The Anubhav Series of Spic Macay reflects upon our rich culture and heritage as it aims to connect the youth with the legends of classical music, dance and other folk art forms
During fragile times, one must
learn to cherish the grounds
that continue to build you,
for they also cherish your presence
with light, hope and creativity...
These lines asserted by Goitsemang Mvula not just make one hopeful but ask us to reflect upon the current world too. They make one believe in the fact that no matter what, the show must go on.
Academician, Professor Emeritus in the department of Mechanical Engineering at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Dr Kiran Seth, shares, “Nature is telling us, ‘you better look into yourselves, you better stay at home, you better not be greedy all the time trying to get more sensual satisfaction outside’. You have to find your place within. The whole emphasis in our heritage has been moving inward.”
Now that the pandemic has paved way for a new virtual world, various art events have geared themselves up and have turned it to their advantage by taking themselves to the digital platforms. This has also helped them stay relevant in the current times. Dr Kiran, founder of the Spic Macay, Anubhav Series, came up with the idea of connecting with our inner selves. He did not have to look far from home, our own rich culture and heritage came to the rescue. The series is an effort to connect the youth with the legends of classical music, dance and other folk art forms, with an objective to give them a holistic exposure of our rich cultural heritage online.
He feels that if we are more interested in the outward journey, that is, about the transformation and modernity all around, we will get more affected by things like COVID-19. But if we focus more on the inward journey, you will be less affected by such things as it demands an introspection within us. “It is a lifestyle change, which is being prescribed by nature to us. We must remember our ancestors have taught us a way of living and bounce back to our roots,” says he.
Virtual settings provide a new home for self-expression. One wonders if it was easy getting the youth for an online session. It is likely that there must have been some challenges. Ask Dr Kiran about them and how difficult was it to shift it online? He tells us, “Since last couple of years, we started live Facebook streaming of certain events but didn’t publicise it much as the core aim has always been on the experiential learning in presence of the gurus. Quite a few were apprehensive, some suggested that we should have the sessions once the lockdown is opened, some debated about connectivity issues, there were some valid concerns too, on how to monitor registered participants to follow a holistic routine from 4 am yoga to the day’s workshops, lecture demonstration and evening concerts from 6.30 pm to 9 pm and much more.
Another main challenge is the diverse content available online. You can’t keep the audience hooked for more than half an hour as they switch to other events or videos. But a few volunteers and I, including National Convenor Pankaj Malhotra, were convinced that this is the right time and we stressed upon the fact that we have nothing to lose. Even if a handful of students are inspired, it will be an achievement for us. That’s how it all started.”
“I admit that there were certain issues such as our Facebook page was not operational for two days but technical team worked to restore as it was an important part of our daily updates and campaigns. The inaugural day started with a few glitches as every one couldn’t receive confirmation of their assigned workshops, but these were resolved promptly with the help of volunteers,” adds he.
The change would bring about drastic transformation to the world as things wouldn’t be the same the way we knew. So there arises a question naturally. As compared to the physical performances, did the event grab as much audience online? While on a digital platform, it’s never enough as to how many viewerships we get, the 50,000 student registrations (majority in 14 to 26 age group) was a success considering a convention on premise would have upto 2,000,” shares Pankaj. Certainly, he has a tendency to spot the brighter side.
The global health crisis has taken away the stage from people, and therefore, their ability to perform in the public space. For the arts community, performance is their fighting spirit. To get through this uncertain time, they have to keep on performing. This has got everybody wondering how the pandemic is reshaping the future of arts and culture in our society. Many artistes believe that online is great medium and there will be more adoption of digital platforms in the near future but classical arts thrives on the connection with human beings. This factor is here to stay.
Dr Kiran feels, “When it was decided to hold the entire series of programmes using online platform, there were concerns, whether it can really offer the same level of experience or not.” However, they had examples of various art galleries, literature festivals, music concerts, and other public displays of art, happening online, which inspired them. The social media was flooded with multiple programmes by the hour making it difficult to choose.
“The slowdown of the economy might have an impact on the classical arts. People would want to first fulfill their basic needs. Art will no more be their priority. But at the same time, we should not forget that arts and culture have survived centuries and will continue to adapt without losing their ethos and core values. Online medium is not a replacement for the live performance experience. The key thought will be to figure out a way where people are fine with buying tickets to watch a performance online,” adds he.