Charul and Vinay, their social work
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Prasanthi
Nov 27, 2008, 10:57:55 AM11/27/08
to birdsofsamefeathers
Friends,
It is very inspiring to know about wonderful people and their efforts,
the difference they make in others lives.
Source: http://giri-dhar.blogspot.com/2006/01/loknaad-spreading-awareness-through.html
Information: Through "Jaanane Kaa Haq Hai" song showed to me by
Rakesh.
(Please do not miss this song: http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=iZ1yvrMDUMU)
Loknaad: Spreading awareness through music
"We are living with violence around us and so its defination is
getting narrower day by day."
New Delhi, Dec 09: Music is the only medium for this couple to reach
out to the masses and create social awareness although they are not
formally trained in music!
Meet Vinay Mahajan and Charul Bharwada of 'Loknaad' (People's Voice),
who use songs, accompanied with ghungroo and dafli to take the results
of their findings from studies and field experience to the people for
collective reflection and action.
"What began as a way to express feelings against injustice at meetings
and rallies gradually took shape of a platform - a form to voice
people's agony and aspiration," says Charul.
Vinay, an agricultural engineeer and Charul, an architect left their
corporate jobs and initiated Loknaad in 1992 with an aim towards
"building the culture of peace, dignity and democracy."
The duo has written and composed 50 songs in Hindi, Gujrati and
Punjabi, and given over 250 performances focused on marginalised
communities -- with special emphasis on women and children, and the
issues releated to agriculture and water resources.
"We had no formal training in music. Neither we were performers. While
doing our professional work we came across what we call 'true India',"
says Vinay.
The Ahmedabad based couple, who won the 'Sanskriti Award 2005 for
Outstanding Social Achievement' recently, say that choosing songs as a
medium was not their "conscious decision."
"We had seen such performances in our childhood and we had ideas to
express," he says.
"We had developed a keen interest in using songs as a way to take the
findings of our field experiences and the ground realities to people,"
adds Charul.
"Most of the time people only talk about different issues or violence
be it social or religious and leave the task of improving the
situation to others.
"We through our performance -- which is a mixture of commentry, story
and songs -- create social awareness and try to put across the message
to people to think how they can improve the situation, " she says.
The Loknaad team, which has performed for audiences in rural and urban
areas, schools, citizen fora, for farmers and tribals is of the
opinion that defination of violence is getting "narrower" day by day.
"People only react to social and religious violence. But there are
different types of violence happening everyday around us which go
unnoticed," says Charul.
"Any violation of human rights and dignity of a human being is a
violence. We are living with violence around us and so its defination
is getting narrower day by day," opines Vinay.
"Look at child labour issue. These children are losing their childhood
when they are very young. They are forced to work. Is this not a
violence? Aren't we living with it?" asks Charul.
Be it child labour issue, organic farming campaign in Gujarat,
people's struggle against the displacement due to developmental
projects or the Right to Information, the Loknaad team has been a part
of these campaigns through specific songs.
Sadhana Bhalla, Principal of Mira Model School in east Delhi, where
the duo had performed says, "Their mode of conveying the message is
unique. They raise the issue be it child labour, farmer's suicide or
riots, in a simple way so that the message is put across effectively.
"Their simple songs with strong message helps in making the connection
with the audience immediately, she adds.
While songs remain Loknaad team's more known form of "expression",
they have also prepared radio programmes, calenders, posters to spread
awareness. The forum's first publication 'Chalo Chowk Chitarva' (Let's
paint the chauraha) of peopl's song in Gujrati was released in 1992
followed by a cassette of Gujrati songs titled 'Loknaad' in 1994.
Their latest composition titled 'Insaan hain hum' (We are humans)
"sensitises" people about with different forms of violence.
Unlike others, these performers do not charge for their programmes,
they do not perform on political platforms nor for charity and fund
raising events.
The team which has also received the 'Young Achievers' Award 2000 by
Generation Next and Symbiosis Institute of Management for its
contribution to creative social music, says, "Such recognisition shows
our voices are being heard and being received as important voice."
"This also puts a lot of responsibility on us with the kind of
expectations it generates, says Charul.
"Songs are our only strength and our limitation is that we are a team
of two," she adds.
