Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi

During the year 2007-2008, Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi has achieved tremendous progress towards diversification of its activities. New initiatives were taken to share creative experiences and extend support to various NGOs, seeking help form Akadmei in training their young students.  Seminars, discussions, workshops, music and theatre festivals and various inter-action sessions were organized throughout the year. Script bank of 600 Hindi, Punjabi and English plays has been established with the help of generous donors and well wishers of the performing arts. We are hopeful to create a gallery of musical instruments of North India alongwith a section of rare records and cassettes of Music sometime in the near future.  As performing art enhance the transmission of thought and ideas faster in the audiences then any other media, it is our endeavour to bring to focus the rich cultural heritage of performing arts of our region. 

                                              

                         The song no more sprouts from the heart.  Music is silenced within.  Poetry is dead.  There are more Ipods, releasing ready made music to the aural senses 24X7.  More dance shows filling visual space on channels, adding to competitive spirit with promise of big prize money. Somehow, we have forgotten to burst into our own dance of joy.  Daily soaps have shocked human imagination to stupefaction with their melodrama. The art of absorbing rasa and seeing leela is lost to an all consumable art bazaar. We have brought corporate culture of ‘killing spirit’ in our cultural sphere of creativity.

          As the index of growth rises, so does the need to retain cultural roots to provide a balancing act to life.

          Chandigarh is projected as the future cultural capital of  North India. Viewed from this perspective, Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi will be able to make a more sustainable contribution with adequate infrastructure at its disposal. For a noticeable contribution to the culture calendar, the akademi of performing arts should be equipped with its own auditorium, archives, library and a space for rehearsals.  Even in the absence of these, the Akademi has been striving to make a difference.

          Shrinking funds and spaces for non profitable activities like promotion of art and culture have raised more challenges for organizations like Sangeet Natak Akademi. The year 2007 had been a year of overcoming many constrains for CSNA. Yet, taking limitations as part of the role undertaken by it, the Akademi has not only been able to meet targets, but, has added more activities to expand its reach and scope.

          The akademi takes pride in celebrating many unique accomplishments achieved by the end of financial year 2007.

          Special Efforts- Theatre practitioners face an acute lack of good scripts which hinders not only the growth of their group, but, keeps theatre activity, per se, at a restricted pace. A good script is a backbone of any meaningful theatre production. An acute shortage of scripts has kept many young theatre directors confined to repeating old productions.

          This year, with the concerted effort of chairperson, the Akademi was able to build a bank of about 600 scripts of Punjabi, Hindi and English language plays, collected from various sources, thereby enriching pool of ideas for young theatre directors. The rare Saang Kissas published before 1960 is part of this collection, which will facilitate researchers in traditional theatre forms with resource material.

          A library of World Music- The Akademi is also in the process of collecting CD’s audio Video tapes and other source material of archival value from the general public. The Akademi has asked people to come forward and donate old LPs, Cassettes or CDs of music from any culture of the world to enrich the database for the use of future generations.

          Old Musical Instruments- Old tantric vadya like dilruba, saranda and tumbi that have lost their existence and identity are source of pure sound of the string. The Akademi is trying to preserve these sources that produced tonal quality par excellence for their archival relevance. Despite resource constraint, efforts are on to locate and collect these instruments from remote areas of Punjab and Haryana.

          Empowering the neglected- The most vulnerable section of the society, children growing up in the slums, are always under the threat of drug and alcohol abuse. In an effort to bring awareness for these potential threats to their environment and life, a two week long workshop was organized by Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi and Chinmaya Mission, in June 2007. Children were trained in the art of theatre by Rahul Joshi, an actor who worked with NSD repertory company. After assimilating the concepts discussed during the workshop, children expressed their thoughts and dealing in a theatre production titled Phoolon ko Kitabon me mat rakho, written by Pali Bhupinder on the conclusion of the workshop. Participants came from Mauli Jagran Govt. High School.

          Bharat Vikas Parishad and Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi conducted a workshop at GMHS-38. Students were taught basic theatre techniques. With the help of these techniques they produced a play on Shaheed Udham Singh’s life.

          Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi and Department of Public Relations and Culture Affairs, Haryana, sponsored a few plays staged by slum children at Rock Garden in the same month. Children from Daddu Majra Govt. School staged Idgah based on a story by Munshi Prem Chand. The play was directed by Ashu. Children from Hamari Kaksha, A voluntary organization, staged a play titled Jagriti directed by Vinod Azad and Amar Pal which raised several social issues to awaken the audience. Paltu Baba dealt with the hypocrisy of religious leaders. About 45 children from slum areas raised multiple issues with convincing appeal on the themes of communal threat, environmental degradation and women’s exploitation.

          The plays were produced after three separate fortnight long workshops organized for the children of Mauli Jagran, Daddu Majra and for Sector 38 west.

