Hues of Kala Ghoda Art Festival 2014

The much awaited  art and culture festival of Mumbai, the Kala Ghoda Art Festival ended yesterday. This year, I have not been able to pay frequent visits to the festival like I do every year due to prior commitments. Over the years, I have seen the KGAF grow, evolve and transform into very popular and iconic event that defines the core character of this beautiful city of Mumbai, through its various hues.


Each year, the KGAF, packs immensely creative activities for all the age groups, be it music, dance, visual arts, literature, theatre, food, films, pottery, photography, street art, heritage walks or  a number of workshops on several topics. No matter how hard one tries, it is difficult to participate in all activities as so much happens there every single day! This quintessentially Mumbai cultural event provides space for everybody; the elites, the kitschy, the eccentrics, the commoners and the unconventional ones...all feel absolutely welcome and at home here as there is something for everyone and therein lies its appeal!

This year though, I was utterly disappointed with restrictions on playing loud music and live performances near the stalls at Kala Ghoda. The open air performance by the artist has always been one of my favourite activities at KGAF area as those performances add to the scintillating energy of the festival!

The quality of visitors at KGAF is interesting mix and not necessarily only art loving folks. I was shocked to find many people abusing art installations by climbing/sitting on them or holding some part of the installations and getting too close for sake of getting a good shot! When reminded, that they were not supposed to cross the line drawn around the art installations, many people were found shockingly rude and I was told to "mind my own business". I cringed to see so many beautiful art installations broken due to mishandling of visitors. 

I believe that for art to meet its purpose, it should reach out to every person on the street and not be restricted to only elites. In India, unfortunately, we fail to understand that sense of responsibility expected from viewers to respect art and the artists. Most of the times, in my observation, people don't even bother to read about the work of art at display to understand its nuances or interact with the artists present at KGAF. They are more interested to get that "perfect shot" even if that means shoving and pushing others! I hope the KGFA organizers take a serious note of this and address these issues from next year.

Art is an important part of our core identity. It is our moral obligation as viewers to respect our heritage and culture. 

Meeting "Vasudevas", the wandering minstrels

Being a photographer and writer, I love exploring stories beneath the obvious, it is always a great challenge to tread the path of knowing people and capturing their stories without intruding their personal space. Sometimes, the stories unfold strand by strand and at times I get just a glimpse of their life in few moments. But it is always such a rewarding experience that its difficult for me to let go any opportunity to strike conversations even with complete strangers. Sometimes it means being disowned by family and friends who are with me at that time but they love me far too much to tolerate some of my "bizarre" streaks!  

Folk art of storytelling in India is very rich heritage that defines our culture and identity. Sadly, we have lost touch with this art form in today's fast age of internet, animation, cinema and mass media that are predominant part of our life. Recently, I discovered an ancient, mesmerizing form of spiritual/devotional/moral storytelling. 

Last week, I was at handicrafts exhibition in the city; marveling interesting menagerie of products/handicrafts, enamoured by the simplicity and innocence of the people from rural areas, when I heard some enchanting music.  

"Govind Rama ho, Gopal Rama Ji-Ji,
Keshwa Rama ho, Madhava rama Ji-Ji"

(Names of lord Krishna sung with utmost reverence)  

Pandharinath Ghatge and Krushnakumar Vaikar, the Vasudevas from Pune

Two singers with mesmerizing vibrant attire; wearing conical shaped crowns decorated with peacock feathers, a lute inserted into their long uparans were singing abhang (devotional song), playing chiplya, zanza and taal. Fortunately, they were willing to speak and I learnt an interesting facet of folk art of India, a cultural tradition that is part of "Bhakti marg" (path of devotion). 

I learnt that they were "Vasudevas", (a community that worships Lord Krishna hence the name "Vasudeva") members of a tribe dedicated to Bhakti marg (Bhakti cultivators), the wandering minstrel from Maharashtra. The concept of the wandering minstrel is a common thread across the country and folk art of this form has unique style in each state. 

Krushnakumar Vaikar, performing at the exhibition

Traditionally, the Vasudevas herald the dawn by wandering through the streets, singing, playing cymbals and occasionally whirling. They start their performance with the first ray of Sun; singing, dancing and waking up the world from its slumber with their melodious, spiritual abhangas, loaded with profound spiritual and philosophical connotations. There is fascinating symphony in the tinkle of their anklets, musical instruments and their songs. Their pheri starts when the moonlight makes way for Sun and ends around noon and this is their livelihood and they depend entirely on alms. 

