Tuesday, March 31, 2009

UTTRAKHAND STATE CONVENTION 09 -Schedule of Activities


  This is specially to invite you to cover the SPIC MACAY Uttarakhand State Convention  being held  from the 17th to the 19th of April ’2009, at the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy ( IGNFA). Over 150 students from various schools in Uttarakhand are scheduled to participate in the Convention apart from eminent guests and personalities. This is a proud moment for Uttarakahnd indeed and we request your participation to make this event a huge success. It is the fond hope of SPICMACAYites that in the years to come these children grow up to be ardent cultural ambassadors of their country. 

            The programme would be formally inaugurated by -Chief Secretary Mr  I K Pandy to the beats of  Dhol Damau.

            Founder of this unique movement that has created thousands of young cultural crusaders/ambassadors in the country, Dr Kiran Seth will deliver the Keynote address, followed by performances by Smt Basanti Devi Bhist (Mangal Gayan) and  Kathak by (Padma Vibhushan) Pt Birju Maharaj  

            The morning of  18th April  would be dedicated to Yoga, Naad Yoga and Shramdan. Next would be a conceptual session and talk by Dr Kiran Seth, introduction of student and staff delegates and a screening of a special film on SPIC MACAY. The afternoons of the same day would be devoted to Intensives with the Gurus and a Principals’meet.

            Thereafter in the post-lunch session Shri Ram Lal, a fourth generation puppeteer would hold a Folk Puppet Show while Dr DR Purohit well known folklorist  would present a slideshow on some of the fast disappearing Cultural and Folk Traditions of Uttarakhand.

            Pasera, a threatened folk tradition of Uttarakhand, Sarangi by Shri Kamal Sabri and Odissi by Padma Vibhushan Sonal Mansingh are slated for the same evening.

                        The evening slot of the same day is reserved for the  screening of a documentary film by National Geographic titled ‘Skeleton Lake. Skeleton Lake unravels the mystery behind the hundreds of skeletons strewn around the Roopkund Lake at a height of over 16,000 feet in the Garhwal Himalayas. The Roopkund riddle started in 1942, when a forest ranger accidentally unearthed a mass grave in Roopkund Lake. The mystery of Roopkund has intrigued sociologists, historians and anthropologists including Dr Wiliam Sax who has resetrached extensively in Uttarakhand and ahs helped in the making of the film. The cause of this tragedy remains a mystery till now.

                        Day two of the Convention would include heritage and nature walks on the FRI campus, induction of new institutions into the movement, and would culminate in the vocal classical recital by Shri Ritesh and Shri Rajneesh Mishra.

    Please note that the intensives with the Gurus include  : Vocal Music, Tabla, Art, Folk craft, Pottery, Folk dance and Puppetry.

1 comment:

Tavishi said...

"The curriculum of the school did not neglect India's cultural, analytical and scientific heritage, but was very involved also with the rest of the world."

-Amartya Sen

For the past two years SPICMACAY has been an integral part of my life. It has moulded my personality and has educated me in a big way. The cultural enlightment that we undergo with the society has changed my perspective of life, and made me see the world more clearly.

I have always enjoyed interacting with people from different walks of life, and a state convention is a splendid opportunity to do so. I also find that the friends and memories made during the conventions are very long lasting. Moreover, interacting with the artiste during the intensives is a very humbling experience. Their down to earth attitude makes us understand that we have airs for frivolous nothings.

In my life, I like to do things that will benefit me and the humankind in a long run. The strength of our movement and the fact that more and more people are joining it every year is a proof that the future of the movement is even brighter than the present. As our chapter coordinator, Ms. Rupi Mahindroo says, all people who join the movement and choose to be an active part of it are very special people, because there are very few people who have the fortitude to be non-conformist and give culture a chance.

This convention will be a splendid opportunity for all the enthusiasts and volunteers to meet and interact in person and we are really looking forward to it.