EP 238 . 28 Apr 22
Baithak Foundation
With Mandar & Dakshayani
In the episode
- What is Baithak?
- Pt. Bhimsen Joshi once said in an interview, “Can a student sit for 4 hours at a stretch? He does 22 asanas in half an hour concert. So let’s start with the etymology of the word Baithak. What according to you Baithak is?
- What is Baithak Foundation and how did it come to be? What’s the mission/vision? Why Baithak? “Building artistic foundation”
- What are a few initiatives under it?
- Can you tell us a little about initiatives under Baithak, like, Anubhav & Parichay, the Baithak Musium, Taalim, Fellowship, Curated concerts, the Bandish bank project, and more
- How has the response been so far? Why schools? After reaching 23 schools, how does it feel and what are your learnings?
- What is your reading of the current time/generation? Is there enough pull towards Shashtriya sangeet or do Music teachers have to be more prepared to generate interest and curiosity?
- Do you see a love for classical music decreasing? If yes, where according to you is the gap? Teaching style, the baggage we carry about the art form? The “Classical” form itself needs discipline? anything else?
- We hear this cliche that what has survived for thousands of years won’t die. Does it mean we never reimagine?
- What is your definition of the classical art form? Is Sadhana an integral part of it? Why is it so?
- How do you try and practice it with kids who have so low attention span?
- How do you see Baithak 20 years from now? What will be its shape and form in the metaverse?
- Looking at the core of India, we are far from Meta-verse but how do you envision Baithak contributing to the society we live in, in the near to long term future?
- You are also a trained Kirtankar. Could you elaborate on it a little? I am sure many of the listeners might not know what a Kirtankar does. How does it help you at Baithak?
About Mandar & Dakshayani
Bade Ghulam Ali Khan once said, “if in every home one child was taught Hindustani Classical Music, this country would never have been partitioned.” And in today’s episode, we have 2 guests who are completely convinced of the power of music. Not just for a better future but the overall development of a child. We have Dakshayani Athalye and Mandar Karanjkar with us on Audiogyan to discuss “Baithak Foundation” as a case study.
Mandar is a passionate believer in the power of music. He is a communication consultant, conducts corporate training and more… He has 3 books in his name. Currently, a student of Indian Classical Music and learned from late Pt. Vijay Sardeshmukh.
Dakshayani, has multiple years of experience working with not for profits. A law graduate from Pune University and later pursued her higher education at TISS in Mumbai. She is a trained Kirtankar (we’ll speak briefly about it in the last part of the conversation. )
Welcome Dakshayani and Mandar to Audiogyan and it’s a real pleasure to have you on the show.
