NEWSLETTER August 2019 Step inside and discover the beauty of India’s art and culture
Independence Day Celebrations
The Bhavan 4a Castletown Road West Kensington London W14 9HE 020 7381 3086/4608 www.bhavan.net
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Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Ltd Registered Charity no. 312879 Company Reg. Number 1090630
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EDITORIAL
Let noble thoughts come to us from every side - Rgveda 1-89-i
From our Executive Director...
word and help people to come to The Bhavan to join one or more of our classes.
Dear friends, One more academic year has come to an end and the new term is around the corner. To us in The Bhavan, the day we welcome our old students and the new ones is the most auspicious day as they will be introduced to India’s beautiful art forms and in the process get to know more about our culture and heritage.
Our Summer School 2019 concluded on 11 August with brilliant performances from our music and dance students trained under our local, and summer school teachers from India. We also had a wonderful celebration of India’s Independence Day with Her Excellency Mrs Ruchi Ghanashyam as our Chief Guest. Please see reports elsewhere in the issue.
Our Open Day is on Saturday 14 September 2019 when all our teachers will be available for any consultation regarding Bhavan’s courses. Taster classes will be held on the day from 11.00 am till 4.00 pm. The day itself has a festive atmosphere with lots of eager students moving between teachers and queuing up to take admission. Please do spread the
This year, The Bhavan participated in the prestigious annual Three Choirs Festival in Gloucester Cathedral and St Mary de Lode celebrating the 100th year of the composer Gustav Holst’s setting of some hymns of the Rig Veda. Dear friends, this year is the 150th birth anniversary of the Father of our nation – Mahatma Gandhiji. The life he lived and what he stood for is an open book and his principles are revered by millions across the world. For us in The Bhavan, Gandhiji can be considered Guru to our founding father Dr K M Munshi. We dedicate all our events this year to Gandhiji’s memory.
CONTENTS Editorial 2 Featured Story 3 Report 4 Review 5 News 6 - 7 Image Gallery 8 - 13 Forthcoming Events 14
I would like to conclude with a quotation from Gandhiji – “Essential simplicity and spirituality is the hall-mark of Indian culture.”
M.N. NANDAKUMARA Editor
NEW MEMBERS
Chairman
Mr Joginder Sanger
FELLOW MEMBERS Mrs. Varsha Yadav Ms. Kate White. 5 YEAR MEMBERS Miss Azmina Cassam Mr. Ben Davis LIFE MEMBERS Mr. James Marr Mr.Anurag Shankar
Joint Chairman
Mr Shantoo Ruparell MBE
Editor Dr M N Nandakumara
Newsletter Editorial Group
Padma Shri Dr. John Marr - Chairman Mrs. Wendy Marr
Cover Photo: (from LtoR) : Manmeet Singh Narang, Councillor Daryl Brown, Mr Shantoo Ruparell MBE, Lord Suri, H.E. Mrs Ruchi Ghanashyam. Photo credit: Anvi
Contributions from Bhavan staff, and others Photographs by Sharad Raval unless otherwise stated.
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FEATURED STORY Independence Day Celebrations
Photo credit: Anvi
Stuents sing patriotic songs at the Independence day celebrations
Lord Suri praised the recent socio-economic developments in India including the growth of education, free medical care, sanitation and care for the elderly. He looked forward to seeing India’s Tiranga planted on the moon and enjoined the British government to join the worldwide celebrations of the 550th Anniversary of Guru Nanak’s birth.
The Bhavan held its annual celebration of Indian Independence on Wednesday 7th August 2019 attended by the Indian High-Commissioner to the UK, H.E. Mrs Ruchi Ghanasham, Lord Suri, an early member of Bhavan’s Executive Committee, Mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham, Councillor Daryl Brown and the Minister of Coordination at the High Commission, Manmeet Singh Narang. The Bhavan’s Joint-Chairman, Mr Shantoo Ruparell MBE, opened the event and welcomed our guests and everyone who had gathered for the function. Mrs Ghanashyam brought greetings from the people of India and praised the commitment of the diaspora to strengthening the ties between India and their newly adopted home. She remembered with sadness the life of Sushma Swaraj, India’s Foreign Minister between 2014 - 19. Sushmaji was a leader who exemplified service to all people of India origin around the world and her influence lives on for all who knew and worked with her. Mrs Ghanashyam reflected on India’s immense advancements since Independence and, as the world biggest democracy, of the challenges and responsibilities of following the vision of the many who fought for its freedom. It was, she said, the responsibility of every Indian to contribute to the relationship between India and the UK.
