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Music meets message
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Ramp or the rural poor, The Shakti Foundation's efforts have been relentless. T. KRITHIKA REDDY writes about its annual fundraiser
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"AWAKE, OH my mind," is the slogan of The Shakti Foundation's annual fundraiser scheduled for February 21. Rightly so. Four exponents representing music's unlimited potential will come together to stir us from our social slumber and awaken us to the limitations imposed on the physically challenged.
"It's 13 years since The Shakti Foundation was launched, but attitude continues to be a barrier," muses its chairperson Vasanth Raghuvir. "It's not sympathy, but empathy that the disabled deserve. In most cases, it's only our mindset and not their disability that threatens to hold them back," she adds.
"It's time corporate houses and educational institutions get sensitised to the plight of the differently-abled and come forward to make the environment more barrier-free for them. No, we are not asking people to think and talk disability all the time. All it takes is a little effort from individuals that could lead to a concerted movement towards integrating the physically challenged into the social mainstream."
"They have the same right to full participation in society, so let's not keep them out," she pleads, while underscoring the importance of building ramps, allocating exclusive parking space and integrating their special needs while designing public places like theatres, shopping malls, libraries, etc. In fact, it was because of Shakti's Project Ramp with the motto of "Access for the disabled" that ramps were established in some shopping plazas and hotels. Such initiatives, Raghuvir hopes, will continue to inspire the setting up of many more ramps in the city.
The foundation is also determined to see the implementation of the Persons With Disabilities Act of 1995. "Mainstreaming will become a simpler task if backed by law," she adds. Future plans include establishing a separate stand for the disabled at the MAC Stadium, database of the physically challenged and rehabilitation and counselling for them.
It's not just the disabled. Shakti's service has spread to the rural poor as well. The Foundation has been actively associated with the Adhiparasakthi Medical and Research Hospital in Chennai's vicinity. In fact, besides mobilising funds for its initiatives for the physically challenged, the annual event is also an effort to raise money to purchase medical equipment for the hospital which offers medicare facilities to people from about 600 villages - free of cost!
So it will be music with a mission at the annual show, Samrddhi, at the Music Academy on February 21, 6.00 p.m. U. Shrinivas (mandolin), Shankar Mahadevan (vocal), Sivamani (percussion) and Loy (keyboard) will come together with soulful strains specially composed for the event. With palpable excitement, the four consider it an "honour to be associated with the Shakti movement." Says Shrinivas, the man behind this rare confluence, "Music is an expression of moods. What better way to feel for the cause than with therapeutic notes?" Little wonder, the musician always includes some Charukesi-based numbers. "It's a very touching raga. There is so much emotion that can be evoked with such ragas. For us musicians, such events are very special, so we make it as different as possible."
According to Shankar Mahadevan, "There will be some bhajans and fusion numbers too. The highlight will be a moving finale when the disabled children take centre stage with candles in their hands." For Loy, "Playing with the group has always been an uplifting experience. We empathise with the cause, so naturally, there will be plenty of spiritual elements in the numbers. Though we plan the schedule, sometimes things happen impromptu on the stage. That's because we feel so deeply. Luckily, though we represent diverse facets of music, we are pretty much in sync. So there is clean, not cacophonous fusion." Sivamani, also looking forward to the show, says, "It's interesting, because there is a contemporary feel - without losing out on Carnatic elements. And that's precisely why the audience vibes well."
Music is known to break barriers. The Shakti Foundation hopes that such shows will create greater awareness about the physically challenged and free them from social ostracism.
For details/tickets contact No. 9, Manickeswari Road, Kilpauk, phone: 26611213, 98400 36993.
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Thiruvananthapuram
Visakhapatnam
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