Today is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Though we might have progressed with time, there's no denying the fact that there is still a dearth of understanding disability-related issues in society. Evident by the manner in which so many public spaces continue to be non-accessible. Not to mention the stigma that persons with disabilities continue to face...
However, today will be different, and hopefully a day that will go down in the annals of 2017. More than 200 differently-abled individuals will meet at Bal Gandharva Rangmandir for an evening of music and dance. An occasion to celebrate the differently-abled, the evening will also witness a performance by Miracle on Wheels, touted to be India's first inclusive dance company that promotes the talents of people with special needs. Part of a day-long line of events, the evening is supported by Dr Bhanuben Nanavati College of Architecture (BNCA)'s Universal Design Centre, the Pune Municipal Corporation, Savitribai Phule Pune University and Design Bridge Foundation.
Organiser Kavita Murugkar, an architect and associate professor at BNCA, shares, "Art unites people irrespective of their differences. It is possibly the best way to convey how abilities, and not disability, define an individual." This being the reason for choosing the performing arts to celebrate the day, Kavita tells us that the evening's line-up was specially designed. "Besides the performance by Miracle on Wheels, which will be a visual treat, we included a music performance by city-based band, Mukti World Fusion. The idea is to have something for the visually-challenged to enjoy as well," Kavita adds.
Kavita and her husband, Abhijit, who work extensively in the disability sector through their NGO and otherwise, realise that such occasions can be a great way to campaign for inclusivity in society. "The event is mainly to sensitise the masses — the so called 'normal', and challenge the 'abnormal' mindset that looks at disability with discrimination," says Kavita. She notes how society has the tendency to ignore or sympathise with disability issues, while rarely encouraging talents of people with disabilities. "Hence, we hope to see a greater turnout of those who are able-bodied over those who are differently-abled. This programme would be different in the sense that it will also showcase performances by artistes with disabilities," she adds.
We've been told that more than 200 differently-abled people are expected to turn up for the event. Kavita says, "Their attendance is equally important, as their invisibility is otherwise the greatest barrier in their inclusion with the mainstream. We've encouraged many people to make it for today's event, because we believe their presence is enough to show that they are equal stakeholders of society, and must be counted in all collective decisions."
Shantanu Ladkat, a computer trainer at Technical Training Institute of Poona Blind Men's Association, is looking forward to the event. "Besides the performances, my motive to attend the show is to encourage others with disabilities, that they can do what they want to. Though I am visually-challenged, I am pursuing my PhD. If I can do what I want, so can the others." Dhananjay Bhole, the centre coordinator of SPPU's Advanced Technology Blind
Student's Learning Centre, will also be bring 60 visually-challenged students for the show.
The evening's line-up
1) Pune's Mukti World Fusion band will perform for an hour. Composer-tabla player Uday Ramdas, who leads the band, says, "We'll be performing five pieces, including our composition Fire and Ice, rooted in Raga Saraswati with elements of Western music. The beginning of the piece has been altered so as to suit our esteemed audience for the evening. We'll be starting with the Sanskrit saying, 'Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya', which translated to 'Lead me from darkness to light.'" Gerry Rebello (guitar and bass), Amit Kakade (flute), Rohit Kulkarni (keyboard), Nitin Satav (djembe and percussion) and Nagesh Bhosekar (standing drums) comprise the rest of the band.
2) A dance performance by Miracle on Wheels. The clan of differently-abled artistes have won over audiences with its performances using wheelchairs.
The moment people see someone with a physical challenge as 'differently-abled' and not 'disabled', the world will be a better place to live in. Our physical challenge does not make us 'disabled'; we just do things differently, and that does not make us less capable of anything. I think art is one language that everyone understands regardless of their background. It helps me put forth my problems of inclusivity in a very surreal, yet effective manner. It's like hitting a bull's eye without the bull having any understanding of it!
— Sweta Mantrii, city-based writer, disability rights activist, and stand-up comedian
However, today will be different, and hopefully a day that will go down in the annals of 2017. More than 200 differently-abled individuals will meet at Bal Gandharva Rangmandir for an evening of music and dance. An occasion to celebrate the differently-abled, the evening will also witness a performance by Miracle on Wheels, touted to be India's first inclusive dance company that promotes the talents of people with special needs. Part of a day-long line of events, the evening is supported by Dr Bhanuben Nanavati College of Architecture (BNCA)'s Universal Design Centre, the Pune Municipal Corporation, Savitribai Phule Pune University and Design Bridge Foundation.
Organiser Kavita Murugkar, an architect and associate professor at BNCA, shares, "Art unites people irrespective of their differences. It is possibly the best way to convey how abilities, and not disability, define an individual." This being the reason for choosing the performing arts to celebrate the day, Kavita tells us that the evening's line-up was specially designed. "Besides the performance by Miracle on Wheels, which will be a visual treat, we included a music performance by city-based band, Mukti World Fusion. The idea is to have something for the visually-challenged to enjoy as well," Kavita adds.
Kavita and her husband, Abhijit, who work extensively in the disability sector through their NGO and otherwise, realise that such occasions can be a great way to campaign for inclusivity in society. "The event is mainly to sensitise the masses — the so called 'normal', and challenge the 'abnormal' mindset that looks at disability with discrimination," says Kavita. She notes how society has the tendency to ignore or sympathise with disability issues, while rarely encouraging talents of people with disabilities. "Hence, we hope to see a greater turnout of those who are able-bodied over those who are differently-abled. This programme would be different in the sense that it will also showcase performances by artistes with disabilities," she adds.
We've been told that more than 200 differently-abled people are expected to turn up for the event. Kavita says, "Their attendance is equally important, as their invisibility is otherwise the greatest barrier in their inclusion with the mainstream. We've encouraged many people to make it for today's event, because we believe their presence is enough to show that they are equal stakeholders of society, and must be counted in all collective decisions."
Shantanu Ladkat, a computer trainer at Technical Training Institute of Poona Blind Men's Association, is looking forward to the event. "Besides the performances, my motive to attend the show is to encourage others with disabilities, that they can do what they want to. Though I am visually-challenged, I am pursuing my PhD. If I can do what I want, so can the others." Dhananjay Bhole, the centre coordinator of SPPU's Advanced Technology Blind
Student's Learning Centre, will also be bring 60 visually-challenged students for the show.
The evening's line-up
1) Pune's Mukti World Fusion band will perform for an hour. Composer-tabla player Uday Ramdas, who leads the band, says, "We'll be performing five pieces, including our composition Fire and Ice, rooted in Raga Saraswati with elements of Western music. The beginning of the piece has been altered so as to suit our esteemed audience for the evening. We'll be starting with the Sanskrit saying, 'Tamaso ma jyotir gamaya', which translated to 'Lead me from darkness to light.'" Gerry Rebello (guitar and bass), Amit Kakade (flute), Rohit Kulkarni (keyboard), Nitin Satav (djembe and percussion) and Nagesh Bhosekar (standing drums) comprise the rest of the band.
2) A dance performance by Miracle on Wheels. The clan of differently-abled artistes have won over audiences with its performances using wheelchairs.
The moment people see someone with a physical challenge as 'differently-abled' and not 'disabled', the world will be a better place to live in. Our physical challenge does not make us 'disabled'; we just do things differently, and that does not make us less capable of anything. I think art is one language that everyone understands regardless of their background. It helps me put forth my problems of inclusivity in a very surreal, yet effective manner. It's like hitting a bull's eye without the bull having any understanding of it!
— Sweta Mantrii, city-based writer, disability rights activist, and stand-up comedian
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