BHARAT BHAWAN has proposed to showcase arts and crafts of six adjoining states of MP during its weeklong festival beginning from February 13 as part of the silver jubilee celebration.
The multi art complex had held a similar folk art mart during the earlier stint of the trust chairman DP Sinha and the show had evoked criticism in a section of the art lovers and artistes. Sinha was Bharat Bhavan’s chief executive officer then.
An official of the Culture department said that the proposed fair might look like Delhi Haat because of the excessive folk arts content unless more eclectic programmes are incorporated to make it a mosaic of Indian art and culture in keeping with the guiding spirit of the art complex.
On being requested to send artistes, State governments mostly rely on folk artistes as they come easy and are mostly devoid of an urban artist’s squeamish, a Culture department official said. That is the reason behind apprehension of the fair resembling a Delhi Haat, he added.
Trust chairman DP Sinha could not be contacted for his comment. However, one of the trustees Vinay Rajaram told Hindustan Times that programme for the proposed fair are yet to be finalised. The last meeting only discussed programmes. “ For details you should ask trust secretary Pankaj Raag who was also present in the meeting”, she said.
{{/usCountry}}Trust chairman DP Sinha could not be contacted for his comment. However, one of the trustees Vinay Rajaram told Hindustan Times that programme for the proposed fair are yet to be finalised. The last meeting only discussed programmes. “ For details you should ask trust secretary Pankaj Raag who was also present in the meeting”, she said.
{{/usCountry}}When contacted, Pankaj Raag, refused to comment on the issue.
According to sources, the trust has also decided that the states participating in the fair will be asked to bear the travelling expenses and honoraria of their respective artistes’ troupe. Bharat Bhavan would only provide them hospitality at Bhopal.
In the last meeting held a week ago, the trust also reversed its earlier decision to invite artistes like legendry flute player Hariprasad Chaurasia and santoor maestro Shivprasad Sharma. The earlier proposal to invite Manipur’s Maharas was also shot down.
Sources further said that the Trust has decided to hold an international Hindi Kavi Sammelan. However, none of the invitees in the proposed gathering is a reputed poet. “ They are basically NRIs who are coming for some different reasons to Delhi but the trust intends to invite them to Bharat Bhavan for poetry recital”, said an official of Bharat Bhavan.
The Bharat Bhavan administration had proposed a SAARC poetic meet. It had also proposed that the celebration should begin with vocal recital by either Kishori Amonkar or Subha Mudgal or Uma Devi.
Instead, the Trust has proposed to invite lesser-known Shanti Sisters from USA for the purpose. They sing Sanskrit hymns of Vedas.