NatKhat is Born!
Happy Janmashtami!
Janmashtami is the birthday of Krishna, a Hindu deity, and is being celebrated this week. Since natkhat is one of the names used to refer to Krishna, I thought it was a pretty fitting week to launch this blog.
Technically, natkhat means “mischievous” and can function as an adjective or a noun. Nat by itself means “an actor, a tumbler, or an acrobat” and khat is described “as the sound of two objects striking”. So I guess, when two actors come together, you get mischief. Not surprising. (Definitions from Word Any Where).
The reference to Krishna is very fitting. Natkhat describes Krishna’s playful, mischievous, romantic, and adventurous side. Whether you consider the stories about Krishna to be historical fact, religious myth, or pure fiction, the “character” or “personality” of Krishna is the perfect actor. He lived Shakespeare’s lines about all the world being a stage to perfection. He acted his part, participated in the world’s natkhat, but was internally unaffected by it because he always new that it was only play.
As most of my friends and family already know, I’m moving to Austin this week to start film school. I’ve been pursuing the arts on a part-time basis for many years now, and this will hopefully be the first major step towards making the arts my full-time career.
I’ve launched this blog for a few reasons. First of all, it seems like the best way to share my upcoming adventures with family and friends without spamming them with mass mailings. Secondly, as I was researching film schools, I found it very difficult to find good information. By blogging about my experiences, other prospective students may have a little more information as they decide on whether to take the plunge or not. And finally, I hope that this blog will serve as a vehicle to connect with other artists from around the country and even back in India. So I hope that you’ll visit from time to time or just subscribe, and I’ll do my best to keep writing on a regular basis.
I’ll be honest. All of this is somewhat a scary leap of faith. But it’s time. And thinking of Krishna and how he approached the world’s natkhat, both the good and bad, with courage and an inner peace, is a reassuring ideal to strive towards.
Best of luck Soham!