a whole hour after the scheduled time of start, it was too much to expect a senior artiste like Pandit Birju Maharaj to be in his element, with accompanist Partho Das's sitar strings also too totally off-sruti.
But if the dance/tabla, mridangam jugalbandi did not quite come off, the evening had its compensations in the fantastic Naal playing by Birju Maharaj in the Naal/mridangam jugalbandi and Dr. T.V. Gopalakrishnan's Carnatic vocal segment with pride of place to Tyagaraja's "Samajavaragamana" in Hindolam (with daughter lending her sweet voiced support), the no nonsense classical approach in a very condensed recital, perhaps a first exposure for many diplomats in the audience.
Caring for the less fortunate artiste can be an arduous task, with compensations not commensurate with effort. One hopes Foundation for Arts will not shirk from building on the start of what is a long process.
P.S. In last week's edition of The Hindu Friday Review, the surname of Japanese Odissi dancer Masako should have been Ono and not Sato as wrongly given. The error is regretted.
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