In collaboration with Brhat, Prachyam, and Sangam Talks, the Ministries of Culture and Education organized a Dhara on Sangeet and Natya Parampara on 5th and 6th January 2023 at SASTRA (Deemed-to-be University) in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu.
Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav has organized a series of conferences called Dhara to create awareness, preserve, and promote Indian knowledge systems.
During the event, a Vision Document 2047 was created to revitalize and popularise our performing arts traditions, as well as deal with the challenges this ecosystem faces.
This Dhara event was inaugurated in the presence of dignitaries such as Chief Guest Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam (President, Nrithyodaya), Prof Ganti S Murthy (National Co-ordinator, IKS Division), Dr. Chandra Mulli (Registrar, SASTRA University), Shri Srinivasan Iyer (Ministry of Culture), and Prof. Anuradha Choudry (Outreach Co-ordinator, IKS Division).
In her keynote speech, Dr. Padma Subrahmanyam outlined the riches of India’s intangible heritage, the concerns we face, and the way forward for our performing arts. She stressed that Indian arts are a path to realizing the divine in all of us. She talked about how the youth of the nation should be proud of the culture that has remained unbroken and nourished artists who revere their art.
There were two days of panel discussions featuring eminent practitioners, researchers, innovators, and educators representing the Carnatic, Hindustani, and Loka (vocal and instrumental) Paramparas.
Besides the Jugalbandi, Shri Kannan Balakrishnan and team led a team of people, Sunaad, headed up by Smt Tara Kini and a team representing the sangeet Parampara, Shri Thokchom Tolen Meitei performed a Manipuri dance presentation representing Natya Parampara, and Dr. Revati Sakalkar did a musical performance at Loka Parampara.
Students and speakers at the conference had a few action points to work out for the upcoming years and become heralds of India’s age-old performing arts. These will be presented as a formal White Paper titled: Dhara – Vision 2047 for sangeet and Natya Parampara”.