          Celebration old times with old numbers-  In a consumer culture that churns out only youth oriented musical products, ignoring other age segments, the Akademi feels proud in brining back nostalgia of a bygone era to its silver citizens. ‘Yadon Ki Kasak’ is an annual event awaited eagerly by our seniors. This year, once again, singers like Inder Neel Mukherjee, Radha and R. S. Chopra, Dinesh Sharma and Bhupinder Singh recreated the sublime charm of the music of K.L. Saigal, Pankaj Mullick, Jagmohan and Hemant Kumar in December. With numbers rendered like Diya Jalo, Jab Dil hi Toot Gaya, Prem Nagar Mein Banaungi Ghar main and Ayee Bahar, it was nostalgia at its heart tugging best.

          Recognizing Veteran:-  Veteran vocalist Pt. Bhim Sain Sharma, a disciple of masters like Ustad Amir Khan and Ustad Vilayat Khan, made it obvious by his outstanding recital that the city has a rich treasure of talent when comes to classical music. His recital was organized in September by the CSNA .

          In a first of its kind Chandigarh Tourism and Culture Affairs Deptt. in association  with Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi organized competitive event of songs and dance to highlight the spirit of the city in July. Two performances of folk music and dance were organized by Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi in November during Chandigarh Carnival.

           

Mere Sur Mere Geet, a programme of Punjabi songs and ghazals by Ravinder Singh was organized in March.

          Felicitations:       Prof. N.C. Thakur was felicitated with Life Time Achievement Award by Abhinet, the oldest theatre group from the city, sponsored by Chandigarh Sangeet Natak Akademi, for his relentless contribution to promotion of theatre in the city.

The occasion also witnessed presentation of papers and discussion on theatre in Chandigarh by eminent theatre practitioners and art critics from the city.  Participants included, Dr. Atulveer Arora, Dr. Sahib Singh, Nonika Singh, Neelam Mansingh Chaudhary, Dr. Rani Balbir Kaur, Dr. Devender Daman,          Dr. Kailash Ahluwalia, Dr. N.K Oberoi, Dr. B.N Goswami, Surinder Pal Kaur, Dr. V. Mehdiratta, Prof. C.L. Ahuja, Kamal Tewari, Vijay Kapoor,                  
 Dr. Devender Gupta and Kamal Arora.

                                                                           

Exposure with artists of national repute: Undeterred by  constraint of infrastructure and funds, the Akademi has been able to invite artistes  of international repute to the city. On 30.05.07 Rajindra Prasanna, flutist,

 who is equally gifted with playing shehani gave a wonderful jugalbandi withshehnai, along with his son and a famous classical vocalist. 

 Ms.Meeta Pandit of Gwalior Gharana performed on 31.05.07.  Hans Raj Hans enthralled the city audience with his renderings of Sufi Music for ‘An Evening of Sufiana Kalam’ at the Open Hand Monument.The space of the Open Hand Monument was imaginatively used for the first time for a cultural event. The performance was arranged in collaboration with the Department of Public Relations & Cultural Affairs, Chandigarh Administration. 

Dr.Kalyani Deshmukh, in collaboration with Indian National Theatre introduced the city audience to finer nuances of vocal rendering of some rare ragas in April.                                              

Celebrating seasons:     The city of perpetual blossoms, Chandigarh, once again paid a musical tribute to Basant, while the bright coloured blossoms were competing to outshine each other on the streets of the town. Not with standing, tough constraint of a proper space, people could still enjoy rendering of magically perfect musical notes by Ajay Pohankar in February.
Drenched in the golden colour of marigolds, the evening brought to fore notes of raga Basant, Bageshri and Darbari Kannadah by the veteran classicist.  Aai Basant Bahar, the festival of celebration of Rituraj Basant, witnessed a shower of melody and music.

                                                

    Allah Megh De Pani De, another event in celebration of the rainy season was organized in July, wherein folk singers from Rajasthan and Haryana delighted the city music lovers with showers of earthy melodies.  The Mangnyars and Mirasis, known for rendering traditional folk compositions were a delight to the aural senses. 

 Theatre Festival, Workshops, interactions and shows- If actor director Sunita Dhir from Repertory of Punjabi University, Patiala, brought Balwant Gargi’s popular play “Kesro”  to life in August, which received audience applause, well known character actor Vijay Kashyap was invited by CSNA  in November to hold a four-day workshop for local actors to hone their skills in theatre. In December, Vilayet Jafri, veteran thespian, poet, playwright met local theatre artists to help them gain benefit from his vast experience on stage.

The second Chandigarh Theatre Festival had in offer a mix of Hindi and Punjabi plays, staged in November. The festival opened with “Andhi Gali Da Mod”, a play based on the drug addiction, directed by Dr. Sahib Singh at Randhawa auditorium. Despite constrain of the stage space, the play was well received. Rajinder Rozy as harried mother and Harish Verma as a drug addict earned sympathy. On the second day “Ek tha Gadha Urf Aladad Khan”, was staged by Sandli Pairan Kala Kendra. The brilliant script of Sharad Joshi was directed by Thakur Lekhraj, an alumnus of Deptt. of Indian Theatre, PU.