Councillor Daryl Brown, said she was proud to have The Bhavan in her ward and spoke of the immense importance of supporting organisations like The Bhavan so that Indian culture can be shared with all those living around London. The Bhavan’s Vice-Chair, Dr Marr, closed the speeches by noting the progress India has made since Independence and that it has gained international respect as one of the world’s fastest growing economies. He was sure India would continue to overcome the challenges it faces through the brains, talent and sheer hard work that characterises the Indian people. The house-full event concluded with a selection of patriotic songs in Bengali, Hindi and Tamil followed by the Indian National Anthem. - Patrick Holden 3
REPORT The Bhavan’s 34th Summer School of Music and Dance The Bhavan’s 34th Summer School held this year had a record number of eight teachers from India who came and conducted the courses here at The Bhavan. We had over 240 students who enrolled in our summer school course this year which concluded with a grand finale weekend of music and dance on Saturday 10th and Sunday 11th August. The teachers visiting from India were Swapnokalpa Dasgupta (Odissi), Dr. Nagraj Rao Havaldar( Hindustani Vocal), Gaurav Mazumdar (Sitar), Arup Chattopadhyay (Tabla), Devie Nethiyar (Karnatic Vocal), Surya N Rao (Bharatanatyam), Saswati Sen (Kathak) and Lalgudi Krishnan (Karnatic Violin). On both days the students gave brilliant performances which kept the audience totally captivated. In addition, we also witnessed some enthralling showcase performances by our summer school teachers along with opening acts by our brilliant young artistes. We missed Saswati Sen and her enthusiastic presence as she had to return a week after the start of our summer school.
Bharatanatyam Finale performance
This year, as an experiment, we organised a special round-table discussion with our summer school teachers from India, anchored by our marketing officer, Anvi. The outcome was a very interesting insight into the minds and thinking of professionals from India on various aspects of music and dance teaching including the Guru-Shishya tradition, use of technology, social media, etc. The video is available to watch on The Bhavan’s YouTube channel. Thanks to Darshana for recording this.
Summer School teachers with Anvi for the Round table discussion
We also had our first Alumni Discussion series, ‘Perspectives’ - Career Trajectories in South Asian dance. Two of our Alumni students, Shivaangee Agrawal (Bharatanatyam) and Seema De JorgeChopra (Kathak) spoke of their careers in Dance with a view to inform, share and discuss the challenges and opportunities that are available to young professionals in the UK. We hope to have many more in the series to inspire our students.
Seema De Jorge-Chopra, Shivaangee Agrawal with Darshana in Perspectives
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REVIEW Three Choirs Festival in Gloucester Cathedral and St Mary de Lode The 304th Three Choirs Festival this year celebrated the exploration of the Indian Vedas by western composers, particularly celebrating the 100th year of the composer Holst’s setting of the Rig Veda. The Bhavan introduced new audiences to the depth and breadth of Indian culture through three pre-performance workshops and the event culminated in a live performance of Holst’s Rig Veda interspersed with Vedic chanting by Bhavan teachers and alumni. The Bhavan contributions began with a workshop and performance of Bharatanatyam led by alumna Shivaangee Agarwal and a concert demonstration of Karnatic music by Bhavan resident teachers Balu Raguraman on violin and M Balachandar on mridangam. Sanskrit scholar and Bhavan trustee Subhanu Saxena then gave an illuminating talk on the Vedas and the evening concluding with the chanting of the Vedas in the Cathedral by The Bhavan Executive Director, Dr Nandakumara, his son Raghu, cousin Keshava and Subhanuji. These devotional mantras were taken from the Vedic texts used by Holst and described the Creation, the Dawn, the Rivers, the Wind, The Travellers and the common prayer for peace and unity.
M Balachandar and Balu Raguraman
All the performances were extremely well received and over 250 people came to see the final performance. This was a landmark initiative by our Trustee Candida Connolly and we are all immensely grateful to her for conceiving of the project and making the collaboration between the Bhavan and the historic Three Choirs Festival possible.
-Patrick Holden (adapted from a longer review by Candida Connolly)
Subhanu Saxena giving his talk on the Vedas
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NEWS Alumni Fundraising The Bhavan is immensely honoured that one of our esteemed Alumni, Abbeyrame Sriharan, has raised £1,000 for The Bhavan through her voluntary work as President of the Kings College London Diwali Committee. Abbey is a student of Politics at Kings and proposed The Bhavan as one of the beneficiaries at their sell-out Diwali event at The Adelphi Theatre in London last year. Abbey has studied Bharatanatyam at The Bhavan under Prakash Yadagudde for over 14 years and is a regular performer on The Bhavan stage and elsewhere. She will be representing The Bhavan again on Saturday 26th October at the National Maritime Museum’s Diwali event in Greenwich. The Bhavan’s Executive Director, Dr Nandakumara, said he was delighted to be offered the donation and was very grateful that Abbey has thought to raise funds for The Bhavan.
