MadanMohan Concert Booklet - SwarVeena School of Music

Swar Veena School of Music
presents
MADAN MOHAN
A MUSICAL LEGEND
CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
3
ABOUT SWAR VEENA SCHOOL OF MUSIC
4
LETTER FROM SRI. SANJEEV KOHLI
6
MADANJI’S MUSIC AND ME BY SMT. ASTHA SHUKLA
7
ARTISTS’ BIOS
9
मदन जी का अविस्मरणीय संगीत BY Dr. Smt. VEENA PANI SHUKLA
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MADAN MOHAN THE LEGEND
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2
Acknowledgements
From the conception of the idea of celebrating Madanji’s life and music
by presenting his choicest melodies and to its realization through this
evening’s presentation, it has been a very exciting and challenging journey. I would like to express my gratitude to the many people who came
forward and generously shared their time, energy, ideas and resources
and contributed in many ways to make this evening possible. I would
like start out by thanking all my fellow musicians for putting in so much
time and effort to prepare this evening’s wonderful presentation.
A few others who deserve special mention are Mrs. Veena Rao, for her
creative ideas, efforts and innumerable hours put in to help research for
and write the flyer, articles, designing the tickets and booklet and much
more. Mr. Arun Prasad for creating a wonderful website for the school
and help in editing and presenting the visuals. Mrs. Swati Ambole for
composing the lyrical commentary and beautifully carrying it out. Mrs.
Jyoti Shah for the tasteful stage decorations. Mrs. Sejal Parmar for managing the refreshments. Mrs Suba Parmar for her suggestions and resources regarding the souvenir booklet. Mr. Venkataramanan for providing, the audio system and taking out time to manage it. I want to express my sincere appreciation for Mr. Sanjeev Kohli (Madanji’s eldest
son), Akshay Kohli (Madan ji’s grandson) and the entire Kohli family.
They not only sent their best wishes for this program and Swar Veena
School of music, but also shared with us a superb DVD about Madanji
(parts of which will be included in tonight’s presentation) and some CDs
of his music.
I would like to thank all the well wishers (like Mr. Prasad, the grand
sponsor) and student families who have shown their support and good
wishes by sending advertisements and messages for the souvenir booklet. I would like to thank all the volunteers who have contributed in any
way towards this evening’s program.
I would also like to express my heartfelt gratitude to my family - my husband Amar for his support, encouragement, suggestions and inputs
through every step of this journey, my mother Mrs. Veena Pani Shukla
for her musical input and poetically written article for this occasion, and
last but not the least, my son Amol, for his love, patience and cooperation during my busy schedule, preparing for this program.
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Swar Veena School of Music is a premier art institution which aims to
educate aspiring students and inspire in them a love and appreciation
for the nuances of Hindustani Classical, Semi Classical, Bhajans and
light music. It is also devoted to preserving and propagating the rich
legacy left behind by our gurus and other maestros who have significantly contributed to the growth of Hindustani Music. This heritage is
deeply rooted in and connected to our Indian tradition and culture,
and this is what we want to pass on to our future generations.
Founded in 2002, by Smt. Astha Shukla, an accomplished Hindustani
Vocalist, SwarVeena School of music imparts musical training through
private and group lessons. It also conducts workshops with experienced and renowned guest teachers such as Dr. Smt Veena Sahasrabuddhe and Dr. Smt. Veena Pani Shukla both of whom are Asthaji’s
gurus and mentors. Swar Veena School also trains and prepares the
interested students in appearing for exams conducted by Akhil Bharat
Gandharva Maha Vidyalaya and getting certified. It provides a platform for all students to hone their musical skills and showcase their
talents in front of family/friends at the annual students’ concert. These
concerts help students gain confidence in public performance and also
encourage them to focus on and gain mastery in their endeavors.
