Guru Syed Pasha leads an exceptionally talented dancing troupe of persons with disability at Ability Unlimited Foundation. K Raghav Sharma relates the overwhelming experience…
Ten years back Vijay Kumar was a troubled parent. A resident of Jhilmil colony in Delhi, he was anxious about the future of his child Gulshan Kumar. With his crippled legs, Gulshan struggled to walk. But fate took him to Guru Syed Salauddin Pasha and the course of his life was changed forever. He asked Gulshan to join his Ability Unlimited Foundation (AUF), which works for the empowerment of talented children with disability. Gulshan’s father Vijay was not convinced at first, but an offer of Rs 500 as scholarship and the dream of a prosperous future made him agree. Today, ten years since that rendezvous, Gulshan is no more thwarted by his handicap. He is currently pursuing his 12th standard education and is also earning a decent income as an artist.
Guru Syed Salauddin Pasha has thus brought hope and happiness to hundreds of differently-abled children with his unique and unparalleled concept called ‘Dance on Wheels and Crutches’. For the last 25 years, many like Gulshan have secured a self-reliant and dignified life for themselves at the Delhi-based AUF. Guruji’s flat in Patparganj is fully dedicated to the physically and mentally challenged, despite space constraints.
Wheels are a major part of the 'Bharatanatyam's on Wheels' show that is the result of five years of hard work put in by these children. An unprecedented piece of work in the history of natya, it is specially choreographed for the disabled. Combining the elements of Bharatanatyam, martial arts, Sufi dance, Bhagavad Geeta, yoga and many other arts, it is a sheer treat to watch.
Pasha works with artists whose conditions range from polio, dyslexia, cerebral palsy, autism and other mental, visual and hearing difficulties. On can easily imagine it to be tremendously taxing on one’s stamina and patience.
In his journey, Pasha has known challenges that an ordinary mortal would have found difficult to withstand. “As a guru of the disabled, you should not lose patience. These pains are part of the process and I need to face it anyway. To be frank, I have learnt the significance of patience and peace from these people only,” Pasha said.
Guruji Pasha was fond of dance and other arts since his childhood. “Being a Muslim, it was not easy for me to practice Ramayana, Bhagavad Geeta, etc.” he recalls. “In my childhood I had to face threats and beatings from my community because I was studying these art forms which were essentially Hindu. Around that time, one guru refused to teach me on the same grounds – me being a Muslim. At Navasandhi Nritya too, they said, 'we can’t teach nritya to a Muslim; it is purely meant for Brahmin people.’”
Ten years back Vijay Kumar was a troubled parent. A resident of Jhilmil colony in Delhi, he was anxious about the future of his child Gulshan Kumar. With his crippled legs, Gulshan struggled to walk. But fate took him to Guru Syed Salauddin Pasha and the course of his life was changed forever. He asked Gulshan to join his Ability Unlimited Foundation (AUF), which works for the empowerment of talented children with disability. Gulshan’s father Vijay was not convinced at first, but an offer of Rs 500 as scholarship and the dream of a prosperous future made him agree. Today, ten years since that rendezvous, Gulshan is no more thwarted by his handicap. He is currently pursuing his 12th standard education and is also earning a decent income as an artist.
Guru Syed Salauddin Pasha has thus brought hope and happiness to hundreds of differently-abled children with his unique and unparalleled concept called ‘Dance on Wheels and Crutches’. For the last 25 years, many like Gulshan have secured a self-reliant and dignified life for themselves at the Delhi-based AUF. Guruji’s flat in Patparganj is fully dedicated to the physically and mentally challenged, despite space constraints.
Wheels are a major part of the 'Bharatanatyam's on Wheels' show that is the result of five years of hard work put in by these children. An unprecedented piece of work in the history of natya, it is specially choreographed for the disabled. Combining the elements of Bharatanatyam, martial arts, Sufi dance, Bhagavad Geeta, yoga and many other arts, it is a sheer treat to watch.
Pasha works with artists whose conditions range from polio, dyslexia, cerebral palsy, autism and other mental, visual and hearing difficulties. On can easily imagine it to be tremendously taxing on one’s stamina and patience.
In his journey, Pasha has known challenges that an ordinary mortal would have found difficult to withstand. “As a guru of the disabled, you should not lose patience. These pains are part of the process and I need to face it anyway. To be frank, I have learnt the significance of patience and peace from these people only,” Pasha said.
Guruji Pasha was fond of dance and other arts since his childhood. “Being a Muslim, it was not easy for me to practice Ramayana, Bhagavad Geeta, etc.” he recalls. “In my childhood I had to face threats and beatings from my community because I was studying these art forms which were essentially Hindu. Around that time, one guru refused to teach me on the same grounds – me being a Muslim. At Navasandhi Nritya too, they said, 'we can’t teach nritya to a Muslim; it is purely meant for Brahmin people.’”
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