New Delhi [India]: Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth (SPIC MACAY) is organising its annual International Convention in its 40th year at IIT Delhi from 5th -11th June, 2017.
Every year SPIC MACAY organizes International Convention to give exposure to the youth from all over the world about the cultural and traditional values that India has preserved in various forms.
The Convention continues to lay out the tradition of SPIC MACAY’s previous conventions, which have been organized almost every year since the inception of the movement.
The events and activities are conducted throughout the year all over the country and abroad in educational institutions. SPIC MACAY organises over 5000 programmes annually in 300 chapters in India and 20 chapters abroad.
The International Convention of SPIC MACAY is an annual congregation of more than 1500 people from all across the world. It consists of concerts and intensive workshops of classical music, dance, crafts and other art forms by great artists over seven days.
This resonates with SPIC MACAY’s core purpose – have every child experience the inspiration and mysticism embodied in Indian and World heritage. The vision is to reach every child by 2020.
The participants for the International Convention are selected after a careful selection process and SPIC MACAY provides an opportunity that takes one away from the outside world to a new world of serenity and tranquility which one can never experience in one’s life in seven days. During this journey, SPIC MACAY takes care of the boarding and lodging facilities on campus.
But the seven days at the convention are the zenith of the movement as volunteers and members accumulate from all over the world to experience the “mysticism” and “beauty” of India.
Activities in the convention range from classical music and dance concerts, performances of folk arts, crafts, intensives, and classic cinema screenings to shramdaan, getting up early in the morning for yoga and eating holistic food. The idea of organising the convention is to contrive the unique ashram-like atmosphere to leave an impact on the new generation.
A day at the convention starts with getting up at 3.30 am during the very special time called the ‘Brahma Mahurat’, doing various kinds of ‘yog’ or meditation for three hours with the gurus.
Participants themselves choose from options like Naad Yog, Hath Yog, Dhrupad and Kutiyattam for this. This is followed by the ‘Shramdaan’, with an idea to give back a cleaner place to the hosts than how they gave it to the participants.
The participants then learn various art forms- music and dance, traditional art and craft, theatre and many more- from a celebrated Guru, who is a master in that particular art form. This session goes on in the form of a three-hour workshop every day at the convention.
After the intensives, the participants get to attend talks by eminent personalities, movie screenings and concerts in the afternoon. In the evening, some of the most distinguished artists perform for the participants. This is paralleled by holistic food that provides the necessary support to the body, mind and soul throughout this wonderful week long journey.
Some of the renowned artists who will be a part of the Convention this year include Padma Vibhushan Awardees: Pandit Jasraj, Vidushi Girija Devi, Vidwan Umayalapuram Sivaraman, Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia, Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma, Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Pt.Birju Maharaj, Vidhushi Sonal Mansingh, Shri Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Shri Dadi Pudumjee and Shri Raghu Rai; Padma Bhushan Awardees: Prof. T N Krishnan, Pt. Rajan and Pt.Sajan Mishra, Pt. Vishwamohan Bhatt, Begum Parween Sultana, Smt. Teejan Bai, Vidhushi Sudha Raghunathan; Padma Shri Awardees: Vidushi Malavika Sarukkai, Ustad Shahid Parvez, Pt. Ulhas Kashalkar, Pt. Venkatesh Kumar, Guru Ghanakanta Bora, Ustad F Wasifuddin Dagar Smt. Anjolie Ela Menon, Vidushi A Kanyakumari, Shri Gurappa Chetty; Jnanpith Awardee, Ramon Magsaysay Awardee, Vidwan T M Krishna, Smt. Kapila Venu. These are some renowned artists who will be a part of the Convention this year.
On the penultimate day, participants get a chance to demonstrate what they have learnt from their Gurus on the stage. Then, there is an overnight concert which is the culmination of an intense experience created through five continuous performances of classical dance and music by India’s top performing artists. On the last day, heritage walks are organised to some of the heritage sites. (ANI)