REPORT AND PHOTOS BY SANJAY PANDYA
Atlanta, GA, July 23, 2024: The International Gujarati Cultural Society of Atlanta (IGCSA) organized two outstanding events at the Best Western in Roswell, Atlanta, on July 13, 2024, that transported the Gujarati audience to a new world! The first event was an evening with the noted writer Madhu Rye, and the second was an evening of popular Gujarati Ghazals presented by the iconic Gujarati poet Shobhit Desai.
As the planned “Gujarati Short-Story Writer’s Workshop” under the proficient short-story writer Madhu Rye didn’t receive enough participants in Atlanta, the program was slightly revised.
Celebrated Gujarati author Madhu Rye is the recipient of prestigious awards such as the “Narmad Suvarna Chandrak,” “Ranjitram Suvarna Chandrak,” “Bhupen Khakhar Award,” and “Sahitya Gaurav Puraskar.” The octogenarian creative genius Madhu Rye’s oeuvre includes stage drama, TV & radio drama, novels, and short stories in the Gujarati language. His works have been adapted into other languages as well.
He studied stagecraft, especially playwriting and direction, at the University of Hawaii. In 1974, he finished his master’s in creative writing from the University of Evansville, Evansville, Indiana.
The program began with the reading of his short story “Makan,” written in 1970 in India. “Makan” was followed by a second story, “Acharaj,” written in 1974 in Evansville, U.S.
Madhu Rye’s play “Chatushkon” is an epistolary play in which two contradictory characters share their roller-coaster lives through the exchange of letters over a long period. Both Mrs. Falguni Trivedi-Shah and Sanjay Pandya kept the audience engaged with their emotive performances. The play showcases Madhu Rye’s inimitable writing style and creative artistry, where he skillfully weaves in enlightening information.
Madhu Rye then conducted a few games to enhance the understanding and usage of the Gujarati language. Picking up a simple sentence from daily conversation, he pointed out how emphasizing different words changes the meaning of that same sentence. He then immediately asked questions to participants and started a thread of a story demonstrating how to add to or twist the plot of a play with just a few sentences. This was a unique experience for the audience!
During the interval, a light dinner was served to all. Dr. Naresh Parikh then felicitated Madhu Rye with a shawl. Madhu Rye responded by gifting him his famous novel “Kimball Ravenswood,” which has been adapted into TV series and stage plays in many languages.
The “Gazalni Gunjati Sargam,” an entertainment program presented by noted poet Shobhit Desai, entertained the audience for three hours with popular Gujarati Ghazals.
Shobhit Desai, a noted Gujarati language poet, has in his stellar career shared the stage with legendary artists and is known for his one-man show ‘Andaz-e-Bayaan Aur’ on renowned Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib. He has emceed over 4,000 multi-lingual stage shows in India and the U.S.
Shobhit Desai and Nimish Sevek enthralled the audience with infectious zest, presenting a memorable evening with evergreen Gujarati Ghazals sung by various well-known poets and ghazalkars. They shared stories about Gujarati Ghazal poets Mariz, Saif Palanpuri, Barkat Virani (Befam), Shunya Palanpuri, Amrut ‘Ghayal, Jalan Matri, Ramesh Parekh, and Kailash Pandit. The lyricism and composition were a rare treat for Gujarati poetry and music lovers! Over 125 attendees enjoyed the enchanting evening show and didn’t want it to end. Some were humming their favorite Ghazals while leaving the auditorium.
The show was graced by the presence of Drs. Asha & Naresh Parikh, Chairman & CEO of Embassy National Bank Nitin Shah & family, Dr. Dhaval Shah, Shri Jatin & Chaula Shah, Atlanta’s cultural ambassador Mustafa Ajmeri, and many leading hotel-motel entrepreneurs.
The International Gujarati Cultural Society Atlanta (IGCSA) is thankful to Jatin Shah, Nimish Sevak, Mustafa Ajmeri, Chirag Thakkar, Sanjay Pandya, all the sponsors, and the media for their strong support. Both events, with the laudatory objective of preserving, nurturing, and promoting Gujarati language and culture were a resounding success.
