Kudos for Karanjia

As part of the golden jubilee celebration of the state of Gujarat, the Surat District Colleges awarded stage artiste and Surat Parsi Panchayat trustee Yazdi N. Karanjia a Lifetime Achievement Award on May 1, 2010, with stage and film artiste Krishnakant Bukhanwala as co-winner, noted a write-up sent to Parsiana by Vira Y. Karanjia. Earlier, on February 7, 2010 Karanjia was honored by the All India Artists Association of Simla with the National Peoples’ Award for Cultural Activities. Yet another Lifetime Achievement Award came Karanjia’s way from the Academy of Cultural Activities and Arts Institute, the write-up mentions. Arvind Joshi, Pratap Oza and Jyoti Vaid were similarly honored.

Humbled yet pleased at this recognition, Karanjia said, "I feel very happy and satisfied. When a small child (in) all innocence cheerfully says ‘Hello!’ to you, how happy do you feel? I feel the same happiness on getting these awards... There are some good people who care to recognize our contributions in our fields. I feel satisfied that in my journey as a teacher and an artiste, I have gained many valuable friends around the world. Whenever they think of this Yazdi, there is a smile on their lips.”

Karanjia feels that an artiste is born, not made, that art is a gift of God. According to Hindu mythology there is a damru (small drum) in the hands of Lord Shankar, a flute in the hands of Lord Krishna and sarod or sitar being held by the goddess Saraswati, which indicates that God loves music, art and artistes. The Yazdi Karanjia Group, which completed its golden jubilee this year has performed plays only for charity living as per the Gujarati saying "Véchaaiyé java karta véhchévanu vadhu saru chhé (it is better to distribute rather than to sell),” Karanjia elaborates.

Yazdi Karanjia (2nd from l) receiving award from All India Artists Association, Simla

"I humbly place these awards near the feet of my late mummy Ratamai, late daddy Naoshirwan, late gurus Pheroze Antia, C. C. Mehta, Jyotindra Dave, Dhansukhlal Mehta, Hakumat Desai, our living legend Dr Ratan Marshall, my wife Vira, my children, my brothers, my family, my co-artistes, my well-wishers and my loving audience of Surat city and the world at large,” is Karanjia’s dedication, as noted in the write-up. The irrepressible theater personage’s message is "Always try to be cheerful. If you do not laugh for a minute you are missing 60 precious seconds of happiness. Why worry and get wrinkles? Smile and get dimples!”