Ajay Raina
Awareness regarding Indian Culture and its history is need of the hour in Jammu and Kashmir and the Government, Cultural Department, people and teachers should play pro-active role towards it.
This was stated by Padmashree Geeta Chandran from Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth (SPIC-MACAY), during an exclusive interview with this correspondent here today.
Star Classical Dancer Padmashree Geeta Chandran has been trained by a galaxy of eminent Bharatanatyam Gurus including Swarna Saraswathy and Guru KN Dakshinamurthi Pillai.
Founder President of Natya-Vriksha, where she teaches and promotes Bharatanatyam, Geeta is also Artistic Director of the Natya Vriksha Dance Company which has travelled all over the world with its superb dance presentations.
She is recipient of many prestigious awards, fellowships and honours, including the prestigious National Padmashree award bestowed on her by the President of India.
“Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth (SPIC-MACAY), is a non-profit, voluntary movement with its primary objective as to expose today’s students and young people to the beauty, grace and wisdom embodied in the age-old Indian Art forms and its heritage. It is a movement by, for and of the students. Classical music and dance, dating back to antiquity, are the chief medium of creating awareness of this culture amongst youth. Started in 1977 this movement has now spread across the length and breadth of the globe with more than 400 chapters in various countries, cities and towns”, Chandran added.
“Here in Jammu, I witnessed that not only students, but dance and art teachers, are also not aware about the Indian Culture”, she said, adding that high-class infrastructure, auditorium and lavishing playfields can not aware students about the basics of Indian Culture as it needs determent efforts not only by the teachers but by the school management also.
“During my four days visit to Jammu and Kashmir, I performed in 7 schools at Jammu and Army Public School in Udhampur. I along with my colleagues cleared all the queries of the students asked during questionnaire regarding Indian Culture. I found that the students are aggressive to learn about our culture. Government, Cultural Department, people and teachers should play pro-active role towards it”, Chandran added.
During interaction with students, it came to fore that they are eager to know about the Indian Culture, but at the same time they also sought benefits in it, which was quite disappointing, she added. Geeta added that here dance teachers are only restricted to some functions including Independence Day, Republic Day and School’s Annual Day, but don’t take measures to bring the Indian Culture to the fore.
“Teachers Ko Sab Students Ko Kansen Banana Chahiye Aur Jo Talented Ho Unhe Identify Krke Unke Talent ko Nourish Krna Chahiye (Teachers should make their students good listeners and talented students should be identified and groomed in a proper way”, she opined.
She further disclosed that only girls were seen participating in dance. But if we recall the history, males had also played pivotal role for the promotion of Indian Culture.
“10 minutes instrumental (flute, sitar, etc) can make students prepare to learn about Indian Culture. Video Library should be opened in Schools like Books Library”, she opined.
When asked about her experience during her visit to schools here, Chandran said that “It was a good experience here. Students are aggressive to learn about Indian Culture and need of the hour is awareness. Government, Cultural Department, people and teachers should take appropriate steps for promotion of Indian Culture in J&K”.
“Dr Sapna Sangra, State Co-ordinator of SPIC-MACAY and Dr Seema Rohmetra, District Jammu Coordinator have taken the task of promotion of Indian Culture in J&K and I hope that they will put-up their efforts for promotion of the same in the State”, Chandran added. Dr Sapna K Sangra, Asstt Prof Sociology, University of Jammu and Co-ordinator for J&K said that “Friends, students and scholars have shown keen interest in taking the movement forward but a lot needs to be done. We are working towards having a strong volunteer base. We now have volunteers whereever we had performances. We need support from civil society. Anyone can join the movement and play the part, its open to all”.
Dr Sangra expressed that she is going to concentrate on Jammu first. After successful stint in the city, we are planning to launch the Rural Intensive soon. “Once we are spread in urban and rural Jammu, we direct our efforts towards Kashmir and Ladakh”, she said.
Dr Seema Rohmetra, Sr Asstt Prof, District Jammu Co-ordinator, SPIC-MACAY and Co-ordinator, Gandhi Peace Foundation, Jammu Chapter said “We need to promote and the support the movement towards the preservation and promotion of traditions and culture.
“Education has a big role to play in this direction. Educational institutions can go a long way in preserving India’s rich cultural heritage. The movement requires support from the Government and civil society both in terms of continuous re-enforcement and fund generation”, Dr Rohmetra stated.
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