HYDERABAD: India's history is dotted with invasions from around the world, rendering it a very luxuriant heritage to boast of. However, over the past few decades, with borders opening up, the easy sharing of information and the Indian obsession with all things Western, our appreciation for our own culture has dwindled significantly.The Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth (SPIC MACAY) is an initiative that hopes to change things around. Started in 1977 by an unsuspecting US returned graduate, the volunteer-run organisation conducts various activities like heritage walks, classical concerts, lec-dems (lecture demonstrations), workshops, seminars and the works. Founder Kiran Seth, an IIT graduate himself, had an epiphany when he was studying at the Columbia University during 1971-72, when he attended a concert by Ustad Nasir Aminuddin Dagar and Ustad Zia Fariddudin Dagar at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. “I had just gone by to listen them, not even aware of who exactly they were. But what I heard that night made the difference. That was how SPIC MACAY was born,” he recalls.A firm believer in the importance of knowing our heritage, he explains how being able to atleast understand that there is a value to all things cultural and 'old school' makes that much of difference in the quality of life. “There are many ways of looking at life. The most common perception is based on the fancy materialistic things in life. However, there is an alternative way at looking at life --- the heritage way. Being able to connect to the inside, from our tangible existence to the intangible depth of who we really are is important,” he believes. For example, he pulls out names like D K Pattamal and Ustad Bismillah Khan. Maestros and musical geniuses in their own right, yet people who led extremely simple lives. “The beauty of their music lay in them being truly content with themselves,” he opines.While his convictions might seem very spiritual, the work that SPIC MACAY does is, logistically speaking, large. With its roots set in over 300 cities across the country and some 250 more across the world, the SPIC MACAY is pretty wide spread. Conducting events from discussion and debates to kacheri's and hosting house-hold names from the classical world, they give people the opportunity of experiencing culturally enriching sessions. Despite its apparent success though, Kiran is cautious.“People are definitely more aware than they were when I started off. Yet I'm not sure they know much about our heritage. So what we do shouldn't become something cosmetic, like a show. There is no space for pseudo elevating.”He goes on to say, “Kids these days are smarter and more intelligent which probably has a lot more to do with Darwinism than with TV. They're all into 'checking out' things. Which is good. But with no sense of direction or purpose, they keep getting stuck.”As a counter measure, SPIC MACAY hopes to reach out to schools throughout the country by 2020. To this effect, he met with chief minister Kiran Kumar Reddy, among others, hoping to develop a comprehensive plan. “Andhra Pradesh will play an important role out of the more than 15 lakh schools that are there in the country. The government is pretty supportive, so I'm very hopeful,” he signs off on an optimistic note.
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