Sadho@Chandigarh: The Launch…

Launch of the ’1st Sadho Poetry Film Fest: Travel Version’…

Chandigarh: October 4 & 5, 2008.

• Day 1 – October 4, 2008. Govt. Museum & Art Gallery Auditorium
• Day 2 – October 5, 2008. The Amphitheatre, Rock Garden

Hosts: Chandigarh Tourism, STEPS & Nek Chand
Text & Pics: Nandan Saxena, Documentary & Poetry-Filmmaker

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Prelude:

All the commas rolled into full stops.

We grew weary of waiting, and said to ourselves –

Time, tide and Sadho wait for none. (That is perhaps the way it was always meant to be.)

And the caravan of ‘Sadho Poetry Film Fest’ rolled on.

As destiny would have it, with a touch of beautiful poetic-justice, the launch just happened to be at Chandigarh – the ‘City Beautiful’ and the hometown of Jitendra Ramprakash, our festival curator.

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The Day Before – The Press Conference:

Reporters from a few dailies and some photojournalists, and many interesting questions…

It took all of them to cajole a shy curator into a photo-session. For once, he was framed!

The next day, we woke up to find the four of us staring out of a few newspapers, one with a kind caption that read: “All Saints”. We were amused, for while we all imagined ourselves as quite saintly, we suspected and joked that others in the team weren’t quite so.

In retrospect, we were deeply thankful for the photographs, for these are the only ones in which our backstage technical wizard Tomar had made an appearance with the rest of us.

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DAY 1: Encore! Encore!!

Taking the liberty of doing another Sengai on “the” Haiku…

A wise frog

returns to his native pond

Plop! Plop! Plop!

… with friends.

Jitendra had spent his childhood and had received his education at Chandigarh. This was the city, where, as he acknowledged that evening, he had been initiated into the three abiding passions of his life – “the mountains, driving, and poetry!”

He knew that we could expect an eclectic mix of erudite scholars, poets, poetry & film lovers and students.

Yes, he was anxious! “Make no mistake, Nandan”, he said to me, “this city has some of the finest judges of poetry that you can ever find.”

And they came…! The applause for the opening film calmed his (our) frayed nerves. And the fest just took off… The next few films were some neo-classic engrossing shorts. Jitendra was pointing at the finer details of the next film when we had the demand for a repeat. Surprised, though pleasantly so, we gladly repeated the film. However, this was just the beginning, as we later realised. Over the next few hours we had to repeat about nine films on popular demand!

When Jitendra tried to suggest that we would repeat films only after the scheduled screening was over, the demand for a repeat came more forcefully in Panjabi, the language of the land, “Aa te tusi vekha hi deyo” (This one, you must show again). He gladly responded in Panjabi & relented, “Hun tusi Panjabi wich kehta e, te vekhani hi paini e.” (Now that you have said so in Panjabi, we have no option but to repeat it.)

Such an audience can warm the cockles of any curator or filmmaker. We were enjoying every moment of it. Mid-way through the screening, out of courtesy, Jitendra asked the audience if there were any questions. “No, let’s carry on with more films”, was the response.

As the evening drew to a close, we were overwhelmed with the warmth of the audience.

At the end of the scheduled screening, Jitendra again asked the audience if they had a question.

“That would be an outrage”, came the retort.

A senior gentleman in dark-rimmed glasses, an air of quiet dignity about him – with one wave of his hand, took care of any questions that could dilute the lingering after-taste of such lovely films.

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DAY 2: The perfect setting & not the perfect start…

Second day of the festival started on the wrong note.

We had planned a screening at the open-air amphitheatre at the Rock Garden. The perfect setting for such poetic films! … or so we had thought!!

Tomar and Rahul, the backstage team were already at the venue, when Jitendra walked into my hotel-room. Visibly worried and in a rare soft-voice, he said, “Its raining outside, Nandan!”

Everyone in the city knew that the venue was an open-air one. With intermittent showers playing truant, and a well-attended screening already done the previous evening… were we to find any audience at all today! Had we been over-ambitious in scheduling two screenings?!

As both of us rushed to the venue, the other two team-members already there, were too busy to take any phone calls. But we did learn in one of the short conversations that the projection equipment had already been dismantled due to the rain! … We arrived at the venue to learn right at the gate that the equipment supplier had already lost a few lights to the showers.