~ GDN
Thank you.
with regards,
Prasanthi.
It is very inspiring to know about wonderful people and their efforts,
the difference they make in others lives.
Source: http://giri-dhar.blogspot.com/2006/01/loknaad-spreading-awareness-through.html
Information: Through "Jaanane Kaa Haq Hai" song showed to me by
Rakesh.
(Please do not miss this song: http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=iZ1yvrMDUMU)
Loknaad: Spreading awareness through music
"We are living with violence around us and so its defination is
getting narrower day by day."
New Delhi, Dec 09: Music is the only medium for this couple to reach
out to the masses and create social awareness although they are not
formally trained in music!
Meet Vinay Mahajan and Charul Bharwada of 'Loknaad' (People's Voice),
who use songs, accompanied with ghungroo and dafli to take the results
of their findings from studies and field experience to the people for
collective reflection and action.
"What began as a way to express feelings against injustice at meetings
and rallies gradually took shape of a platform - a form to voice
people's agony and aspiration," says Charul.
Vinay, an agricultural engineeer and Charul, an architect left their
corporate jobs and initiated Loknaad in 1992 with an aim towards
"building the culture of peace, dignity and democracy."
The duo has written and composed 50 songs in Hindi, Gujrati and
Punjabi, and given over 250 performances focused on marginalised
communities -- with special emphasis on women and children, and the
issues releated to agriculture and water resources.
"We had no formal training in music. Neither we were performers. While
doing our professional work we came across what we call 'true India',"
says Vinay.
The Ahmedabad based couple, who won the 'Sanskriti Award 2005 for
Outstanding Social Achievement' recently, say that choosing songs as a
medium was not their "conscious decision."
"We had seen such performances in our childhood and we had ideas to
express," he says.
"We had developed a keen interest in using songs as a way to take the
findings of our field experiences and the ground realities to people,"
adds Charul.
"Most of the time people only talk about different issues or violence
be it social or religious and leave the task of improving the
situation to others.
"We through our performance -- which is a mixture of commentry, story
and songs -- create social awareness and try to put across the message
to people to think how they can improve the situation, " she says.
The Loknaad team, which has performed for audiences in rural and urban
areas, schools, citizen fora, for farmers and tribals is of the
opinion that defination of violence is getting "narrower" day by day.
"People only react to social and religious violence. But there are
different types of violence happening everyday around us which go
unnoticed," says Charul.
"Any violation of human rights and dignity of a human being is a
violence. We are living with violence around us and so its defination
is getting narrower day by day," opines Vinay.
"Look at child labour issue. These children are losing their childhood
when they are very young. They are forced to work. Is this not a
violence? Aren't we living with it?" asks Charul.
Be it child labour issue, organic farming campaign in Gujarat,
people's struggle against the displacement due to developmental
projects or the Right to Information, the Loknaad team has been a part
of these campaigns through specific songs.
Sadhana Bhalla, Principal of Mira Model School in east Delhi, where
the duo had performed says, "Their mode of conveying the message is
unique. They raise the issue be it child labour, farmer's suicide or
riots, in a simple way so that the message is put across effectively.
"Their simple songs with strong message helps in making the connection
with the audience immediately, she adds.
While songs remain Loknaad team's more known form of "expression",
they have also prepared radio programmes, calenders, posters to spread
awareness. The forum's first publication 'Chalo Chowk Chitarva' (Let's
paint the chauraha) of peopl's song in Gujrati was released in 1992
followed by a cassette of Gujrati songs titled 'Loknaad' in 1994.
Their latest composition titled 'Insaan hain hum' (We are humans)
"sensitises" people about with different forms of violence.
Unlike others, these performers do not charge for their programmes,
they do not perform on political platforms nor for charity and fund
raising events.
The team which has also received the 'Young Achievers' Award 2000 by
Generation Next and Symbiosis Institute of Management for its
contribution to creative social music, says, "Such recognisition shows
our voices are being heard and being received as important voice."
"This also puts a lot of responsibility on us with the kind of
expectations it generates, says Charul.
"Songs are our only strength and our limitation is that we are a team
of two," she adds.
~ GDN
Thank you.
with regards,
Prasanthi.
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