Asthaji’s primary inspiration to form this School came from her mother
Dr. Smt Veena Pani Shukla who initiated Asthaji into the field of
Hindustani Classical music at a very tender age. Veenaji did her PhD in
music from Benaras Hindu University and proceeded to teach at a Degree college in Kanpur for several years. She also started a music
school which was affiliated with the Akhil Bharatiya Gandharva Maha
Vidyalaya Mandal. She was very active in organizing many cultural
activities including various forms of music like Bhajans, Ghazals, Folk
music etc. in IIT Kanpur campus. Apart from familiarizing her with the
basics, Veenaji instilled in her daughter a lifelong love for Indian Music
in its various forms ranging from classical to light. She also took
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Asthaji to her own Guru Late Pt. Kashinath Shankar Bodas for further
training. Not only a gifted singer, Kashinathji was also a very prolific
composer of many Bhajans and classical compositions. He was a very
patient and loving teacher who groomed Asthaji in her early years. After
his unfortunate and untimely demise Asthaji continued her training under the illustrious and renowned vocalist of Gwalior Gharana Dr. Smt.
Veena Sahasrabuddhe. Apart from being a very distinguished musician
Veenaji is also a very committed and methodical teacher who further
guided Asthaji in her musical pursuit. All these teachers and mentors
have helped Asthaji to develop versatility and have shaped her distinct
style. Asthaji’s voice has sweetness and flexibility which allows her to
have equal command over Classical, Semi Classical and light forms of
Music. In spite of a meticulous approach in her teaching she keeps the
classes engaging and enjoyable for students of all levels.
Asthaji is very passionately devoted towards her pursuit of excellence in
Hindustani music. She sees music as a medium to creatively express herself and finds it a spiritually uplifting experience. This is the love and
dedication that she hopes to inspire and impart to her students, listeners
and other music enthusiasts, through the various activities of SwarVeena
School of Music.
Asthaji with few students of Swar Veena School of Music
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MESSAGE FROM MR. SANJEEV KOHLI (MADANJI’S ELDEST SON)
DEAR ASTHAJI AND ALL THE MEMBERS OF SWAR VEENA
SCHOOL OF MUSIC, WE THANK YOU AND ALL YOUR MEMBERS AND COLLEAGUES FOR DEDICATING AN EVENING TO
THE MELODIES OF OUR BELOVED FATHER , THE LATE MADAN MOHAN.
IT HAS BEEN 35 YEARS SINCE HIS DEMISE , BUT IT IS ADMIRERS LIKE YOU WHO HAVE KEPT HIM AND HIS MUSIC
ALIVE IN ALL THESE YEARS . HE OFTEN FELT THAT HE DID
NOT GET AS MUCH RECOGNITION IN HIS LIFETIME AND
THIS DID EMBITTER HIM.. BUT WHAT DID HE KNOW THAT
35 YEARS LATER , ALL THE WAY IN NEW JERSEY, ALL OF
YOU WOULD STILL BE HEARING HIS SONGS PERFORMING
THEM AND GIVING NEW LIFE TO HIS MELODIES. THERE CAN
BE NO BETTER RECOGNITION THAN THIS.
WE HAVE , IN OUR OWN SMALL WAY , KEPT HIS WORK
ALIVE THROUGH ONGOING EFFORTS ,INCLUDING THE RECENT LAUNCH OF HIS WEBSITE www.madanmohan.in AS
WELL AS THE RELEASE OF HIS ALBUM “TERE BAGAIR”. EARLIER THE SOUNDTRACK OF THE BLOCKBUSTER VEER ZAARA
WAS EMBELLISHED BY HIS MELODIES, AND EVEN YOUNGSTERS WERE EXPOSED TO HIS LEGEND. IN THIS, HIS 85TH
BIRTH YEAR , HIS FANS HAVE REACHED OUT MORE THAN
EVER BEFORE AND IT HAS BEEN OVERWHELMING TO EXPERIENCE THEIR LOVE FOR HIS MUSIC.
WE WISH YOU A GREAT MUSICAL EVENING AND WISH THE
SWAR VEENA SCHOOL OF MUSIC ALL THE BEST IN ALL THEIR
MUSICAL ENDEAVOURS.
WITH WARM REGARDS
SANJEEV KOHLI and THE MADAN MOHAN FAMILY
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Madanji’s Music and me
By Smt. Astha Shukla
Madanji’s music holds a very special place
in my heart and it has been my long held
desire to pay a musical tribute to him with
an evening of his melodies. I have been
fortunate enough to find fellow musicians
who share my love of Madanji’s mesmerizing music and we are here today to share
his musical legacy with his other admirers.