Fearing the worst, we made our way to the Amphitheatre to find… a few people waiting – wet, harried, but with expectant eyes… huddled into a small canopied space.

As the rain reduced to a drizzle, we looked up at a dark sky… trying to weigh our options, wondering if the rain would wash out Day-2 of the fest! We explored the possibility of a screening at a small covered area near the canteen. Some more would-be-spectators joined us. For a while we debated the options, and then left the decision to the audience.

“We shall risk it at the amphitheatre”, they settled the issue. “Let’s see whatever films we can till it rains again”, was the consensus. We agreed and started an hour behind schedule, to almost three-fourths of the seating capacity.

Nek Chand, the creator of Rock Garden, kept his promise. Normally reticent and reclusive, he even took the mic.

He had promised us just five minutes of his time  for he had to attend another event elsewhere. But, he stayed on till nearly the end to watch the films being screened at his garden.

As a tribute to the man, the venue, and the audience… Jitendra opened the evening with the lovely film ‘Poet’s Garden’. Like qawwals do, on some rare evenings… “Here is a ‘Sazeena’, an instrumental, to set up the mood for the evening and for myself”, he declared. The screen and the venue melted their boundaries into each other…

Notorious for never freezing in advance, the list of films he plays on an evening…

(and once even warmly scolded by some of us, as Sadho loses some valuable press coverage)…

Jitendra was on a rare high that evening!

… supported by Tomar, the projectionist, who often learnt only along with the audience which would be the next film, but coolly played them all without a single blip.

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The audience responded;

we resumed where we had left them yesterday.

The new faces quickly adapted to the charged atmosphere.

There were demands of repeats, from yesterday’s fare and from the films shown today.

Jitendra felt comfortable enough to screen a few very slow films that we all love but do not usually screen. They were all appreciated.

We ended the day with 18 films – 7 more than the number tentatively planned for the evening. But then, such was that evening!

As Tomar, who earned the title of ‘Sankat-Mochak’, or ‘trouble-reliever’, an epithet normally reserved for the God Hanumaan – packed his equipment, people lingered on and requested a few repeats.

Those who stayed back to speak to us included a former teacher of Amtojh Sandhu, the Poetry-Filmmaker who hails from Chandigarh; a connoisseur of literature who was glad to discuss Fernando Pessoa; and a poet-friend whose suggestion had perhaps sown the seeds of Sadho in Jitendra’s mind about seventeen years ago.

As we finally packed the stuff in our Scorpio, a dinner invitation came from an unexpected quarter. Jolly – the supplier of the projection equipment, made an earnest entreaty that we go to his house for dinner. He did not invite his clients usually, he told us.

When a Panjabi invites you home for a meal, you should know that you have been truly loved and honored.

And that’s what we indeed were, City Beautiful!

Thank you!

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Sadho@Delhi: The Travel Fest

An afternoon with friends…

Delhi: Sunday, August 31, 2008

Host: Anupama Kohli

Pics: Courtesy & (C) Prashant Panjiar

.From a filmmaker…

With the first edition of ‘Sadho Poetry Film Fest’ behind us in October 2007, its travelling version was next on the agenda. Somehow, the inertia was difficult to shake off and nothing seemed to be working out. While we were exploring the list of possible venues where we could take the fest without any sponsors…  our architect friend Anupama suggested…    an unexpected venue!

“Is it possible for you to hold a screening at my home for some of my friends?”

“Why Not!”

We, at Sadho, do not believe in numbers. Even if a small group of poetry & film-lovers would invite us, we would go.

And despite some back-breaking, bread-earning schedules, many of us from Sadho were happy to greet each other at almost the appointed hour, at Anupama’s home at Vasant Kunj in New Delhi.

Jitendra arranged the sequence of the first ten films. And as ever, we left the rest to the audience response.

There was a motley group of 20, comprising a lawyer, a photographer, a journalist, a writer, a home-maker…all eager to savour the delectable fare that was promised to them.

We felt instantly at home with the group. As the warm afternoon melted into a mellow evening, the audience warmed up to the films of a rare cinematic genre. We must have screened about fifteen films in all. We had to repeat six of them on popular demand. While we played the films and Jitendra hinted at the nuances of poetry and craft, Prashant was busy with his Hasselblad. The pics on this page are his contributions.

