Sunday 7 September 2014

Tribute - Maya Rao – The Cultural Czarina of Garden City - Veejay Sai

Once in a lifetime great people walk this earth and when you witness their presence, you thank your lucky stars for having lived the times they lived in, for having breathed the same air and for being associated with them. Maya Rao was one such epic woman! 

Maya Rao came into my life, way back in 1996 when I was scripting and researching a Tele-serial for STAR TV, based on Indian classical music and dance. The serial was anchored by none other than Ustad Zakir Hussain and was a grand success. The idea was to shoot 54 episodes on music and the next 54 on dance and theatre. In an era where there was no internet and mobile phone and technology wasn’t as friendly, I was commissioned by the channel to go across the country, meet legends in the fields of performing arts and put the script together. We had planned a few episodes on Kathak and I began reading as a part of my homework. I came across a stunning image of Maya Rao in ‘Kathak dance through the ages’ authored by Projesh Banerji and the ‘Marg’ issue on Kathak at the NCPA library in Bombay.  

Read the tribute in the site

3 comments:

  1. This is awesome ... thank u so much and last 2 para brought tears in my eyes .. so much heart touching .....

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  2. Heart Warming.... It was my deepest desire to perform at least once.... in front of her.

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  3. Dear Vijay
    When one rang her doorbell, a firm voice from inside would ask ‘Yaaru’ in Kannada, yes the same words was coming out with apt shruti i heard when ever i use to visit.
    At times when there was no maid servant at home she herself use to open the door,which was very embarrassing, but left with no other alternative except to meet her and take her blessings

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