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Journalism of Courage
Although we live in an era of pop-spiritualism where Madonna8217;s yoga regime, Pilates, has replaced the Surya Namaskar, the modern-day spiritual seeker in
Indian metros still exists, although the profile may have undergone a radical change. Young Indians flushed with prosperity, who are trying not to let the trappings of success completely take over their lives, are keen to hang on to the tradition of questioning.
A popular architect in Delhi, who through sheer grit and remarkable focus has amassed a fortune at 35, recently started a non-profit forum where people from creative fields gather on the third Thursday of every month to exchange ideas.
The format is simple. New people in different disciplines of the arts are painstakingly selected, through recommendations from their popular seniors. They have seven minutes to talk about themselves and their work over a seven-slide power point presentation. Guests are allowed to ask two questions once the presentation is over. And everybody who attends has to contribute a bottle of wine for the evening. On one such Thursday, I went down to this architect8217;s palatial home in South Delhi, clutching the promised bottle. At 8 pm, an eclectic mix of two dozen people had already gathered. A 50-inch screen magically descended from the ceiling in the living room. The first presenter was a 20-something artist who specialised in juxtaposing ancient tribal art with contemporary elements. She described the tepid response to her first show. 8220;I wish the first question people asked wouldn8217;t be how much?8221; she rued.
The second presenter was a stage designer, who8217;s recently had some success at West End but, to earn a living, makes fashion show ramps in India. The third, was a documentary filmmaker who chucked up a career in television to make short movies. We sipped wine, nibbled kababs and watched bits from his hard-hitting portrayal of child abuse. 8220;If you do things with passion, the money will come,8221; he stated.
Later, over a dinner of take-out biryani, I asked my host what motivated him to start the forum, since there was no money in it. 8220;It8217;s not about money,8221; he insisted, as he lit a 2000-rupee cigar, 8220;I just want to encourage young people to push the boundaries.8221; Talk of new ambitions and new ways to achieve them.