With the films flowed the wine and when the screenings were over, flowed the conversation… Now the audience recited poems, invited us for screenings, gave valuable ideas for Sadho & even suggested ways of finding some sponsorship. This is the magic of good poetry and good cinema. It reaches out to people and opens new doors where-ever we go.

To new doors and the road less taken…

– Kavita Bahl / Sadho Trustee & Filmmaker

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From the host…

The Rut: Despite my desire to, and a Sadho-friend’s tireless encouragement… I am unable to attend the Sadho Poetry Film Fest…

Then again may be that was the Blessing…

The Joy: That’s how, one Sunday afternoon I found myself at Nandan and Kavita’s home watching some of the festival films.

It Was a JOY… and specially enriched with the experience of being able to sit with the filmmakers and see the films, to first meet little Aliya and then see Sidharth’s film for her, to be with Kavita and Nandan and see the Buddha (I may forget the names I’ll not forget the films or the people)… not to say the warmth of the hosts and the cold beer… I saw the films again and again… Was touched and filled with joy.

The Sharing: So many people I know would connect with this – but like me – were not part of a festival circuit or were simply in the rut. And so on another Sunday (29th Aug?) we had, what Jiten chooses to call the precursor to the travelling fest. (For me it was at Nandan’s house in Noida )

Here are the nitty grittys I’ve been asked to share… and the essence

The Invite: Poetry Film Fest, beer n brunch, this Sunday, 12 noon, my place, Vasant Kunj

The Eve before: Trying to organize the food & the seating.. should it be NSD style? The TV arrives – You have found a table for the TV! Taking out my blue floral table-cloths: where shall I serve the food? Rags, should I serve only cold food? Sanjay, will you get a case of beer? Phoolo, arrange some flowers! Hope its cool tomorrow!! Will 22 people fit in here??

Sunday: Almost everyone turns up. From Sadho: Jiten, Nandan, Kavita, Sidharth. Thank You.
Others: 30 to 66; farmer, Lawyer, teacher… some have come home for the first time… about 20 in all

The films: We watch again… and again… and again… BUT Jiten where is ‘The Dead’??

Yes. The Joy I had felt – I know had been shared; each one connected in his or her own way and was touched .. it was an uplifting experience.

Other good Things of Life: beer, wine, cheese, cold meat, bread, salad, hot rice, curry… you can’t go wrong.

Dusk: The last guests have just left, the curator hasn’t had a bite, we pick on the leftovers… And the Joy Lingers…….

‑­ The Joy Lingers: Each and every single person called back to specially thank and just talk about the show, many of whom I meet or talk as the days have gone by recall and thank me again , and all of them express a desire to share it with others – Charu- U know my school would love it. Bharat – Sahil is learning film and could he see any one of the films. Prashant sent us some great pics. Somi – you know it would be great for the special children… I’d like to do something… and it goes on…..

So thank you… all the filmmakers and thank you Sadho…

– Anupama Kohli / Architect

Kids’ Corner: Poem 05

IN SEARCH OF HEAVEN

by

Mallika Vadhera

(age 13)

In Search Of Heaven

Lost in the darkness of my own shadow,
in search for a ray of hope,
Simply to justify the truth,
how bad did I make it look….
Truth and faith have power they say,
when you find your destiny far away,
taking the support of those two gems,
can touch the stars up so high ,
oh! there’s no end…

This world is cruel they say ,
while peace and accord are difficult to stay ,
When there’s no one to open up to,
When you are all alone ,
Accepting the truth is hard ,
Living it up boldly is harder…

When you just don’t understand
where did you go wrong,
Then you might have to look back;
and just turn around…

to let those dark nights blow away,
And when you find
the silver lining in the black clouds,
Finally set it up right,
and step out with pride,

The road of the life is no more rough ,
When you let those frozen tears fade away,
And let the sunshine start your day,

When those memories get recalled ,
I laugh once; and again ,
As I open the black pages once again,
When I remember as they used to say,
How did I soak everything in,
As it just passed away…

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To read other Poems in the Kids’ Corner please click Here

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