This weekend in Bangalore

vinayverma

For all who are in B'lore and those travelling through..here is something interesting for the weekend:

1. May 1, Bangaloreans will witness a unique way of honouring the earth through an all-night music, dance, and film festival called Bhoomi Jathre (at Fireflies, Dinnepalya village, Kaggalipura, off Kanakapura Road.) More Info

2. Live music at Club Zero G on MG Road. last week it was Jazz Fusion, this week dunno.

3. Sunday Jam, the once a month cultural event at The Club, Mysore Road, Opposite Raj Rajeshwari nagar.

Or else...cool music and Beer at Pecos on Brigade Road.

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julieellen

i'm leaving bangalore tonight. i have been having trouble w/my internet connection at the hotel...too bad i missed this note until now.

did tons of stuff this weekend, but i'll write about it when i return home. wound too tight to write now.

been a crazy trip...did some great things...i miss my daughter though!

vinayverma

Oh what a weekend..
I just managed to catchup with one of the events..Bhoomi Jatre
Saturday evening at a village on Kanakpura road...some 25Km from Bangalore...
After some regular guidance I manage to reach Kagglipura, the nearest bus point to the venue...then I came to knopw I have to walk 3 -4 kms from the Road to reach the village and the venue...I started walking (oh yes I'm missing my car sometimes )
I was already late and it was getting dark..suddenly I see a pair of headlight and I ask for a drop....It was Patrick (age around 50..and all excited for the event..I don't know more than that about him). He gave me a bit of backdrop to the annual event.
Its held at a place called FireFlies, an NGO working for the water conservation and other water/rural related issues. Last year was the first tiem it was held and organisers were expecting 200..almost 800 landed.
This year again due to lack of fund the advertisement was low key..and mainly by word of mouth.
We reach the venue..and walk up to the venue...road was dark with no light except just one bulb at the entrance of the venue..I was greeted with a big hello and smiles..I paid Rs. 200 as the entrance fee..and was in. The stage was under a big Banyan tree..with three sides srrounded with stairs.to make it like an amphitheatre..people sitting on the stairs..some had got bedsheets and pillows..I brought one too .
A short walk towards a hill like elevation was all the stalls, including a free book stall....yes just say hello, browse through the books..and pick one you like..no money exchanged..yes it was from a group working to attract people to reading...wow yes you can also donate a book if you like..as I did.
Other stalls were selling goods made by villagers, food (locally cooked and included Biryani, local sweets, ragi roti, chutney, rice, lots of snacks)...
The program started at 7Pm with folk songs by villagers and a karnataka folk group..they spoke about issues effecting villagers in modern times.
Then onto Carnatac music, with Tal kachari- jugalbandi between mridangam, tabla, and manjira..awesome..
Next Hindustani Classical Vocal
Dances by a group called Attkalari- fusion with modern dance with kerala's martial art
Then onto 1 documentry in the series on sept 11 by directors from world over...each of the duration 11mins and 9 sec.
Then pre –renaissance singing by a young and very talented group called- Madrigals etc.

Classical Guitar by Local fav. Konark Reddy with young upcoming tabla player- Mutthu (disciple of Allah Rakha and Zakir Hussian) was great ..it kept the crowd, which had swelled to 1000+ by now, asking for more..
All this events were going on while people were enjoying great food….very informal atmosphere and interaction between the artist and fans were encouraged.
During the night we had in all 6 documentaries, one open discussion on the water (theme of the evening), and how many MNCs and govt are actually selling the water bodies and the tussle for water is increasing day-by-day.
One Beautiful ballet on women issue based on the story from Mahabhrata.
Performance by a group from Kolkata called- Okiyotaan, who is trying keep alive the dying art of singing from Bengal and Bangaladesh called Fakir and Bowl. Fakir music is similar to Sufi music. They created great music with heartwarming lyrics and mixed it well so that it appeals to the mass…
Excellent fusion music by a band called Rivers..and the last performance of the day was by a popular local band called – Thermals & a quarter…by the time we reached to the last event..the sun was out and it was almost 7.30Am…
Organisers were prepared for this too..and hot idlies with coffee was ready…plus a minibus to drop us back to city.

It was a great experience with great food…watching break of dawn, listing to some great music under the moon and stars., intellectual talks with some of the Think-tanks of this part of the country…and top of it a very friendly environment..
I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forget this experience..and I don’t want to.
Next day morning crashed in my room and slept from 9.30AM to 4.30PM…was feeling hungry….
I would love to write more about it….but don’t know if I’ll be able to put those feelings experiences and the environment, correctly in words.

Peace
Vinay
B'Lore

gautam

Hey vinay..wats happening this weekend ?

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