Flash Mob with a Difference

On 19^th October 2014, a unique flash mob organised by Music Matters, ragpickers with Swach and Deep Griha NGO at Seasons Mall spread the message of cleanliness via music. Here are the details...

It is always fun to mix something good and entertaining with a cause. And in a city like Pune, it has been happening quite often. On 19^th October 2014, a unique experiment took place at Seasons Mall between 6.30pm to 6.45pm wherein an interesting flash mob helped spread the message of cleanliness. This initiative by Music Matters had waste pickers from Swach and members of Deep Griha NGO join hands to make people aware of cleanliness. All that was done by drumming and the the power of music. It was a proud moment to know that this was a first of its kind event in India where flash mob idea was used to spread an important message.

One saw 40 social workers get the nessacary training from 40 musicians for a week and it was seen in the 7 minutes performance. 1000s saw the wonderful performance when they visited the mall for their Sunday shopping. They head slogans like Swach Indian Clean India from the percussionists along with household items like buckets combined with percussion instruments like Djembes, Lajems, Drum Sticks, Tambourines, Shakers and so on. It is good to know that the 80 members had been trained by Arthur Fernandes who is a psychologist, musician and arts-based therapist. It was a evening filled with fun and getting to know about the importance of cleanliness. What more can you ask for?

Here’s a link to the flash mob video: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4u5YNbeScDg 

Book Review: The Butcher of Benares

Blame it on DaVinci Code. All of a sudden, thriller with a base of religion and mythology suddenly became my obsession. I have read my fair share of such books but I was trying to find something with an Indian background. The recently concluded 2^nd Pune International Literature Festival managed to convince me to pick up the talked about book The Butcher of Benares by Mahendra Jakhar. While talking to the author, his detailed study intrigued me to read his debut novel.

After reading the prologue, I was hooked and within a span of one day, I finished the book. I believe the story has to have a linear thread, despite being set in different time frame or places. The readers should be made aware beforehand that the title is quite apt for the kind of blood and chilling scenarios presented in the book. You are introduced the protagonist, tough Jat cop from Delhi Crime Branch, Hawa Singh, who might look all brawn with his six foot plus height and hulk of a frame. But he also has some brains to match.

An incident from his path has given him a devil-may-care attitude, apart from a bullet lodged in his brain. He is in Benares, the heart of Hindu world, with his dying father Fauja Singh, whose way of dying is more hilarious than ever. Dying in Benares leads to moksha. And it here on Makar Sankranti that he discovers the floating body of an American woman, amidst the cries of Har Har Mahadev of the intimidating Naga Sadhu. She has a cross stake in her heart with the organ removed.

Hawa gets sucked into a murder mystery of a religious nature which involves the Vatican, the Benares royal family, Hinduism’s most formidable sects (Nagas and Aghoris, bitter rivals) and most important, a cunning cannibal on loose who will not stop at anything to prove his point. As Hawa gets entangled in this rather internationally religious plot, you also meet FBI agent Ruby Malik assisting the protagonist.

What pleasantly surprises the reader is the fact that the book has been well-researched. Whenever the mention of any religious or even historical fact arose, it does not bother you as something out of the fertile mind of the writer. Mahendra weaves these facts without letting the pace of the book down. The Naga sadhus led by an intriguing American Mahant named Baba Ramtirath create a terrifying vision, be it their fierce loyalty for their guru, utter disregard for worldly rules and just mere presence. On the other hand, you have the equally terrifying Aghori sadhus. Hardcore Shiva followers, the revered but mostly kept a hand’s length Aghoris are known to haunt cremation grounds, indulge in cannibalism and known to be masters of tantric art. With these two rival parties making appearances as suspects, you also have a suspicious Kashi naresh with an intelligent but maniac brother who happens to be an Aghori and a cannibal. In between you are introduced to a scheming evil opportunist entrepreneur-cum-politician and his deranged son.

It is these facts mixed with a linear pattern of fast-paced story-telling. Mahendra does not let the mystery or the plot slow down with soppy romantic plots or personal baggage. I found it refreshing clipped. I also found the character sketches on similar lines. The characters are not burdened with endless dramas. You can picture Hawa Singh’s personal battles while solving this case. His father is on another trip of finding death and moksha in the holy city, but it eludes him. So he is on another trip of enjoying life till it lasts. Be it FBI agent Ruby, the mysterious Kashi Naresh Abhay Singh or his Aghori brother Manavendra, the very mysterious Baba Ramtirath, or even minor characters like SSP Neeraj Thakur, each make an impression.

I would prefer calling the language to be perfect for the kind of story The Butcher of Benares is. Mahendra has used simple language with the scenes to be created effortlessly before your eyes. You see Benares in a different light here. Holy is one word which always comes here, but eerie and dark will soon come to your mind. Whether Hawa and Ruby tried to pick up clues or episodes leading up the next victim, all episodes come out with ease.

I have always been a big crime thriller fan, along with mythology and religious stories. It is probably because all these offer me the thrill to picture the written word or figure how it would be. One would call The Butcher of Benares to be quite a heady combination of all these genres. At the end, I was just glad to pick it up for a relaxed Sunday. Mahendra Jakhar, take a bow.

P.S: Benares happens to be on my must-visit places list for quite some time. The book allowed me visit the place without even stepping out of my room.

