MOHAMMAD Shafi can hardly hold the microphone in his hands, but his heart holds music in all its intensity. Santosh Ramteke, Sunil Nakhate and Sharifa Pendore can’t see, but they have a vision for music. About 200 physically-challenged artistes of the Swaranandwan orchestra, a musical group from Baba Amte’s leprosy asylum at Warora (100 kms from Nagpur in Maharashtra), have taken the neighbourhood by storm. In the past 50 years, Baba Amte’s army has mastered many skills. But music was hardly experimented with till Vikas, Baba’s elder son who manages the Anandwan affairs, floated the idea a year ago. Vikas inspired some of them, who had basic training in music, to cobble together a group. Sadashiv Tajne, Anandwan’s Man Friday, was handed the responsibility. A fully-equipped orchestra group required funds in lakhs. UNICEF, the state government and Share and Care, a US-based NRI NGO, chipped in. Instruments were purchased. Singer Ashok Hande sent 300 cassettes for rehearsals. Inmates handled the stage, lighting and electronics responsibilities themselves. Things began to move fast, and within a year, a Rs 10 lakh set-up with a 10,000 watt output was ready. Till July 15, when the orchestra celebrated its first anniversary, 50 concerts had been held and nearly Rs 2 lakh added to Anandwan’s kitty. ‘‘Just look at their enthusiasm. When they perform, they seem to enjoy life. And look at the audience. Some of them can’t hear, yet they are clapping and waving at the numbers,’’ says Vikas. Whether the performers had any prior training or not, it has only added to their confidence. Sharifa Pendore had been learning music since she joined the Anandwan school for the blind. ‘‘But I sang on stage only after we launched the orchestra. There has been a distinct improvement in my voice since then,’’ she says. Sunil Nakhate, who had never sung before in his life adds, ‘‘Earlier, I thought I won’t be able to do anything in life. Now, I have found a way.’’ Even for Vikas, it’s been a personal victory of sorts. When he pitched the idea a year ago, most, including his family members, laughed at him. He was rather derisively dubbed Anandwan’s ‘‘AR Rahman’’. But for him, music was an important input. The orchestra presents a range of numbers—old and new, Hindi pop to qawwali, Marathi bhavgeet to lavni, patriotic, devotional and what not. ‘‘We have the variety to perform even for 24 hours,’’ says Vikas. Appreciation has flowed in too. ‘‘Medha Patkar was so moved that she sang with them. Hande got emotional and couldn’t speak,’’ Vikas recalls. Besides fulfilling basic needs, the Maharogi Seva Samiti which he runs, pays the artistes Rs 200 a month and Rs 100 per programme. But ‘‘the therapeutic effect of music is their biggest incentive,’’ says Vikas.