Pandharinath Ghadge,  bit surprised by my curiosity 

According to Mr.Krushnakumar Vaikar, one of the "Vasudevas" I met at the exhibition, in olden times, their tribe also worked as spies, apart from their contribution in keeping the spiritual songs, couplets and verses alive through centuries, educating the people on street, imparting social awareness.

For someone like me, used to thrive in urban chaos, its difficult to imagine luxury of waking up to such melodious spiritual songs ! I was told, this ancient tradition is on brink of extinction. Will the "Vasudevas" be able to continue being educators, entertainers and cultural ambassadors for long? Only time would tell. For now, I am completely mesmerized by their personae and hope and pray some day, I wake up to their melodious rendition of abhanga, here, very much in this city of Mumbai. 

The circus of protest and the vote bank politics

They say, "give a man power and you know his true character". Looks like, the AAP is proving it absolutely true. In its latest carefully crafted political farce, last week, AAP started a protest seeking suspension of four Delhi police officers for "disobeying" Law minister Somnath Bharti's order to arrest some Ugandan and Nigerian women on charges of prostition and drug peddling during his racist vigilante style midnight raid. When Delhi police declined to perform any task which was against the law, the Law minister behaved in shockingly unruly manner. The reports say that the treatment meted out to women in question during this drama was appallingly shameful. 

I am always jittery over anyone/group/ that claims to be a voice of community/group/nation, articulating well-crafted rhetoric! I am yet to understand if "protests"/dharanas lead to any alternate suggestions/answers in constructive ways. There are ways to address any issue in a democracy like India. Why go on streets, create anarchy, stall governance, create civil unrest by blackmailing as means to meet political agendas? Isn't it a very dangerous precedent to set? AAP's political jambooree; romanticized both by media and the mindless rhetoric of various people suddenly looking at an opportunity to have piece in the pie appears to have completely lost the plot.

Sadly, what we often fail to realize is that, headlines do not always translate into meaningful action that addresses the root cause of the issue. Instead, we fall in to trap of tail chasing scenario of hype and brouhaha the end result of which is nothing except outrage and helplessness.

Today, aggression has become our way of life. The frustration of a citizen due to complete absence of law and order, break down of the system that is becoming chaotic, unapproachable and deeply corrupt is brewing dangerous levels. Our judicial system that is bogged down by corruption and shrouded personal agendas of the individuals responsible for serving citizens of this country does not provide any hope. That is precisely why the onus is all the more on educated class, the enlightened minority to do something constructive about it and giving it voice that has potential to unite entire nation, shake us and compel us to look within and find our conscience.

National pride is a remarkable sentiment but when it is used to malign other political parties/race/country/culture, then it loses its very essence. Patriotism is not about temporary titillation of acrimonious acts of rancour.  

Politics is not my forte but my blood brews every time I witness such sad events that embroil the nation and create easily avoidable conflicts. We need to address the REAL issues not just indulge in mindless rhetoric. The AAP's pathetic attempt to position itself as voice of silent desperation and giving it cathartic release has fallen flat on its face. Voice of people is one of the most important pillar for any democracy but when the modus operandi of any protest is conducted and projected in a manner that reflects complete disregard for the constitution and judiciary, some serious doubts are raised about its credibility. I am not at all impressed by Mr.Arvind Kejriwal and his clans' antics for gaining political mileage out of this whole melodrama and its desperate attempt to position its politics as "revolution"!!! (Give me a break!) 

It is time for AAP to realize that snide remarks for other political parties, glorifying Mr.Arvind Kejriwal and AAP's antics as patriotism and the cupidity of its politicians who gain from such genre of politics is not going to serve them much in long run. The nation and media might have paid them attention so far but to take it for granted and assume that all those eyeballs would automatically convert into votes would be a political Harakiri. 

Love and death in the time of Twitter

In shockingly bizarre turn of events, Mrs. Sunanda Pushkar Tharoor, wife of HRD Minister Shashi Tharoor was found dead in mysterious circumstances in Delhi. Ever since, all hell has broken loose and like it always happens in high profile cases, there is rampant speculation about what really transpired. The micro blogging site Twitter is buzzing with lot of drama caused by tweet fights between Sunanda Pushkar and a Pakistani Journalist Meher Tarar, whom Sunanda accused of stalking and hinted of having an affair with her husband, Shashi Tharoor. Things that came to light after the death and many aspects surrounding it are a shocking revelation of some bitter truths. 

