MUMBAI: On the occasion of its 31st anniversary, SPIC MACAY begins its Virasat 2008 series in Delhi and all over the country in 300 towns. Spic Macay is an affirmation of need to conserve and promote an awareness of the rich culture tapestry of India among the youth, through focus on the classical arts with its rituals, and mythology and philosophy and to facilitate an appreciation of their deeper values. The need for an inspired perspective in a world bombarded with too much information. This year it is also a celebration of the 80th year of Smt. Girija Devi and 70th year of Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia. Some of the artists who will participate in this series are Pt. Birju Maharaj, Pt. Shiv Kumar Sharma, Shri T.N. Seshagopalan, Smt. Allarmel Valli, Pt. Vishwamohan Bhatt, Smt. Shovana Narayan, Pt. Rajan and Sajan Mishra, Smt. Teejan Bai and others.
The Inauguration of Delhi Virasat was on 2nd September with recitals by Smt. Girija Devi and Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia at the Vice Regal Lodge, Delhi University at 6 p.m.. Virasat is a festival, comprising lecture demonstrations, performance and workshops in folk and classical arts, literature, crafts, talks, walks, theatre, films and yoga held in different education institutions. It aims at a close interaction between students and artists. Smt. Girija Devi started the concert with a few well known traditional ragas and on public demand she also sang "Kajri" where as Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia started with raag "Saraswati". On this occasion Dr. Karan Singh, Smt. Kapila Vatsayan, Raja Rajnish Singh, Jasbir Jassi, Randhir Singh, Dr. Kiran Seth, Rashmi Malik were also present there.
Virasat 2008 comprises of various aspects of our rich heritage like Classical Music and Dance, Theatre by Shri Habib Tanvir, Film Classics of directors like Satyajit Ray, Akira Kurosawa, Charlie Chaplin among others. There will be Folk Forms from North East, Sufi Qawwali, Biraha Geet by Shri Ram Kailas, Prahlad Natak by Shri Krishan Chandra Sahu, Yoga and Meditation, Talks by eminent personalities like Smt. Anjolie Ela Menon, Shri Namwar Singh, Shri Raghu Rai, Shri Dadi Pudumjee, and Heritage Walks to historical sites, Foreign Groups, Intensives and Holisitic Food. Crafts Workshops will also be held in various educational institutes by Ms.Sentila Yanger (Naga Weaving), Smt. Shanti Devi (Madhubani), Smt. Karuna Chitrakar (Patwa Painting), Shri Anis Siddiqui (Calligraphy). All the programmes in this series will be held in schools and colleges. In Virasat series SPIC MACAY plans to conduct over 1000 programmes in India and abroad.
The event was dedicated to Guru Ammannur Madhav Chakyar and Pt. Kishan Maharaj. The event was held in baithak style (informal chamber concert atmosphere) to create the traditional relationship, a humble effort to create awareness of our composite heritage amongst the youth.