BRIC Team reports: Johannesburg, May 27 (PTI) Renowned Indian singer Anup Jalota on Monday received the honorary membership of the Uttar Pradesh Devbhumi Sanghatan (UPDES), an organisation started by Indian expatriates in South Africa to promote Indian culture. Jalota, who undertook two concerts in Durban and Johannesburg at the weekend, lauded local Indians for upholding their culture over five generations. In an interview with PTI before his departure to the United States for a five-concert tour, Jalota recalled how he and many other leading Indian artistes wanted to come to perform for their fans in South Africa for decades, but were debarred by the Indian government from doing so while the country led the international fight against apartheid at the United Nations from 1948.
"We were so anxious to visit South Africa and perform, but we were not allowed. We were touring the entire globe except South Africa. We requested the government of India many times but it said no, the relations are not proper and you should not go," he said.
Background
Although he did not name them, Jalota said a few Indian artistes had indeed visited South Africa illegally and were subsequently banned on their return to India from All India Radio and other organisations. Following the release of Nelson Mandela after 27 years as a political prisoner, India finally relented and Jalota was among the first Indian artistes to visit South Africa on the eve of Mandela becoming the president of the country. Jalota said he has since performed many times in South Africa and each time, the audience was very receptive to his bhajans and ghazals.
Key facts
- Jalota, who undertook two concerts in Durban and Johannesburg at the weekend, lauded local Indians for upholding their culture over five generations.
- "We were so anxious to visit South Africa and perform, but we were not allowed.
- We were touring the entire globe except South Africa.
- We requested the government of India many times but it said no, the relations are not proper and you should not go," he said.
- Jalota said he has since performed many times in South Africa and each time, the audience was very receptive to his bhajans and ghazals.
What this means
"South Africa is our Little India. Five generations later, they have still kept their culture alive. They still recite the Ramayan, they still have Hanuman Chalisa programmes, they have Hindu Vishnu Parishad.
It is very impressive how the people have kept their culture and art alive," he noted, adding that they need improvement in the area of language. "I believe schools are already open for this, teaching Hindi, if they can talk in Hindi, I think culture will spread faster, so I hope this will happen too," he said. Jalota also lauded Ashish Sharma, founder of 24 Seven Travel and president of UPDES, for having hosted him and presenting him with the honorary membership of the organisation.