Abbeyrame Sriharan
Abbeyrame said “The Bhavan has not only taught me about Indian arts and culture, it has allowed me to grow as an individual, offering amazing opportunities. Bharatanatyam, under the tutelage of my Guruji, Guru Shri Prakash Yadagudde, is more than just a passionit’s my actual life. The reason I chose Bhavan as one of the charities for the KCL Charity Diwali Show 2018, is because Bhavan’s role in promoting Indian arts and culture is paramount to educating a wide range of different communities and age groups, uniting us all in providing a home away from home.” Abbeyrame is also currently training in The Bhavan’s Outreach Programme - open to all senior students which will undoubtedly help her express her passion for dance to a wide variety of audiences. We look forward to Abbeyrame’s next performance, wish her well with her studies and thank her team for their generosity.
Abbeyrame with Guru Prakash Yadagudde
-Patrick Holden
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Image credit : Patrick Holden
NEWS Victoria - Woman and Crown Victoria - Woman and Crown is an Exhibition marking Queen Victoria’s 200th birth anniversary at Kensington Palace. The Bhavan was approached to participate in an intergenerational community project involving contemporary South asian participants to learn and contribute to the theme of Empress of India. Niharika Pore, Bhavan alumna along with Darshana Vora, Bhavan Gallery curator attended six sessions over four months to learn about Queen Victoria’s life through talks by the curators and researchers at Kensington Palace and were then trained by a poet to contextualise the exhibits in the show via a poetic response. Their poems sit alongside the exhibit descriptions and provide a personal interpretation of the life of the Queen. The Bhavan staff were treated to a special private view of the show. The project was curated by Neena Sohal and Rinku Mitra. Niharika Pore and Darshana Vora at Victoria - Woman and Crown
K V Radhakrishnan Memorial Exhibition This year, for the K V Radhakrishnan Memorial Exhibition, we invited current Bhavan students to send in upto 5 artwoks through an open call. The exhibition ran for a week during Summer School, and many events including the reception for the Independence day celebrations took place in the gallery. Around 300 people saw the works, and the students got to showcase their creative flair to fellow Bhavan students and audiences at large. The exhibiting artists were Reeta, Abinaya Ganesh, Arvindh Ganesh, Suchita Singh, Lakshaajeni Thevapalan, Sampada Kothcherlakota and Sangeeta Weatherley. Judging from the talent and interest by the students, we hope to make this an annual event and encourage the use of the gallery for crossplatform events.
Visitors to the K V Radhakrishnan Memorial Exhibition, admiring Lakshaajeni’s artworks
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IMAGE GALLERY Independence Day
Students sing a Bengali patriotic song.
Image credit: Anvi
High Commissioner of India HE Mrs Ruchi Ghanashyam. Image credit: Anvi
L to R: Janakben Amin, Bharti Sethia, Indra Sethia, Prvin Amin, Anjana Patel Image credit: Raj D Bakrania
L to R: Shashi Vekaria, Mr & Mrs Lal Chellaram, Manubhai Ramji and Dr Nanda
Dr. Marr proposing the vote of thanks
Image credit: Raj D Bakrania
Image credit: Raj D Bakrania
The Bhavan’s Executive Committee members and friends
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Summer School Showcases
Pt Nagraj Rao Havaldar accompanied by Pt Rajkumar Misra on Tabla and Pt Vishwaprakashji on Harmonium
Lalgudi J R Krishnan accompanied by M Balachandar, Pirasanna and Marthungi
Surya N Rao in Bharatanatyam Showcase
Swapnokalpa Dasgupta in her Odissi Showcase
Devie Neithiyar accompanied by M Balachandar, Darshan, Kabelanath ,Balu R
Arup Chattopadhyay on Tabla and Gaurav Mazumdar on Sitar
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Summer School Finale - Day 1
Parvati Nair compering
Kathak students perform a piece by Summer School teacher Saswati ji
Bharatanatyam
Gaurav Mazumdar performs with his students
Karnatic Vocal
Section of the audience
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Tabla students with Arup Chattopadhyay
Hindustani Vocal
Hindustani Vocal
Tabla
Mridangam
Violin
L-R: Surya Rao, Sanjay Guha, Gaurav Mazumdar, Dr N Havaldar, Devie Neithiyar, Lalgudi Krishnan, Chandrima Misra, Prakash Yadagudde, Arup Chattopadhyay, Rajkumar Misra, M Bala, Balu Raguraman
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Summer School Finale - Day 2
Shanti proposing vote of thanks
Kathak
Sitar
Karnatic Vocal
Tabla
Violin
Karnatic Vocal
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Mridangam
Patrick addressing the audience
Hindustani Vocal
Violin
Ankur Singh
Hindustani Vocal
Bharatanatyam
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FORTHCOMING EVENTS
OCTOBER Dr. SHATAVADHANI R GANESH Lecture Series (Dr Shastry Memorial Talks) NATYASHASTRA UNRAVELLED Dance, Poetry, Performance Fri 4, Mon 6, Tue 7 | 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm followed by an audience Q&A | Refreshments served. Entry free, registrations on our website www.bhavan.net
SEPTEMBER GANESH PUJA Mon 2 | 7:00 pm | Bhavan Members Welcome. Pooja with Music and Dance, followed by Prasad (Dinner).Sponsored by Mr Shanker and Parvati Nair.
