Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS), a name synonymous with the Indian Classical Arts in Singapore and for me, with its current premises on Starlight Road.

The opportunity to work for SIFAS, came to me when I had lost all hope, and was slowly losing my mind, due to the increasing restrictions and fears induced by the pandemic. I was skeptical. I did not know if I wanted to work full-time again. I had lost practice, you see, gotten all lazy and used to doing nothing or everything as my mood struck. They were cautious too (as I learnt much later) but they needed the position filled as soon as possible. My uncle, my local guardian and a sage counsellor urged me to give it a shot.

“What can go wrong?” He asked. “If you don’t like it, quit. It is just for three months.”

And so, I went for the interview.

SIFAS, the building and the location were not new to me. I had visited it many times before, to pray at the Sri Aurobindo Ashram’s centre, which was previously situated in one of its rooms. Over the years, I had also attended some of SIFAS’ events. However, I had not visited it, per se, for the institution. Post the interview, I was offered the role. To my shock, it was not a short-term arrangement, but a full-time position as its marketing executive. Again, the doubts flooded in.

This time, it was Rahul who said, “Try it. You love the arts. You wanted something to distract you while you are unable to run Dessert Storm during Covid-19. This could be it.”

“But I don’t know if I can do it. I won’t have any time for myself. How can I manage the house and this work,” I countered.

“It’s just the two of us. Try it. If not, you can always quit.” This was the second time someone said to me that I could quit. It was good to have an exit planned, but I had never been a quitter. I wasn’t going to begin now. Thus, I decided to plunge headlong into the things I loved – The arts, the organizing and the feeling of independence.

And then, there was no looking back. Those were the two best years of my recent life. When I close my eyes, I can still feel its magic envelop me. The rhythmic beats of the Tabla, the stringing of the sitar, the melodious sounds of the keyboard and the harmonium, intermingling with mature and youthful voices, the kathak bols, the tinkling ghungroos, the bold nattuvangam… It should have been chaos. But it was peaceful. It was joy. It was home.

My most recurring recollections are of the quiet, hot afternoons, when the breeze forgot to blow, the birds were too somnolent to chirp, the music was dormant… A trance-like silence pervaded the empty corridors. We were often hard at work, but every once in a while, I would take a quick break to walk in the garden at the back. The grassy patch could host a hundred or more guests, but was often ignored, forgotten, except for the times when we used it for a photoshoot. Yet for me, it was the essence of the school, the oasis, the element that gave character to the rest of the building. This sense of space, in the middle of a bustling city, town, country, was rare in Singapore, thus prized.

The garden also hosted several mango trees, bearing heavy fruit during the season. Compelled by Rahul’s cravings, those green mangoes, plucked by Anna (SIFAS’ caretaker and all-jobs man) and his assistants, inspired me to make Telugu (spicy) and Gujarati (sweet) pickles in large quantities, to be shared with acquaintances, friends and family. Although the lockdown had lifted, travel was banned, and large gatherings denied. Festivals weren’t celebrated with as much pomp, but we managed to have some fun within its boundaries. Once, we played Holi with the entire team there, running, laughing like school children. Another ecstatic moment captured in the pages of time.

Those years were not easy. They were extremely busy. Late nights staring at the screen, going through endless lists and last-minute details, shifting office locations, twilight hours spent discussing logistics, quick dress changes (my love of saris found its calling), hushed whispering before the start of every programme, long hours of standing, smiling, greeting strangers, explaining the inexplicable (how does one clearly explain Art – a skill, an expression, an emotion, all merged into one), and the post-event contentment of a job well done.

There was never a dull moment, nor downtime. We dashed between coordinating art sessions for the senior citizens, to experimenting with original content creation by blending poetry with dance and music, to running in-house programmes / talks / discourses / academy days, to organizing yearly Festivals with large scale events at the Esplanade. I also had the immense privilege to interact with the legendary maestro, Zakhir Hussain* (unfortunately, I won’t get another one), as well as the renowned dancer, Datuk Ramli Ibrahim (who is also a personal family friend).

Now that book is about to close, and a new book is about to open…

SIFAS is relocating to a vibrant, new space, where Art lives and breathes amidst its streets. While I understand and accept that change is inevitable (well, I was working on the relocation project when it started, so I cannot say, I was blindsided, can I?), it’s hard for me to let go. Each nook and cranny of this school is precious, for it hid within its embrace, countless stories and years of artistry. More than three decades of history, three decades of chattering, dancing, singing students, three decades of rejuvenating, reviving, and revisiting the depths and intricacies of the Classical Indian Arts.

As I bid adieu, sporadic visions flashed through the inner eyes… My first day, my last day… Chatting with the teachers… Their affectionate smiles, and words of advice… the rehearsals at the Esplanade, the team chilling in its fancy dressing rooms… The numerous taxi rides (did I mention I was lazy… of course I did… And thus, my contribution to the local economy – a significant bulk of my earnings to the local transport industry)… the overtime, the tired eyes, the laughter, the camaraderie and the love.

I will carry it all in my heart, for as long as I live, and wish it farewell… For it loyally served its purpose, and now it is time to say good-bye. In its place, new buildings will be erected, new stories written, new history created… But none as illustrious as this one… And none as cherished.

And I wish SIFAS’s next chapter be as wondrous as the old one, full of colour, full of joy and full of soul-stirring Art!

*Read about this experience: https://ishitadeshmukh.wordpress.com/2022/08/15/a-weekend-with-the-stars/