My initial apprehension about my ability
to do justice to these intricate and challenging works of art was overridden by my
love for them. It is my sincere hope that
our humble effort would help all of you
present here today to experience the nostalgia of that golden era of Hindi cine music.
Coming from a predominantly classical music background my exposure and interest in Hindi cine music was very limited. In my household, Hindustani classical music was a revered art form entailing years
of rigorous “Sadhna” and devotion, which was the foundation of my
musical upbringing. In contrast, Cine music was primarily perceived as
light entertainment. My introduction with Madanji’s music made me
realize that the boundary between art and entertainment is fluid. His
creations transcend these limits to yield superbly appealing and entertaining art.
As a young and aspiring student of music my primary interest in any
composition (classical or otherwise) was based on its complexity and
how difficult it was to learn it. Many of these songs although challenging to the mind were often lacking the emotive appeal. I would work
hard at them and find a sense of accomplishment in mastering them
but my fascination with them was short-lived, and they could not leave
a lasting imprint on my heart.
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This also became the reason why I was drawn to Madanji’s music
which has a very special quality that separates it from other music directors’ work. His compositions have the uniqueness of having very
intricate note structures but still maintaining a sweet simplicity. These
technically elaborate compositions are replete with unparalleled melody and soulfulness. They intrigue and amaze the mind of the listeners
with their fine nuances but slowly and ultimately drench their heart
and soul in their lilting flow. The structure of these songs is such that
the complex note arrangements serve only to heighten the feeling and
never act as distractions. Madanji’s music was for everyone from the
Classical music connoisseurs who could appreciate the detailed
makeup of the song to the layman who would just be carried away by
the melody.
Another thing I find remarkable is Madanji’s musical approach was not
predictable or repetitive. His creative potential was fathomless, creating tunes of different modes and moods. Based on each song’s specific
situation, he kept reinventing his style constantly coming up with fresh
new ideas. Although known primarily for his lilting Ghazals he excelled in every Genre ranging from classic to contemporary, developing his music according to the changing times.
The classically trained musician in me was always eager to find and
identify the ragas (hidden in different guises) in his compositions. In
my quest I realized that they were based not on the purity of ragas but
on the purity of the expression of emotion in each song. Sometimes
when it suited the mood of the song, he based it on a pure raga so that
the raga’s personality was very eloquently expressed like “Tu Jahan
Jahan Chalega” (Raga Nand) and “Rasm –e –Ulfat”(Raga Madhuvanti).
Other times going with the emotion of the song he blended ragas and
notes so masterfully and seamlessly, that they were never discordant
but only added depth and intensity to the feeling like “Baiyan Na
Dharo” and “Naina barse”. Thus Madanji did not follow ragas instead
the ragas followed his creative instinct merging and mingling to form
ever new, shimmering melodies. Madanji had his own “Gharana” or
style shaped not by his formal training in music but by his undying
love and passion, his intuition and uncompromising strife for perfection in his work. Madanji’s compositions are musical masterpieces that
will forever be fresh and immortal in the hearts of his admirers.
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Artists’ Bios
Smt. Astha Shukla
Asthaji started receiving initial training in Hindustani Classical music
from her mother Dr. Smt Veena Pani Shukla from a very tender age. She
also received additional training under Lt. Pt. Kashinath Shankar Bodas
of Kanpur. After his unfortunate and untimely demise Asthaji continued
her training under the illustrious and renowned vocalist of Gwalior Gharana Dr. Smt. Veena Sahasrabuddhe.
As a student Asthaji won many awards including the first prize at the
state level organized by the prestigious U.P. Sangeet Natak Academy
Lucknow. Asthaji also has formal training in music with a master’s degree.
Apart from familiarizing her with the basics, Asthaji’s mother instilled in
her daughter a lifelong love for Indian Music in its various forms ranging
from classical to light. All these teachers and mentors have helped Asthaji to develop versatility and have shaped her distinct style. Asthaji has
performed at various venues in the USA, like IAPA, Marathi Vishwa and
ePrasaran (live radio in CA) to name a few.
