2005-2008

Fifteen years of Prayas has occupied a quarter of my life so far! Guess my age! And if you have, then it would probably make sense that I should start scribing some of those initial memories before they fade away!

The memories being so vast, wide and scattered all at the same time, I have decided to narrate them in the great bardic tradition of Indian Puranas – this being the Episode 1 of the season in Netflix parlance or Adi-kanda in Ramayana term, dealing with some of the legendary whanau who joined us during the very first few years, have stayed the whole journey and help shape what we are today!

I am indebted to Nishith for spotting the article announcing the Prayas project in the Indian Newslink – making Sudeepta come and check us out! And that shaped the Prayas brand, the sophisticated publicity and the strong media relations!  Charandas Chor was on Lyn Freeman show in 2005!

And in that first audition turned up Padma! Immediately taking initiatives, offering to put together a dance group for the play! Then the costumes! And the make up! And it has continued ever since!

The first three years we were at the Centennial Hall of Auckland Grammar School! Kajal, my friend from university, would be the Stage Manager to call the light and sound cues from backstage! A Project Planner by profession, he would carry Gantt Chart for almost all the sequences, methodically noting the light cues and the sound! Problem was he didn’t see very well in the blue working lights!  A sprightly Sandy (Sananda Chatterjee) would be his assistant – or more specifically his pair of eyes reading out the cues into his ears!

She became the Assistant Director for The Terrace in 2007, and soon graduated to direct our first collaborative intercommunity show – Our Street in 2008 at the Auckland Town Hall! Bhavnesh acted in both these plays – cast as Sudeepta’s husband in one and her elder son in the other! What a range!

And then in 2009 we met Margaret-Mary and moved to TAPAC with our first devised show Khoj – The Search, all ten shows of which got sold out! And with that began a whole new journey, experience and of course the next episode!

Looking back, what fascinates me are the serendipitous connections – how we found people and made new friends, got some breaks and tried to make most of those opportunities! And what an army of silent volunteers that form our whanau! They come, help and deliver in the time of need! Be it set building, moving seating blocks, distributing pamphlets or delivering food for the cast! It was the same then, as it is now!

While finishing this Episode 1 of Prayas journey, I fondly remember Keshia Handa and Jack Rae. Sadly, both passed away recently. Keshia was the Rani in the first two seasons of Charandas Chor 2005 and 2006! She would have a quick sip of red wine before going on stage!  Helped steady her nerves! Such confidence and charm in her personality!  Jack Rae – our auditor, since the very first year! Always a regular at the Prayas show insisting on buying his ticket and making time to stay back meet the cast!