We live in times when the rich, famous and powerful are in constant media glare and every tiny detail from their life, even the ones that are supposed to be private and strictly personal are broadcasted unabashedly for consumption of mass by media. Nobody seems to really think about where the line of mere information for the sake of transparency and intrusion is drawn. Given very limited time available for broadcast in forever content hungry media world and fleeting moments of attention span of the audience, scandals and private lives of politicians and Bollywood celebrities tend to dominate news. PDA between a great looking couple who happen to be public figures serves as great potential for admiration, fan following, aspiration and entertainment compared to victims of inhuman plight of poor in some remote corner of nation. Oh and people can never have enough of those "cute" pictures and salacious gossip of "perfect life" of famous, powerful and successful people. And the "celebrities" are always more than willing to oblige with enough content to stay ahead in the fierce war amidst their own clan.  

Social networking sites are buzzing with posts on Sunanda Pushkar and unfortunately many of them are so insensitive, almost as if punishing her for being intelligent, independent beautiful and having a "fairy tale" life! Suddenly, the world that was admiring her for "having it all" is obsessed with her two previous marriages and appears to be in hurry to give her a character certificate. There can't be anything more tragic than brazen politicians and powerful people trying to score political mileage out of others tragedy. It is impossible to bring openness, accountability and transparency to any democracy without a powerful media but when the media is manipulated by people in power, its purpose is defeated.      

I am deeply shocked to hear about this death and it would be more tragic if it was suicide. As a woman, I find it difficult to comprehend that a strong, educated, independent, beautiful woman like Sunanda Pushkar should suffer and die for man's love!!!! I am sure considering the "happy" life Mr. and Mrs. Tharoor were very keenly portraying in media, at every opportunity, they could have also handled the troubles if any in their life without going public. The fact that such private matter came to public eye in such shocking manner is really absurd! There seems to be much more than what meets the eye. But would we ever find that out? Alas, only if the media would have listened to the story of Sunanda Pushkar that she was desperately trying to share instead of avoiding it for the sake of its own compulsions. Sadly, Sunanda's side of truth is silenced forever with her death!

I wish I could ask her only one question, was it all really worth it in the end? 

Where is the necessary outrage?

Last week, Indian media was busy chasing story on how the Chief Minister of U.P, Mr. Akhilesh Yadav and his party members were being insensitive by hosting a "cultural" programme while riot victims of Muzaffarnagar were being subjected to inhuman conditions. The story got all the more spiced up due to insensitive remarks from the politicians on the issue and  clips of Bollywood stars performing at the event, shown in contrast with stark condition of riot victims.

We have heard horrific stories of "communal riots" and its aftermath resulting in brutal murders, rapes and death of innocent children since the riots in Muzaffarnagar broke out in September, 2013, leaving thousands homeless.

Abhorrent! To say the least, right? First, "communal riots" are designed and executed by religious/political fanatics with adroit meticulousness butchering innocent people. As if it is not enough, the state government goes into outright denial about seriousness of the tragedy! At relief camps also, actions are taken considering the political gains, favouring certain community over the other. Most of the riot victims are forced to live in shockingly inhuman conditions. The way this entire tragedy is handled leaves questions about the intent and understanding of the magnitude of suffering of the riot victims by the ruling party.

Does death in over populated country like ours has any significance at all? We conveniently accept every wrong as part of chaos that is India hence each day begins without iota of conscience/guilt of the perverse wrongs we contribute towards as we absolve ourselves with rhetoric of tokenism.

India being the largest democracy in world, has its unique challenges that need to be addressed in mature way but when even the most serious issues like communal riots/murders/rape/loss of human life are played out to the tunes of vote bank politics, is there any hope when lives do not matter, only votes do?   

What happened in Muzaffarnagar in September 2013 and in its aftermath is a reflection of filthy games of political conspiracies, communal traits and barbaric mindsets. Why are we, as Nation not united in demanding answers? Public outrage and pro-active participation is one of the most significant weapon, that can be used to keep our democracy alive and we have seen it become a significant weapon in serving justice in the gruesome Delhi gang-rape in 2013.

We, as citizens have many battles to fight where victory seems almost unattainable. May be we can't fight all the battles but can we be silent about death of about fifty innocent children? Why should it matter to us? It should, because it is about complete loss of inherent traits we all are born with as human beings; humanity and compassion. We are flesh and blood human beings, not mere numbers in some random list of data of voters' list.

Its time for making our outrage heard. There needs to be enough outrage not only for the sake of democracy but also for the sake of humanity. We owe it to those innocent children who lost their lives, to the unfortunate women who underwent trauma of rape and to those people who were shamelessly murdered in name of religion/politics. 

I don't think it is too much to ask for, if we are human enough, still!