Apart from being an accomplished performer Asthaji is the founder of
Swar Veena School of music, a premier music school in North Jersey
which is devoted to preserving and propagating the rich legacy of
Hindustani classical music.
Dr. Mohan Deshpande
Raised in a musical family, Mohanji was taught by his father, noted
Hindustani vocal singer and educator, Maha Mahopadhyaya Pundit S.B.
Deshpande, of Hyderabad, India. Although educated in the Gwalior
Gharana style, Mohanji was constantly exposed while growing up, to
great musicians like Kumar Gandharva and Bade Gulam Ali Khan,
which influenced the development of his unique musical style. In addition to Raagdari, his musical repertoire includes semi-classical, folk and
cine music. Dr. Mohan Deshpande brings an innovative and refreshing
personality to his continuing exploration of music. He has given numerous performances in both India and the US, and occasionally conducts
discussions and demonstrations aimed at cultivating a love for Indian
Classical tradition.
He has been teaching vocal classical music to children and adults at
Vivekananda Vidyapith for last nineteen years. He is a practicing Internist and Cardiologist in New Jersey.
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Vaishali Patankar
Vaishali Patankar received her initial training in light music from Smt.
Nalini Joshi in Dombivili. She continued her classical training at Bharat
Gayan Samaj, Pune and was fortunate to receive training in light and
classical vocal music from Smt. Shaila Datar. She was taking guidance
from Shri Suresh Benegal and Smt. Lalita Mathur. She is currently a disciple of Pandita.Tripti Mukherjee, Founder and Director of Pundit Jasraj
Institute of Music, NJ, NY, PA. Vaishali has performed on Pune Radio
and several Marathi and Hindi light music programs.
Madhumita Parmar
Madhu is a gifted and versatile musician who has mesmerized and captivated the hearts of her audience as a talented vocalist, saxophonist and
dancer. She is receiving training in Carnatic music under Guru Palghat
Rajaram (son of Shri Palghat Mani Iyer) and Mrs. Shobana Raj of NY,
Hindustani music from Mrs. Astha Shukla (disciple of Smt. Veena Sahasrabuddhe), Bharatanatyam from her mother Suba Ramesh Parmar and
Jazz Saxophone from Mr. Nick Ellis. She has won numerous 1st and 2nd
place awards in competitions in Carnatic, Hindustani, Bharatanatyam
and Western Classical music in various competitions organized by
CMANA, UMBC/Maryland to name a few. She has helped to support
many charitable causes through her performances. She has also released
CD containing short bhajans and prayers under the auspices of Jain
Viswa Bharati of North America. She has been selected thrice to perform
as part of the National Children’s Honor Choir (ACDA), once at Los Angeles in 2005, Carnegie Hall (NY) in Feb 2006 and Stamford, CT (Feb
2008). She is also part of the Celebration Chorus Singers, one of NJ’s
prestigious children’s choruses, conducted by Mr. Tom Pedas. She plays
the Piano and Saxophone.
Amod Dandawate
Amod Dandawate was initiated into Tabla by his father Dr. Vasantrao
Dandawate at a very young age. He received initial guidance and encouragement from Shafaat Khan while performing as an accompanist
and then spent some time taking lessons from Ustad. Zakir Hussain.
Having settled in New Jersey since 1997 he has been receiving advanced
training from Pt. Samir Chatterjee. Besides performing solo Tabla, Amod
has supported classical Indian music performances and activities in the
tri-state area as an able accompanist as well. He maintains an active concert schedule and has accompanied many major artistes from India and
the US. Apart from being a musician, Amodji also holds a Doctorate in
Electrical Engineering.
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Rohan Prabhudesai
Rohan Prabhudesai has been actively studying music for the past 11
years. He began his training in Hindustani classical music on the harmonium on one of his trips to India with Gokuldas Rasaikar, a disciple of
Smt. Nirmala Kakode. He continued this musical pursuit under the guidance of Dr. Kedar Naphade, a senior disciple of Pt. Tulsidas Borkar.
There have been several instances on his occasional vacations in India
where he has had the privilege of learning from Pt. Borkar.
