Pulling strings behind scenes

The first show was called Aapli Awad, staged at the Laxmi Kreeda Mandir, Appa Balwant Chowk. 8220;This was the first professional Marathi orchestra and since then the journey has continued unabated,8221; says Bhonde. Swaranand has staged shows regularly since 30 years, and in the process has nurtured musical talent since it8217;s inception. Sudhir Datar, Shaila Sardesdai, Meena Hasabnis, Shobha Joshi, Arun Nulkar, Harish Desai and Vishwanath Oak are well-known names in music today. In the last 25 years as many as 23 artistes have benefited in their careers, courtesy Swaranand.

8220;When we first had shows, we did not compose and set music independently. On August 15, 1972, we presented a programme, Swatantrate Bhagvati, on the eve of the silver jubilee of the country8217;s independence, and for the first time with independent compositions and lyrics,8221; says Bhonde.

As a manager, Bhonde has been managed to run the show professionally, single-handedly. 8220;Swaranand started as an amateur charitable organisation, we all do it as a hobby, taking time out from work. But over the years the group has acquired a distinct status of it8217;s own,8221; says Bhonde.

He recalls some memorable performances. 8220;In December, 1975 we held a programme Mantarlelya Chaitraban, conceived by Sudhir Moghe, which featured film songs composed by Ga Di Madgulkar, and where stalwarts like Raja Paranjpe, Sudhir Phadke were present.8221;

However, one of Bhonde8217;s most cherished memories are the visit to Andaman for a show. In 1983, April 30, Swaranand had put up a programme Naman Mrityunjay Veera on the birth centenary of Veer Savarkar. 8220;We were invited to perform at Andaman in 1984, and our troupe sang in the cell in which Savarkar was imprisoned. It was a touching moment,8221; he reminiscences.

On Pu La Deshpande8217;s 60th and 75th birthdays, the group put up a performance Pulkin Geete, and this year, during the Pulotsav, they presented Bhavgeetanche Watchaal, tracing the graph of devotional songs on the request of Pu La himself.

8220;Most shows of Swaranand have been shown on Doordarshan. And besides this the group felicitates music maestros, holds workshops in voice culture, and initiates discussions on music. We have also produced two cassettes 8211; a video on Gajanan Watve who is the honorary president and an audio on Mantarlelya Chaitraban. The troupe has also instituted two awards 8211; one in the name of Manik Verma for an established singer and one in the name of Keshavrao Bhole for a new and young composer,8221; says Bhonde. Well, this is one group which promises to fill everyone8217;s lives with the joy of music!

Fantasia in dried flowers Susan Khurana is a nature-lover and it was but natural that she should have opted for a pastime revolving around it. Since she hails from Sikkim, the land of flowers, her passion for dried flower arrangements makes greater sense. Reading about the process in an American magazine some moons ago, she took up the occupation with gusto and now invests much of her time and energy in her production, entitled Floral Fantasy.

Khurana, who divides her time between Mumbai and Pune, has planned an exhibition in December in Pune, where she will display her exotic flower arrangements and other artistic endeavours at the Sakshi Art Gallery, Boat Club Road on December 15 and 16. Her daughter Lonika is a fashion designer and the mother-daughter team have worked on some gorgeous linen, and classy outfits designed by Lonika which they will also be putting up at the exhibition.

Khurana8217;s flower power attracts attention. 8220;I invested in a dehydrator costing Rs 20,000, various cutting tools and the chemicals and colour sprays required to fix the flowers and then enhance the colours,8221; she says. It8217;s time-consuming and tedious process, but the end result is beautiful.

Khurana collects the flowers 8220;from just about anywhere. When I go to Sikkim, of course I collect there, but I go for long flower-hunting drives and pick up anything which looks interesting, in Mumbai and on my travels, from the jungles of Matheran, Panchgani to the Himalayan ranges,8221; she says.

Once collected, the flowers and ferns are treated in the dehydrator for 12 to 18 hours. They are then treated with chemicals to ensure their lasting power. And then colour sprayed for brighter effect. 8220;These colours are imported, meant specially for flowers. Then comes the hunt for the right containers to add to the beauty of the entire arrangement,8221; she explains.

There are many arrangements which are typically natural with only lacquer coating or then flowers around driftwood. The colours range in shades of orange, mauve, pink, yellow, green, brown, naturals with gold and bronze thrown in. Khurana has had many exhibitions, where she displays bouquets, centre pieces, side pieces, candle holders, napkin holders, wall hangings, spray bunches, for home as well as office decor. All with dried vegetation, twigs and twine!