The satire on social hypocrisy was enacted by Rajneesh Kumar (nabab), Thakur Lekhraj (kotwal), Om Prakash (tailor), Rohit Bohra and Ishaan sood. Other cast included Vani Arora, Ajay Badhawar, Rajeev, Rashminder, Himanshu and Lilit Sharma.

      Tennessee williams famed classic, glass Menagerie, translated into Hindi by Dr. Atulveer Arora as “Kanch Ghar” and directed by Vijay Kapoor was staged on the third day. A production of Abhinet, the play revolved around complex relationship among members of a family. Mani Uppal as Tom, Zubin Mehta as perceived suitor, Aura Deepa Rath as Laura, and Madhavi Kataria as Aramnda gave some fine performances. 

   “Iss Garb te Chaleh Bahoot Vikara”, staged on the fourth day by Sarghi Kala Kendra, attacked the prevailing caste discrimination. Directed by Sanjeevan Singh, and written by Harkanwal Sahil, the characters of biased parents and young children were played by Lakhwinder Signh, Satwinder Kaur, Harpreet Kaur and Puneet. “

Kujh Ta Karo yaaron” by Suchetak Rang Manch staged on the last day, was directed by Anita Shabdeesh. Scripted by Pali Bhupender, the actors Harish Verma, Sunny Gill, Malkeet Rauni, Rajinder Raja, Jarnail Singh, Shenti Saini, Iquatar Sahota, Baljinder Kaur and Aman Khahra regaled the audience. 

 The festival offered a bonanza for city theatre buffs. The local theatre festival also offers an opportunity to local theater directors to showcase their latest productions before audience.

Friends from across the border- Since culture is not bound by boundaries, CSNA, in collaboration with Sai Mia Meer International Foundation organized an evening of Sufi Music in June. 

Hasnain Akbar and Janab Khadim Hussain Warsi enthralled an urban audience with their soulful rendering of Waris Shah’s Heer, that constitutes cultural heritage of both India and Pakistan. Though the event was organized in the small State Library Hall, it attracted a large number of music lovers from the city who were regaled by timeless and magical appeal of ‘Waris Shah’s poetry.

Broadening horizons- Since all art forms are connected at some level or the other, CSNA has never believed in compartmentalizing different art forms. Going beyond the scope of performing arts per se, the Akademi organized reading of passages from Ganesha Goes to Lunch, a book of Indian myths and tales by Kamla Kapoor. The author read out passages from her book. The event was organized in October. 

Padamshree Ram Gopal Bajaj presided over the function and red out some passages from the book in Hindi.

          

 Tribute to M L Koser:  M L Koser(80) gave a soul to the city of buildings, rotaries and roads. With his vision, he knew, a planned city, without a cultural rooting will be like a beautiful body bereft of breath. Koser devised a self supporting system to promote art and artists. By establishing Pracheen Kala Kendra in 1957, he resolved to create audiences for all art forms in the city. 

 And, art lovers of the city cannot but vouch for being regaled with the best that classical music and dance has to offer through annual Bhaskar Rao Festivals. If senior artists were given due honour and respect in Bhaskar Rao, junior upcoming artists were given a stage by Koser through Baithak programmes. Today, there is not a single artist in this country who is not indebted to Kendra for getting a stage in his or her formative years.

          An organizer par excellence, Koser recognized and honoured innumerable artists for their sadhana, whom no other agency had ever given a thought. Holding a never ending series of concerts, seminars, debates and convocations, till his last breath, he remained single mindedly devoted to the cause of promotion of art and artists.With his demise the city has lost a great patron and promoter of art. Yet, it will remain indebted to the legacy left by him.

Tribute to Shanti Sharma: There are few musicians today who remain so contemplative and explorative in their vocal recital.Shanti Sharma(52) was one of them. Her sudden demise had left a vacuum among serious, non compromising performers of Hindustani classical music that seems hard to be filled.

She sang till her last day. A day before, she gave a concert at Indian Habitat Centre. For Shanti, music was ‘God’s gift that she chose to pursue after doing masters in Chemistry. An exponent of Kirana Gharana, she remained associated as a teacher and research fellow with the Shri Ram Bharatiya Kala Kendra, Delhi for 30 years. She was a composer par excellence. She set the musical score for ‘Ram Leela’, which is watched by hundreds of thousands of people every year. The musician had also composed the music for ‘Durga’, another production of Kendra.

          Shanti, a Tamil from the temple town of Tanjore, was initiated into music by her mother at the age of 12, later she was trained under Guru Sangameshwar in Hyderabad and later under Guru Amarnath Sharma also honed her skills from Ustaad Mashkur Ali Khan, who now lives in Kolkata.

          A very busy artist on concert circuit, she had many recording to her credit.  Shanti Sharma was influenced by Ustaad Amir Khan.  Many senior artists believe, had it not been for her untimely demise, she could have become Kishori Amonkar of Hindustani vocal. Her forte was her mellifluous voice and show, elaborate raagdari.