Aside from this, he has had the opportunity to give many solo recitals
and accompany various senior local artists. Aside from Indian classical
music, Rohan also draws interest from Western classical and Indian pop
music. He has been taking regular piano lessons for about 10 years from
Mr. Edwin Lopez, the concert master and conductor of Crescent Avenue
Presbyterian church music program. He has given numerous recitals and
fundraising concerts on the piano. Rohan is 18 years old and is currently
attending New York University's Stern School of Business.
Ajit Pachegaokar
Ajitji is a senior guitarist who worked in the Hindi Film Industry for
many years with famous music directors like Kalyanji-Anandji. He has
also performed with many old and new cine artists in live shows. He resides in New Jersey and gives music lessons.
Bhupendra Gadhavi
Bhupendra Gadhavi developed his interest as a rhythm player since
childhood. Having been raised beyond the shores of India, he received
his training in East Africa and England. He specializes in percussion instruments like the Dholak, Indian & Latin Congas and Tumbao, Dhol,
Electronic Drums and Rhythm machines. Bhupendra has performed all
over Europe, Caribbean Islands and all across the United States with local bands and also as a regular member of orchestras from the Indian
Film Industry. He has accompanied noted artists such as Hari Haran and
Leslie - Colonial Cousins fame, Abhijeet, Vinod Rathod, Anuradha Paudwal, and Bali Brahmbhatt. In the field of Gujarati Sugam Sangeet he has
accompanied Purshotam Upadhyay and Atul Desai. Bhupendra has participated as an arranger and a recording artist on many projects within
the United States and Europe. He continues his interest further in vocal
training as a student of Dr. Mohan Deshpande.
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Holistic Center
A Science of Living Institution (GYHC)
1300 Prince Rodgers Ave, Bridgewater, NJ 08807 Tel: (908) 526 0002
Email: [email protected] URL: www.gurukulyoga.com
Billions Yet To Be Served…
Upcoming Activities
Juniors Summer Camps
Special Needs Children & Yoga
Teachers Training Program
Best wishes to Swar Veena School of Music
from Mrs. Geeta & Sarang Dev Vaidya
Music is the highest form of art and those
who understand it, is the highest form of worship for them.
- Swami Vivekananda
Best Compliments
from
A DEVOTEE OF THAKUR
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मदन जी का अविस्मरणीय संगीत –
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Dr. Veena Pani Shukla
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Madan Mohan the Legend!
Madan Mohan is best known through his mesmerizing and unforgettable compositions which will forever remain etched in Hindi cinema
music history, and the minds and hearts of millions of admirers worldwide.
Born in Baghdad (Iraq) on June 25th 1924 Madan Mohan Kohli got
some basic training in classical music from Shri Kartar Singh, for a
short time. At the behest of his father, he joined the army for a brief
period, but quit at the age of 21 to pursue his first love-music. He then
joined All India Radio in Lucknow, where he came in contact with such
classical and Ghazal luminaries as Ustad Faiyaz Khan, Ustad Ali Akhtar Khan, Ustad Barkat Ali Khan and Begum Akhtar. He was inspired
by them and carried their influence to Mumbai. Here he tried his luck
at acting, before turning to music direction.
After assisting S D Burman and Shyam Sunder for a short time Madan
Mohan got his first break with the film “Ankhen” in 1950. This was
followed by the film “Ada” which was the beginning of a long partnership or association with Lata Mangeshkar which yielded a most bountiful treasure chest of immortal and soulful melodies. Madan Mohan’s
songs sung by Lataji have certain magic and sweetness to them that
few music directors, if any, have been able to recreate. Madan Mohan’s
talent for ghazals was unmatched in the Hindi cinema world so much
so that Lata Mangeshkar gave him the title of “Ghazal ka Shehzada” or
Prince of Ghazals. Even though he excelled in this lyrically lilting
genre, put into any composing situation, he brought out the mood in
any type of songs like love ballad to classical and folk music based
songs.
In spite of producing excellent music, in his lifetime Madanji did not
see his music getting the kind of mass appreciation like some of his
contemporaries. It was partly because his tunes were often too intricate
and complex for the layman to hum. (Even Lataji confessed in a live
concert that she found Madan Mohan’s compositions difficult to master.) Also, instrumental orchestration was not his strong point, so several of his excellent songs have very basic interludes.
