My NSI (SPIC MACAY) tour ,Bemetara,
Chhattisgarh
This trip proved that experiencing is
learning. It was a great learning experience more than anything. My learning
started right from 15th October night, when I boarded the train from
Secunderabad Station. The next morning, our Teacher-guardian Bhudevi ma’am,
Sreenija, Tejitha, Sowmya, and I reached Raipur. We boarded the bus sent by
Allons’ Public School to pick us up. We stayed there in the bus for a quite a
lot of time and I spent time reading a book. At around 6:00 pm, we started
moving to Bemetara, a fast growing Chhattisgarhi town, 67 kilometers away. I
observed the fabric of Chhattisgarh in this journey. Chhattisgarh is not so
developed and doesn’t have proper facilities. There were a lot of industries
including Jayaswal NECO, Siltara producing coal-based products. As it was a
highway and goods like steel and coal were supposed to be moved, there was a
requirement of heavy transport. I could observe many Lorries and trucks on the
road. Perhaps, this was the reason behind so many Petrol Pumps (10+ HP, Indian
Oil, Bharat Petroleum) on the way. There were many small temples on the way.
That night, we reached there.
The National School Intensive was a
One-Week programme conducted by SPIC MACAY (Society for Promotion of Indian
Classical Music And Culture Amongst Youth), the largest Non-profit Youth
Organization in India started by Padma Shri Dr.Kiran Seth (Professor, IT Delhi)
in 1977. It conducts concerts, performances, and workshops in schools and
colleges. It, as a part of its activities conducts such sort of week-long International
School Intensives and NSIs
Participating in these programmes can
change our lifestyle and make us adaptable. We were supposed to wake up at 3:30
am on 5 of the 7 days. We ate breakfast between 7:30 and 9:00, lunch between
12:00pm and 1:00pm and DINNER at 5:00 pm. We slept at 10:45 pm after a light
snack.
On the First day (17th
October), I woke up at around 7:00 am, ate breakfast, and rested in my room. It
was not interesting in the beginning as we seriously didn’t have anything much
to do. My first Global and National understanding of SPIC MACAY came after an
introductory session with Chairman/founder Kiran Sethji and Supreeti ma’am. She
gave a PowerPoint Presentation on SPIC MACAY and NSI. To add a Indian effect to
the session we were told by the heads to introduce ourselves and our school
with the language used in the area we hail from. There was an explanation about
the routine at the NSI similar to that I am rendering to you now. We had our
dinner and saw our first concert there by Padma Shri and Grammy awardee Pandit
Vishwa Mohan Bhattji. He performed his instrument, the Mohan Veena. His was the
inaugural performance at the NSI inauguration with speeches by the Allons’
team, SPIC MACAY members, and Chhattisgarhi folk dance performance.
From 18th to 21st,
we had the actual NSI programmes and the standard schedule. After waking up
early, we performed Naad Yoga between 4:00am – 6:00am. Naad Yoga was a Yoga
through which we cleansed our body through sound from our organs and through
music. Through Naad Yoga, we understood Yoga in a different angle. We generally
interpret Yoga as exercising our body, but Dr.Kiran Seth explained it as a
method to connect our body to our inner self and understand ourselves and
control our body, which is not really happening. Yoga can reduce the effect of
Social Networking and Urban Life. From 6:00am to 7:00am, we did Yoga, as we
generally understand it, calling it Hath Yoga (Pranayams, Asanas, Surya
Namaskars, and exercises). We would then after breakfast and bathing go to the
Intensives. In the intensives, SPIC MACAY created an interface where students
of the present generations get to learns arts of their desire directly from the
Gurus. There were about 20 intensives. I had chosen Carnatic Vocal, which was
taught by 70-year old Guru Padma Bhushan Vidhwan Trichur Ramachandran and his
daughter Shubha Shri ma’am. After intensives and lunch, we met at the
Auditorium for Folk Performances for about 1 ½ hour between 1 and 2:30 pm. Till
5:00, we watched movies and saw cinema classics from India and the world. After
movies and dinner, we went to the two concerts till 10:00 pm. Here, Kiran Sir
tried to explain music in a different way. He told us not to treat music as an
entertainment but a spiritual activity. He told us that it was meditation and
Yoga. We didn’t clap for the performances till the end. After a beautiful day,
we slept.
On 18th, in the afternoon
session, we met a senior archaeologist and historian who worked at the
Bhoramdeo Archaeological Site, Kawardha, Chhattisgarh. He explained us the
details we are supposed to observe in ancient and medieval temples in order to
gain information about them and develop interest, curiosity, and enthusiasm.
·
Lord
Ganesh’s statues were not placed in temples until 9th century.
·
Major
gods’ temples faced the 4 major directions and minor gods’ temples faced the
other directions.
We watched a Japanese movie Seven
Samurai by Akira Kurosawa carrying a great message. We watched a concert by
Pushparaj Koshtiji of Surbahar, Hindustani music and an Odissi performance by
Smt. Sharmila Biswas, who explained about the rituals that a professional
Odissi dancer performs before dance.
On 19th, we watched a
performance of Dhrupad by Sombalaji and watched the great classic by Charlie
Chaplin, The Great Dictator on 20th century politics, World War II,
and exclusion of Jews, carrying a message on humanity. In the evening, we listened
to a Shehnai performance by Ustad Ali Ahmed Hussain Khan and listened to the
Hindustani notes by Ustad Raja Miyan.
On 20th, Bharti Bandhu, a
group of 6 sang about Kabir’s teaching relevant to the present world. We
watched a classic, Making of the Mahatma by the great director Shyam Benegal. We
listened to a Carnatic Violin performance by Shri GGR Krishan and a
Bharatanatyam performance by Smt. Rama Vaidyanathan.
On 21st, Padma Sri Teejan
Bai performed Pandwani, a Chhattisgarhi folk art representing tales from the
Mahabharata. She added a sense of humor too. We watched the classis, Pather
Panchali, by the legendary director, Shri Satyajit Ray. In the evening, there
was a Sarod performance by Shri Parthosarathy and a Carnatic vocal presentation
by my intensive Carnatic Guru Padma Bhushan Shri Trichur Ramachandran.
On 22nd, after the
intensives, we presented all our learning we had in the intensives. There was a
performance by the Calcutta theatre of puppetry led by Shri Suresh Dutta of the
story of Alladin from the Arabian Nights. In the evening till midnight, I had
one of the best experiences ever. Padma Vibhushan Shri Hari Prasad Chaurasaia
performed on his magical flute. Shri Venkatesh Kumar sang songs from Hindustani
Classical Music and Smt. Prerana Shrimali presented Kathak.
The next day, we visited the Bhoramdeo
temple and the museum. We had a lot of fun and it was a blend of learning. That
evening, we visited the markets and had a close look of Chhattisgarh culture.
We saw a new fruit, Singada and saw a new street dance.
On 24th , we started from
the school, reached the station and in the early hours of 25th, reached our city.
I had personal learning experiences
too. I learnt eating and table etiquette. I learnt public behavior and learnt
to be social.
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