Can young students imagine going to a gurukul to learn music in this day and age? SPIC MACAY (Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth) in 1986 stepped in to provide opportunities for students residing in far flung areas of each state in the country with the Gurukul Anubhav Scholarship Scheme. In 30 years, have seen 2,500 students attend the gurukuls.
“This year nearly 200 students from various schools will be attending. They will be selected on merit and will get an opportunity to attend lessons conducted by illustrious musicians,” says Supriti, Karnataka State Co-ordinator, SPIC MACAY. “A student is given an opportunity to stay with a guru for a month during the summer vacations and observe the ethos that exists in the system of education and living.
They bring in gurus from classical music/dance, arts, yoga, and social service disciplines. This year SPIC MACAY will have its gurukul conducted at Welham Boys’ School, Dehradun where six gurus will teach 90 students. Apart from this, students will also be sent to Vrindavan Gurukul in Mumbai, ITC SRA at Kolkata and Gangubai Hangal Gurukul at Hubli.
Acclaimed gurus, who are part of this experience are also looking forward to the exercise. “The Gurukul is not aimed at creating artists. It is to use art as a catalyst and medium to facilitate holistic excellence in the lives of children,” says N. Rajam, acclaimed Hindustani violinist. More and more children need to be part of this Gurukul scheme so that our values are not lost, feel other senior gurus. “It’s gratifying to be part of something as this. I wish more students are given the exposure to learn away from their surroundings. It helps open up one’s personality and builds a Guru-Shishya relationship,” says the renowned Pandit. Hariprasad Chaurasia who has been part of SPIC MACAY’s initiatives.
How different is the flute maestro Chaurasia as a guru? “At our Gurukul there is no formality and set time-table. No one is forced to do anything. The environment is so conducive that it inspires one to watch, practice, listen, write from 6 in the morning to 9 at night,” says Chaurasia.
“I was thrilled to be selected for the Gurukul as it is once-in-a-lifetime opportunity that helped me stay and learn from the maestros in music who have only been our ‘models,’ says a Gurukul scholarship recipient Tejaswini Vernekar, who started learning Hindustani as a five-year-old.
For Tejaswini, daughter of a KSRTC driver from Kumta in Karnataka, it was a dream come true. “Learning and staying in the Gurukul with icons as Pt. Ulhas N. Kashalkar, Ustad Mashkoor Ali Khan was so rewarding. It helped me get admission at ITC-SRA in Kolkata and helped me in furthering my musical pursuits,” says Tejaswini whose parents came all the way from Karnataka to settle down in Kolkata and see the daughter pursue music studies.
Tejaswini went on to become the junior scholar at the ITC Sangeet Research Academy. “My Guru, Sri Kumar Mardur ji helped me mend my ways paying attention to even minute details. I was taught the right pronunciation of each swara, techniques of breathing, breath control and a lot of such seemingly basic, yet profound aspects,” says Tejaswini
The last date to apply: March 15; Application forms: www.spicmacay.com ; Email: scholarship@spicmacay.com
