Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre Commenced Its Annual Guru Purnima Celebration – ‘Parampara’
~ The extraordinary musical weekend – part of a yearly tradition at the Cultural Centre – paid homage to the special bond between guru and shishya ~
India’s foremost multi-disciplinary cultural space, Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre, begun its annual celebration ‘Parampara –A Guru Purnima Special’, as a tribute to the timeless guru-shishya bond.
Guided by Mrs. Nita Ambani’s own lifelong experience as a student of the arts, the immersive musical weekend features extraordinary performances by the finest maestros of Indian Classical music.
The opening day began with a lamp lighting ceremony led by Mrs. Nita Ambani, who was accompanied by the living legends of Indian Classical music – Padma Vibhushan Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia and Pt. Kartick Kumar, along with their respective disciples, Rakesh Chaurasia and Niladri Kumar.
Addressing the audience, she paid tribute to parents everywhere as the first gurus, teachers and mentors in one’s life – fondly reminiscing the role father-in-law Shri Dhirubhai Ambani played in her own. Mrs. Nita Ambani concluded the speech by chanting the sacred shloka of guru vandana, as a full house of 2000 people at The Grand Theatre joined in. The reverberation, amplified by the world-class acoustics of the space, filled it with an air of reverence and positivity, setting the stage for the evening’s performances. Both ‘Enchanting Sitars’ by father-son duo Pt. Kartick and Niladri Kumar and ‘Divine Flutes’ by Pt. Hariprasad and his nephew Rakesh Chaurasia were greeted by a mesmerised audience. Later, as Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia played the tune of ‘Happy Birthday’ on his flute on the eve of his 85th birthday, the entire auditorium rose in standing ovation.
Celebrations are set to continue today with ‘Three Generations, One Legacy’,which brings together Padma Vibhushan Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and his sons Amaan Ali Bangash and Ayaan Ali Bangash, along with Ustad’s grandsons – 10-year-old twins Zohaan and Abeer Ali Bangash.
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Mrs. Nita Ambani’s Address at ‘Parampara
– A Guru Purnima Special’
Ladies and gentlemen,
Distinguished artists,
Dear friends,
Namaskar.
मैं तहे दिल से आप सभी का NMACC में स्वागत करती हूँ।
सबसे पहले आप सभी को गुरु पूर्णिमा की अनेकों शुभकामनाएं …
A very warm welcome to Parampara, our humble tribute on the occasion of Guru Purnima.
Guru Purnima celebrates the special bond between guru and shishya.
गुरु नाम आते ही एक गहरी पवित्रता का अहसास होता है।
यदि गुरु शब्द का अर्थ देखें तो…
गु का अर्थ होता है अंधकार…
और रु का अर्थ उजाला होता है।
यानी, गुरु शिष्यों के जीवन में
अंधकार को दूर करते हैं…
और उनके जीवन को उजाले से भर देते हैं।
A guru is our teacher, mentor, guide, support, and our saarthi.
Right from Krishna to Dronacharya.
From Maitreyi to Chanakya.
From Savitiribai Phule to Swami Vivekanand.
From time immemorial, India has witnessed a tradition of inspiring gurus.
They have transformed not only the lives of their disciples, but also created legacies for generations to look up to and live by!
In my own journey of life, I have been blessed to find gurus who have guided and shaped me into the person I am today.
My mother’s name is Purnima.
On this sacred day of Guru Purnima, let us honour all our parents as our first gurus, teachers, mentors, and role models!
They guide us and teach us life lessons with their wisdom and unconditional love.
Today, I am remembering with fondness and gratitude, one of my dearest and most inspiring gurus – my father-in-law Shri Dhirubhai Ambani.
On the 6th of July, it will be Pappa’s 21st death anniversary.
He continues to live on, not only in our hearts, but in the hearts of millions of Indians.
Today, with the deepest respect and affection, we pay our homage and shraddhanjali to Pappa.
Pappa was an institution in himself!
He was an icon, a visionary, a business leader par excellence, but at his core, Pappa was a loving teacher.
Just being in his presence, watching his grit and determination in everything he did, was a masterclass on life!
He always believed in me and encouraged me to follow my dreams.
I remember 7:30 pm every evening used to be my time with Pappa!
He would sit with me and ask me questions. The topic could be anything!
It would range from agriculture to stock market to the political climate in Argentina in those days.
Many times, I would try to find out from Mukesh what Pappa might ask me the next day!
Of course, that didn’t help, as Pappa would always find new topics to quiz me on.
Though at that time it was overwhelming for a young bride –
मैं तो कई बार डर भी जाती थी।
But now I look back at it as the hour of learning and motivation!
He broadened my horizons, taught me that nothing is impossible if you chase your dreams with discipline and hard work, and showed me the value of respecting and nurturing relationships.
Pappa’s zest for life and his vision have been an inspiration for Mukesh & me, for all his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, the entire Reliance family, and also for the youth of our nation in whom Pappa always had the greatest belief and faith.
Pappa left a void that can never be filled, but his indomitable spirit continues to guide and inspire us in all that we do.
Friends,
I am a teacher at heart and an educationist by passion. But as an artist, I am a lifelong student of dance.
I worship dance.
Dance has been a form of expression, meditation, and devotion. It is my connection with divinity.
Today, I want to express my respect and gratitude to all my teachers from school to college, and the gurus who initiated me into the sacred discipline of Bharatanatyam.
Friends,
एक गुरु और शिष्य का सम्बन्ध विश्वास और सम्मान पर निर्भर होता है
। गुरु-शिष्य परम्परा भारत में प्राचीन काल से मनाई जाती रही है।
The guru-shishya parampara is the heart and soul of India’s artistic and cultural legacy.
It is the foundation of our nation’s rich heritage.
It serves as the bridge connecting our past, present, and future. A tradition that embodies the essence of our values.
At NMACC, through Parampara, we are honoured to pay tribute to the richness and beauty of this tradition.
Over these two days, it is our privilege to host some of the finest maestros of Indian Classical music and their illustrious disciples.
We are truly honoured that gracing our stage today, are:
Pt. Kartick Kumar with his talented son Shri Niladri Kumar, and Padma Vibhushan Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia with his talented nephew Shri Rakesh Chaurasia.
My deepest gratitude, respect, and appreciation to all our distinguished artists!
My sincere thanks and appreciation also to all of you, our dear audience!
Thank you for joining us in honouring this sacred Indian tradition that has flourished across eras and over generations.
भारतीय संस्कृति में गुरु का दर्ज़ा ईश्वर से भी ऊँचा माना गया है।
आइए हम गुरु और शिष्य के बीच के इस गहरे बंधन को सम्मान दें और
नमन करें।
मेरे साथ-साथ आप भी दोहराएँ –
गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णु:, गुरुर्देवो महेश्वर:।
गुरुर्साक्षात् परंब्रह्म, तस्मै श्रीगुरुवे नम:।।
धन्यवाद।