Now describing some special moments from the Kohima trip would be a very tough job because the entire journey was so full of surprises and pleasant experiences.
To be very honest when we embarked on our journey to Kohima every one of us was a bit apprehensive to go there because of the insurgency that preceded its reputation. But the moment we landed in Dimapur a very different atmosphere prevailed. The students of Nagaland University were more than ready to help us…..!
The inaugural ceremony was a really flamboyant one and we had never thought that North East had such a rich culture. I was personally mesmerized at the speech given by Mr. Mani Shankar Iyer.
Now, the Intensives…..well, this was our first convention so we had very little idea about this concept of Intensive. We thought it would be like those mundane workshops we had previously attended. But how wrong we were! I still can't believe that I actually sat next to Shri. J. Guruppa Chetty ji and learnt how to paint with a brush made of bamboo and old kambbal. A traditional art form, more than a 1000 years old from Andhra Pradesh in which natural dyes and colours are used depicting mythologies…..the delicate brush movements and the use of only some basic colours through what we call Kalamkari. He was very interactive and encouraging. I remember one particular incident which I will cherish all my life on the last day of our Intensives. Sir was giving us the last lecture on Kalamkari and we all were sitting around him, I don't know why I was not feeling like writing down what he was saying…..I took a white sheet of paper and a pen and started drawing his portrait…..when he had finished we all rose up to touch his feet and take his blessings….when I went his said " mera painting jo tum banaya woh kahan hain?" I took it out from my bag and showed him…..he was so over-joyed , he said it was lovely and took it as a gift….and said, " agar tum ko yehi karna accha lagta hain to isko kabhi chodhna math tum bahut age jayega…" I was so touched by his words that I can't express…….!
Then on the last day, 20th June we had the classical overnight. A night to remember all my life…. It was during Su. Kapila Venu ji's performance that I was literally smiling and crying with her….. for once I couldn't take my eyes off her…..her expressions were flawless and so was the music. I had previously seen her perform in my school but that night I really got the true essence of Kutiyattam. At around 5 am in the morning it was time for the last performance, by Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan, by the time he started I was leaving for my dorm….as I was walking down the road I could feel his powerful voice around in the air…. I don't know what happened I turned back …… and as I was coming towards the auditorium …… I could finally realize this is what people call the spirituality and magic of Indian Classical Music. For the next 2 hours, it was a lifetime experience for all of us….and I still remember his last song, his composition, " ha se Hindu, ma se Muslim, dono mile to bane hum…".
21st June when we were finally leaving Kohima, it felt as if we were leaving a life, which had evolved us into a new person. Now as a part of suggestion we would like to say that may be the duration for the lunch, dinner and breakfast should be increased. Apart from this we have no qualms because we understand that though things were very well coordinated and organized, some things did not work out well like the acute water scarcity, but again we should also consider the fact that after all Nagaland is a developing state and whatever arrangements they had made, we have no words to show our gratitude for it. Their hospitality and warm welcome is worth mentioning and remembering.
Tanima
Kolkatta Chapter
To be very honest when we embarked on our journey to Kohima every one of us was a bit apprehensive to go there because of the insurgency that preceded its reputation. But the moment we landed in Dimapur a very different atmosphere prevailed. The students of Nagaland University were more than ready to help us…..!
The inaugural ceremony was a really flamboyant one and we had never thought that North East had such a rich culture. I was personally mesmerized at the speech given by Mr. Mani Shankar Iyer.
Now, the Intensives…..well, this was our first convention so we had very little idea about this concept of Intensive. We thought it would be like those mundane workshops we had previously attended. But how wrong we were! I still can't believe that I actually sat next to Shri. J. Guruppa Chetty ji and learnt how to paint with a brush made of bamboo and old kambbal. A traditional art form, more than a 1000 years old from Andhra Pradesh in which natural dyes and colours are used depicting mythologies…..the delicate brush movements and the use of only some basic colours through what we call Kalamkari. He was very interactive and encouraging. I remember one particular incident which I will cherish all my life on the last day of our Intensives. Sir was giving us the last lecture on Kalamkari and we all were sitting around him, I don't know why I was not feeling like writing down what he was saying…..I took a white sheet of paper and a pen and started drawing his portrait…..when he had finished we all rose up to touch his feet and take his blessings….when I went his said " mera painting jo tum banaya woh kahan hain?" I took it out from my bag and showed him…..he was so over-joyed , he said it was lovely and took it as a gift….and said, " agar tum ko yehi karna accha lagta hain to isko kabhi chodhna math tum bahut age jayega…" I was so touched by his words that I can't express…….!
Then on the last day, 20th June we had the classical overnight. A night to remember all my life…. It was during Su. Kapila Venu ji's performance that I was literally smiling and crying with her….. for once I couldn't take my eyes off her…..her expressions were flawless and so was the music. I had previously seen her perform in my school but that night I really got the true essence of Kutiyattam. At around 5 am in the morning it was time for the last performance, by Ustad Abdul Rashid Khan, by the time he started I was leaving for my dorm….as I was walking down the road I could feel his powerful voice around in the air…. I don't know what happened I turned back …… and as I was coming towards the auditorium …… I could finally realize this is what people call the spirituality and magic of Indian Classical Music. For the next 2 hours, it was a lifetime experience for all of us….and I still remember his last song, his composition, " ha se Hindu, ma se Muslim, dono mile to bane hum…".
21st June when we were finally leaving Kohima, it felt as if we were leaving a life, which had evolved us into a new person. Now as a part of suggestion we would like to say that may be the duration for the lunch, dinner and breakfast should be increased. Apart from this we have no qualms because we understand that though things were very well coordinated and organized, some things did not work out well like the acute water scarcity, but again we should also consider the fact that after all Nagaland is a developing state and whatever arrangements they had made, we have no words to show our gratitude for it. Their hospitality and warm welcome is worth mentioning and remembering.
Tanima
Kolkatta Chapter
No comments:
Post a Comment