Fri 4 NATYASHASTRA AND INDIAN AESTHETICS
MAHALAYA – 20 years of celebration of Bengali Music Sat 7 | 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm
Mon 6 BEAUTY OF SANSKRIT POETRY- A CULTURAL STUDY
SARASWATI – FORGOTTTEN DAUGHTER OF TAANSEN Sun 8 | 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm | £15 / £20 / £ 25
Tue 7 THE ART OF ASHTAVADHANAM
AMIT TANDON – NOT GETTING WISER- Stand-up comedy Thu 12 | 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm | £40 (VIP), £30 (Standard), £25 (Balcony)
APPOSITE | ART EXHIBITION Tue 1 - Mon 7 | 11am - 7:00 pm | Presented by ARTSAROMA | Free - All Welcome
SUNDAR, BEY BAAYDIVALO - Gujarati Play Fri 13 | 7:45 pm – 10:30 pm | Dinner - 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm | £15 / £20 / £25
BENARAS - STORY OF INDIA’S SACRED CITY LUNCH - TIME DOCUMENTARY FILM SCREENING Sun 6| 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm | Free entry
THE BHAVAN’S OPEN DAY - TASTER CLASSES AND REGISTRATIONS FOR 2019 - 20 Sat 14 | 10:30 am - 5:00 pm
DURGA PUJA Sun 6 | 6:00 pm | Free Entry IN CONVERSATION WITH TARA RAJKUMAR OAM - A JOINT PRESENTATION BY THE BHAVAN & AKADEMI Thu 17 | 7:00 pm | £8 / £5 (Conc)
SANJAY SUBRAHMANYAM – In Concert Sat 14 | 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm | £12 / £15 / £20
ODISSI JOURNEY AT THE BHAVAN - EXHIBITION Sun 13, Mon 14 | Free Entry Sun 11.00 am – 7:00 pm | Mon 11:00 am - 8:00 pm
CHANDALIKA - THE TALE OF TRODDEN Sun 15 | 5:00 pm – 7 :00 pm | £12 / £15 HASTSHILP LONDON 2019 Thu 19 – Sun 22 | Free Entry See website for timings
HANDMADE – EXPRESSIONS IN CLAY AND COLOUR Fri 18 – Sun 20 | Free Entry Private view - Fri 18, 6 - 8pm | Sat 19, 11 am - 7 pm | Sun 22, 11 am - 5 pm
AN EVENING OF RABINDRA SANGEET WITH MANOJ MURALI & PUNASHCHA’S MAYAR KHELA Sat 21| 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm | £20, £15, £10 SOUTHERN INDIAN ODYSSEY - EXHIBITION Mon 23 – Sun 29 | 11 am-7 pm| Free - All Welcome
HINDUSTANI VIOLIN CONCERT - PALLAB BANDYOPADHYAY Sun 20 | 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm | £10
UTTARAN (ASCENT) Fri 27 | 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm | £25 / £20 / £15
SHAM – E GHAZAL WITH UTTARA JOSHI Sat 26 | 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm| £10 - £15 (Including dinner)
UYIR PRESENTS - UDAL BODYSCAPE Sat 28 | 7:00 pm - 9:00 pm | £25
All tickets online at www.bhavan.net unless otherwise specified. 14
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