Utsrav 2014 - "The purpose of art is washing the dust of daily life off our Souls".
Monday, November 3, 2014
These very famous lines of Pablo Picasso, one of the greatest artists that this world has seen, ring in the ears, especially in zthe context of man's life as it happens today. Man has ambition and a nearly insatiable appetite for success. He also has in excess, turbulence and turmoil. However, what he lacks is PEACE! The golden word that has been so elusive to define, capture, consistently experience. His soul is burdened heavily today by his mind which is clogged with the pains of the past and the anxieties of the future, so much so that he has forgotten to live his present. These are those espe- cially challenged times of chaotic existence for man, when Picasso's lines seem almost prescient! When Art seems to be the magical potion for all our ailments, is the answer to most if not all of our problems. What would this world be without the fragrance of art is thus a question that is best unanswered for the sheer horror the thought infuses into the heart. Nature has therefore deemed that in this world, there be art in extravagance.
We have in our midst, a mind boggling array of art forms. There is visual art, performing art and so much more. Of the plethora of art forms one can think of, it is music and dance that have become man's partners in celebrations. Deeply incorporated into the psyche of man, it is impos- sible today to perceive any celebration in any part of the world without extravagantly indulging in the two. India is no exception to this colorful phenomenon, where music and dance are a way of life and resounds with the Indian culture itself.
This brings one to UTSRAV 2014, a musical and dance event due to take place in Kuwait on 7 November 2014 at the Marina Auditorium, Touristic Park, Jleeb Al Shuyoukh from 6pm to 9pm presented by AMMA Kuwait, an Indian socio-cultural organization registered with the Indian Embassy in Kuwait. AMMA Kuwait needs no intro- duction at all as their cultural and social activities have long received the patronage of the people of Kuwait and expatriates alike. Dwelling on the noble thought of empowering disadvantaged and disabled women all over the world and to create an awareness on its immediacy using art as a medium, AMMA Kuwait brings together, two amazing artistic personalities, exponents of unique forms of music and dance, renowned Ghazal singer Jitesh Sundaram and noted danseuse, dance Guru and film personality, Asha Sharath.
What happens when the pangs of separation from your beloved spills out from the confines of your heart, when the pain of loss or unrequited love is simply so overwhelming yet beautiful that it craves expression...that is when Ghazals are born as the unob- structed flow of feelings. The poetic expression of emo- tions, be it painful or joyous, so intense that they can no longer be hidden behind a veil, is also what Ghazals are all about. When the beauty of melody and richness of poetry blend with the soulful voice of a singer, he or she stirs a chord within the listener's heart. Such performances remain unforgettable.
Jitesh Sundaram, the disciple of Bhajan Samrat (King), Anup Jalota is one on of India's most gifted Ghazal singers whose voice has that special magic that does not merely entertain you but also uplifts you. His renditions heal you, perhaps give you an opportunity to resonate your emo- tion through his art. Drawn towards singing and percus- sion from a young age, he trained in Carnatic and Hindu- stani music while mastering instruments like Mridangam and Tabla.
Jitesh who performed in the "Friendship" concerts along with his master Anup Jalota and celebrated Ghazal mae- stro from Pakistan, Ghulam Ali, has also performed widely across the globe. He has shared stage with prominent Ghazal singers like Pankaj Udhas, Talat Aziz and Chandan Dass. He is an auditioned and graded artist of All India Radio, Mangalore and has recorded programmes for a number of Indian TV Channels.
If life be compared to a large canvas, music and dance are the two hues that lend beauty to life and balance the enormity of melancholy. A dancer is like a messiah of Almighty who in that moment of performance, becomes the medium of communication between the audience and the other world. Asha Sharath is one such dancer whose grace, talent and commitment to classical dance have clinched her a place near India's legendary dancers. Asha who has performed all over the world has won several accolades for her presentations which are a treat to the eyes and mind alike. She runs the Kairali Kalak- endra based in Dubai which is dedicated to teaching dance, music, drawing and painting to students of all ages.
But the daughter of distinguished dancer Smt. Kalaman- dalamz Sumathy is a person who also straddles many other meaty roles with panache. Gifted with the excep- tional talent to become inseparably one with her role is this dancer who with her powerful portrayal of Professor Jayanthi in the Malayalam serial titled Kumkumapoovu and stoic depiction of a top cop in the movie Drishyam, has carved a unique place in the hearts of Malayali view- ers. She has also acted in Tamil and Telugu movies apart from Malayalam.
So get ready to tune into some magical strains of music and captivating classical dance moments that will surely wash the dust of your daily lives off your Soul!
For more information on the event please contact the following numbers:66871528 /66716793 /66699037 / 66616542
Divya Menon is a freelancer writer, art critic and poet. She is also trained in Carnatic, Hindustani music and the Veena. In 2009 in Kuwait, she won the Sir Yousuf Alyan Gold Medal for Journalism.
She moved back to India in 2013 after living in Kuwait for 40 years, where she discovered and fell in love with music and contemporary art! She is passionate about life, finds her greatest muse in nature and loves painting, photography and travelling.