View allAll Photos Tagged Rakesh
Of sorts. My two buddies and myself (holding iPhone, taking a photo) with Rakesh Sharma. Photo from Fireball Run, 27 Sept. 2015, Chester,Md.
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Rakesh Tanwar was, in many ways, my introduction to India. He drove me 15 hours from Delhi to Manali on my first day there. We didn't leave the urban slum of Paharaganj until 1:30, and our mountain drive proved a long one. As I started to nod out of conciousness and my head drooped against the passenger window of our Tata Indica craving well-earned sleep, Rakesh would pull over to a highway stall and order two cups of chai. Whilst the shopowner (always male) cracked cardamon seeds on a stone block with his mallet and set the water boiling, he'd smoke biri cigarattes (Made from a eucalyptus leaf wrapped around Indian tobacco) that cost 4 rupees (10 cents) for a newspaper-wrapped pack of 20. The caffeine would revive me for another 30 minutes and I would ask him how much an Enfield motorcycle cost ($1300) or why he didn't have a bank account (the minimum balance was $25). He even broke down the cost of his drive, for which I had paid $140. His salary was $50/month plus as much as $60 in tips. The rest went to the various middlemen - $5 for the street agent, four times for the shop I was referred to, another bit for their partner, and the rest to his employer. I tipped in $12 when we pulled into Jagatsukh at 4:30 am, and whilst I crashed at a guest house, Rakesh sped his Indica around for to Manali to take another far 15 hours back to Delhi on no sleep.
He was not only informed and happy to share his life, but he looked after me. I felt comfortable leaving my bag, the networth of its contents more than his annual salary with him in the backseat.
If you're in Delhi and heading North to Kuulu, or West to Rajastan, give him a call:
09313239923
So here, I start with the first person.
Of all professions in the world, Rakesh chooses to sell bhelpuri amidst the white snow of Rohtang Pass at the windy heights of 4000+ m above sea level.
A native of Kalyanpur in Delhi, he has been living in Manali for the past 12 years, making the daily trip up to the popular mountain pass to attract tourists with spicy chaat and hot chole kulche.
But winter is coming and soon he will return home to Delhi and make rewaris for the upcoming Lohri celebrations.
Stranger #1
Research, Concept, Direction
Guru Kamalini Dutta
Dancers
Bharatanatyam
Dr. Sridhar Vasudevan
Purvadhanashree
Kathak
Divya Goswami
Hemanta Kumar Kalita
Music Composers
Rakesh Pathak
K Venkateshwaran
Dr. Sridhar Vasudevan
We speak of the spiritual core of classical Indian dance but it is rare for artists to reach beyond stories with the aspiration of tapping into the cosmic. Kashmir Shaivism expresses a profound non-dualistic understanding of the universe — viewing life as filled with rasa/enjoyment. This philosophy of inclusiveness is the need of the day and its interpretation through Bharatanatyam and Kathak in a production by Anugraham — Classical Art Community called Rango’ntaratma on April 1 at 6:45 pm at Kamani Auditorium was an eye-opener for most.
Rango’ntaratma is the central sutra of the Shiva Sutras which define the inner consciousness of the individual as the performance arena where life is played out. Every individual is an actor who assumes multiple roles in his/her life. Manifesting this in performance has been the driving inspiration behind Kamalini Nagarajan Dutt’s year long creative efforts envisioning the theme and working with four superb dancers to bring to life the concepts of this wonderful sutra — Naada, Bindu, Kalaa and Rasa.
The production reveals the hidden concepts of some of these mythological symbols. The journey begins from the formless and unfolds in various forms accessible to sensory perceptions.
Full disclosure: Kamalini Nagarajan Dutt is my kalyanamitra and I have watched with awe as she has immersed herself into the process of developing the concepts and directing the dancers over many months.
- Guru Sharon Lowen, in The Asian Age
Research, Concept, Direction
Guru Kamalini Dutta
Dancers
Bharatanatyam
Dr. Sridhar Vasudevan
Purvadhanashree
Kathak
Divya Goswami
Hemanta Kumar Kalita
Music Composers
Rakesh Pathak
K Venkateshwaran
Dr. Sridhar Vasudevan
We speak of the spiritual core of classical Indian dance but it is rare for artists to reach beyond stories with the aspiration of tapping into the cosmic. Kashmir Shaivism expresses a profound non-dualistic understanding of the universe — viewing life as filled with rasa/enjoyment. This philosophy of inclusiveness is the need of the day and its interpretation through Bharatanatyam and Kathak in a production by Anugraham — Classical Art Community called Rango’ntaratma on April 1 at 6:45 pm at Kamani Auditorium was an eye-opener for most.
Rango’ntaratma is the central sutra of the Shiva Sutras which define the inner consciousness of the individual as the performance arena where life is played out. Every individual is an actor who assumes multiple roles in his/her life. Manifesting this in performance has been the driving inspiration behind Kamalini Nagarajan Dutt’s year long creative efforts envisioning the theme and working with four superb dancers to bring to life the concepts of this wonderful sutra — Naada, Bindu, Kalaa and Rasa.
The production reveals the hidden concepts of some of these mythological symbols. The journey begins from the formless and unfolds in various forms accessible to sensory perceptions.
Full disclosure: Kamalini Nagarajan Dutt is my kalyanamitra and I have watched with awe as she has immersed herself into the process of developing the concepts and directing the dancers over many months.
- Guru Sharon Lowen, in The Asian Age