But in spite of not getting many popular awards he was the recipient of
Cine music Director’s award many times, which was an award whose
winner was selected only by the music directors themselves.
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Music was a passion a “junoon” for Madan Mohan. Every tune had to
be just right. Every note had to fall just-so and every word had to fit
flawlessly into the design of the compositions. Madan Mohan’s quest
for lyrical perfection was almost legendary as his search for compositional excellence. Soaked in the sublime sensibilities of unforgettable
pain and longing, his compositions sound as though they were created
four days ago instead of four decades. The crease of time decreased
with every listening of a Madan Mohan composition. No era could
hold down the aura of Madan Mohan’s matchless creations. His music
is an eternal joy for music lovers around the world.
है तेरे साथ मेरी िफ़ा मै नही तो क्या
जजन्दा रहे गा प्यार मेरा मै नही तो क्या
Reference; MadanMohan.in
Legends Madan Mohan - Subhash Jha
Best wishes to Amol, Astha & Amar for the
concert.
- Tilak, Geeta & Shankar
Music never has to depend upon any obvious
meaning; it expresses what no words can ever
express.
-Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore
Wishing All the Best in this musical journey!
Students of Swar Veena School of Music
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Lekha Gopal, M.D.
Board Certified Physician
Ophthalmology
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Day-time, evening and Saturday hours
Most Insurance accepted
218 Ridgedale Ave.
Suite 100
Cedar Knolls, NJ 07927
Phone: (973) 292-1113
25-15 Fair Lawn Ave.
Fair Lawn, NJ 07410
Phone: (201) 791-7773
Fax: (201) 791-7355
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Next to the Word of God, the noble art of
music is the greater treasure in the world.
- Martin Luther
Best Compliments from
Devendra and Jyoti Patel
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He who wants to do good knocks at the gate; he who
loves finds the gate open.
-Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore
Best Wishes to
Swar Veena School of Music
For their grand performance
Madan Mohan A Musical
Legend
And all their future endeavors……
From A Well Wisher
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With Best Compliments to
Swar Veena School of Music
From
Niru and Bharat Gandhi
Great gift for any occasion!!!
We make handmade images of GanpatiJi in a cute frame.
The size of the frame is 2.5” x 3.5”. The frames are packed in a beautiful gift bag.
The frames are $12.00 each. Any questions, please contact
Pappu @ 973-769-4376 Sarita @ 201-572-8072 Email: [email protected]
You have to grow from the inside out. None
can teach you, none can make you spiritual.
There is no other teacher but your own
soul.”
- Swami Vivekananda
Best Wishes
to
Astha Aunty
BEST WISHES FROM
From
Abhigna, Bianca, Chintal,
Sheeba & Sonali
PROFESSIONAL LAND SURVEYORS

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Topographic & Boundary Survey
Subdivision & Site Plan Survey
(Students of Swar Veena School of Music)
Construction Layout & As-Built Survey
Title Survey
Elevation Survey
GPS Control Survey
22
Shubanjali
School of Performing Arts
Non-profit organization geared to promoting
Indian Classical-Arts in the US
By
Guru Suba Ramesh Parmar
of Pandanallur tradition
Programs offered by Shubanjali
 BharataNatyam Training & Development for Children
 Dance Appreciation and Awareness Workshops for Adults
 Summer Camps
 Performances and raising the profile of Indian Arts in the US
Headquarters – 7 Jenna Ct, Scotch Plains NJ 07076
Phone: (908) 490 0732
Classes are offered at the following locations
Scotch Plains
Wayne
L’Academy
Vivekananda
Vidyapith
1577 E. 2nd Street
20 Hinchman Ave
Scotch Plains
07076
Wayne NJ
(908) 490-0732
(973) 628-1877
(Sundays)
(Sundays)
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With
Compliments
&
Best Wishes to
SwarVeena School of Music
For a glowing tribute to
Madan Mohan
A Musical Legend
K. Prasad
Agent
New York Life Insurance Company
Park 80 West Plaza 1
Saddle Brook, NJ 07663
201 291 5485
www.kprasad.com