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Inspiring the inspired
TASTE OF INDIA Teejan Bai's Pandwani would also be on show
Spic-Macay's Rajasthan chapter is busy gearing up for the 21st National Convention of this unique cultural movement, starting this Monday. The venue is Gyan Vihar Universe, a university campus in Jaipur. To be inaugurated by the Governor of Rajasthan, Pratibha Patil, the convention, says Ashok Jain, media coordinator for the event and long time volunteer with Spic-Macay, is taking place for the first time in the State.
From shehnai doyen Bismillah Khan to Carnatic music stalwart T.V. Shankaranarayanan, Kathak maestro Birju Maharaj to Pandvani expert Teejan Bai, cine star Shabana Azmi to sarangi exponent Sultan Khan, a spectrum of senior artistes of music, dance, visual and plastic arts and crafts will be present for performances and intensive workshops.
Social activism
Participation of the best-reputed artistes is only to be expected of Spic-Macay. What is significant, though, is the inclusion of social activist Aruna Roy, Magsaysay award winner, who will be present with her team and conduct a workshop to share the experience of inspiring villagers to constructive action. This is a welcome step by the organisation's National Executive, which chalks out the entire programme, since it affirms the importance of the larger perspective in a world that concentrates on art and beauty of thought.
Of the 1200 delegates expected at the weeklong event, about 800 are students and the rest include artists, artisans, and Spic-Macay volunteers, etc., from across India, says Jain. Apart from a conceptual session and a mini-state convention, in which the state chapters discuss their activities in a bid to learn from each other, the National Convention does not discuss the nitty-gritty of the organisation's work. "The rest is all for inspiration. So it is an ashram kind of atmosphere, waking up at 5 a.m. and going to sleep at 10 p.m. The food is also satvik."
The estimated cost this year is Rs.30 lakhs. Over 10 lakhs is being covered by Gyan Vihar, says Jain, while other sources including the Rajasthan Government have come forward in big and small ways. It is only rarely that the organisation has to dip into its corpus fund to cover losses, says Jain.
"This convention is one of those where we are not sure if all costs will be met, but that's how it is in Spic-Macay. We get into the work first!"
ANJANA RAJAN
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