Title: The Butcher of Benares

Writer: Mahendra Jakhar

Genre: Crime Thriller

Publisher: Westland

Price: Rs 350 (Paperback)

Photo Credit: http://www.westlandbooks.in/ & justvaranasi.com 

An act in mask

Theatre lovers in Pune are in for a treat as this Sunday at Arc Asia, Koregaon Park where an unusual play unfolds in front of the patrons. Music Matters will present A Tale of Two Treaties which is a Commedia Dell’Arte play for the first time in Pune. One man with ten masks will tell a story of love, betrayal, vengence and more with lots of hilarious results. While the one man army behind the play is Deepal Doshi, Music Matters is run by the young Arthur Fernandes and Chantelle Cabral. Commedia Dell’Arte happens to a popular and influential Italian form of masked theatre from 16^th century. Here, you have masks, improvisation, physical comedy and grotesque humour and also meet archetypes.

Deepal Doshi

Deepal’s foray in physical theatre began at Grotowski-based school in Sweden, where he learned Commedia Dell’Arte for three weeks. “I immediately found an affinity to the world of masks. My teacher then suggested me to study physical theatre in California at Dell'Arte International School Of Physical Theatre. I studied here for 3 years. Here is where I studied forms like Commedia Dell'Arte, Clowning, Melodrama, Tragedy, Buffoun, Devising, Adaptation work. At the end of school, I was working as a freelance artist directing shows, acting and teaching in the US, Sweden and Bali.”

We return to A Tale of Two Treatise. After taking the decision to come to India in 2012, doing something in Commedia Dell’Arte was running through his head. “I tried to look up on the internet and asked friends if they knew of anyone doing Commedia Dell’Arte in India and unfortunately I couldn’t find any. I was averted to the idea of starting with a workshop or beginning by teaching about Commedia Dell’Arte to introduce the form in India. So I decided to experiment with this form. Even though Commedia Dell’Arte is an ensemble form, I decided to create a one-man show. I wanted to challenge myself just the way the form challenges the actor to create a piece of work that engages, entertains and inspires. I was all set to perform this show in Mumbai at The Hive, where I met Chantelle Cabral with Arthur Fernandes. Unfortunately the rains destroyed the make-shift roof and the show was cancelled but a small chat with Chantelle and her partner was enough to inspire the three of us to collaborate. They introduced me to the possibility of performing at Arc Asia in Pune. Since I haven’t performed for a Pune audience, we thought this might be a great way to premiere this show here.”

Speaking about Music Matters, Chantelle reveals, “Our company is into very innovative events indeed. And creating a new path and opening out a new horizon of innovation for the people to see, take part in and experience. All our events are organised on our own and we also work along with like-minded people. We are blessed to come in contact, work with, or associate with the people who share the same thought of experimenting with interesting ideas that are out of the box.”

For any artiste, his creations hold something special for him to do it. For Deepal, it is the engaging world of masks. “What excites me the most is the experience that the show transcends from one actor playing ten characters to an entertaining story of these eccentric characters that entertains the audiences. This performance demands a lot of energy and everytime it creates a magical space where I feed off the audience energy and throw it back at them creating a “play” in every sense of the word. My memory of Puneris has been of fun and enthusiasm ans I have a feeling that that’s what they will have on Sunday. The show in Arc Asia is not just a performance but an entire evening of great food, great wine and a wild theatrical experience.”

This Mumbai-based actor, creator, director and educator has travelled all over learn various works

Chantelle Cabral & Arthur Fernandes 

like Commedia Dell’Arte, Clown, Melodrama, Mime, Tragedy. “I teach workshops and master classes for acting professionals as well as students in U.S.A, Sweden, India and Indonesia. I am currently performing this one man show directed by Kathryn Doshi as well as It’s Not Waht You Tihnk, a three person original devised  Commedia Dell'Arte play, written and directed by me.”

For Deepal, the thing that enthrals him about theatre is its essence from his point of view. “The performer shares a unique emotional and intellectual vulnerability with his/her audience in an exclusive time and space that they have agreed to be in together. I believe the experience of an audience watching physical theatre is profoundly visceral as much as it is intellectual and emotional.  In all the work I create and aspire to create, I am always questioned by my sub-conscious “What is it about your theatre Deepal that film cannot recreate?”. I believe this forms the basis of my work and the inspiration for me devoting myself to theatre.”

Regarding Music Matters which has base in Pune, Mumbai and Goa, along with events in Nashik, Delhi and worldwide, Chantelle speaks, “We are always open to moving to where ever we are needed. We always have done our best to have the most successful events and got very positive responses from them. The only tough part we find is to talk to people and introduce concepts that haven’t been done before. Innovative Events, Drum Circles, Artist Management and so much more... keeping Music as a constant base, we work around.”

They makes sure that they give back to society as much as they can. “At the end, if you believe and faith in what you do, leave the rest to nature and you shall see it all fall in place at its own time. You do what you love doing and you will never have to work for the rest of your life, and that’s what we do.”

VENUE: Arc Asia, ABC Farms, North Main Road, Koregaon Park

DATE: September 14^th, 2014

TIME: Cocktails at 7pm and Showtime at 9pm

TICKET & INFO: 9860088475