18 February 2012

Scintillating Music of THE 90s'

Aldous Huxley aptly says,
"After Silence that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is Music."

And what captivated India in the 90s' and the early 2000 were the Indi-Pop Songs!
     
The Time when Alisha Chinoy, Sagarika,Shaan, KK, Sonu Nigam, Bali Saagu, Bali Brahmabhatt, Baba Sehgal, Lucky Ali, etc. were the insignia of the the Indian Pop Music.

All had fuge fan following... I still remember 'Models', singing "Jaana hai humko Bollywood, dekhegein hum toh Bollywood"...Yaad aaya?



Glamour was a huge quotient in Pop Music that time... Youngsters copied and emulated their actions...
"Shweta Shetty" brought a new sensation with her voice... her hits included "Johny Joker" and "Deewane, Deewane toh Deewane hain"(which I still listen to ... :D ).
But of course, it was "Alisha Chinoy" who was undoubtedly the Queen of this era with hits like, "Made in India, Dil", etc...



Shaan made his debut on the singing scene first teaming up with his sister, Sagarika in "Aisa hota hain" and then with the hugely popular Bengali boy image in "Loveology... L-O-V-E-ology" ... (this song was hilarious!)



His other super hits were, "Tanha Dil", "Bhool Jaa", "Gum Sum ho Kyun"... Other male pop star hugely popular was KK! how can we forget his superhit song-played-in-very-farwell?
 

The 90s' and early 2000 also saw several Indi-pop bands like, My personal favourites "Band of Boys" and "Euphoria"... maaeri yaad woh, yaad woh aaye ri...



The pop music scene in India is now very much subsumed by the Bollywood Culture and Remix Music with most pop stars coming from playback backgrounds unlike yester-years and many not living beyond their first or second album (Viva, Aasma, etc.)

The Pop Music in India today, is nowhere to be seen but is evergreen in our hearts...
The Uniqueness and Independence of those songs is still fresh!

                             The 90's Indi Pop songs shaped many of our Childhoods and Adolescence and for some...like Me, it still remains a matter of Nostalgia and an Era... Heartily Missed!


"ooo...Kabhi aana tu meri gali... tujhe palko pe rakhunga Ji"

15 February 2012

Life... as we know it :)


Some of my favourite Quotations on the Journey we call 'Life';



“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” 
― Mae West

“In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.” 
― Robert Frost


“I'm not afraid of death; I just don't want to be there when it happens.” 
― Woody Allen


"Just living is not enough... one must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower."
- Hans Christian Andersen


“Just when you think it can't get any worse, it can. And just when you think it can't get any better, it can.” 
― Nicholas SparksAt First Sight


"Life is simple, it's just not easy."

"My life has a superb cast but I can't figure out the plot."
- Ashleigh Brilliant


"I think everybody should get rich and famous and do everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that it's not the answer."
~Jim Carrey



"My formula for living is quite simple.  I get up in the morning and I go to bed at night.  In between, I occupy myself as best I can."
~Cary Grant


"Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we're here we should dance."

'If you stop struggling, then you stop life."
~Huey Newton


"Sometimes questions are more important than answers."
~Nancy Willard


"You can hope for a miracle in your life, or you can realize that your life is the miracle."
~Robert Brault


"It takes a while, but eventually you realize that limiting your horizons to your own selfish interests limits your horizons."

09 February 2012

An Art-Full Day


The Kala Ghoda Art Festival,Mumbai entered its 14th year on 4th February,2012 as I entered my first year of being there.
So what makes Kala Ghoda Festival different, from the other Art Festivals in India? Is it the Magnificent 'Kala Ghoda' (Black Horse) or the the colorful stalls from various Indian States? The folk dance performances or the Charlie Chaplin and The Emperor Akbar roaming on the street? (Believe me, he still did not forget Anarkali :P ). However, its even more hard to say what makes the Festival different from its previous year versions! (Well for me its hard because, it was my first time!).
So, how was my experience of The Kala Ghoda? Its a festival worth going and letting yourself absorbed in the place. Me? Well, I was running with my photographer friend from one place to the other, awe-struck with every sculptor I came across.
The one of the many things which attracted me to the core was The Volkswagen 'Think Blue' - 'Yellow' Basic Structure; made up of every possible junk you can come across, Computer Mouse, Keyboards, Old Cassettes, Cold drink cans, wires and what not! What the car will be, if the structure is such! This work has found itself a place in the German Museum too.
On the left of the Volkswagen, You see a Big Crow (really Big!). On first note, people find it amusing, on a second note it implies the problems faced by Our City- Mumbai. Thought? great! Impact? Saw a Little girl keeping her chocolate wrapper in her bag, rather than throwing on the road!
Everybody wants to be famous, but what gets sold in the end? The Art or the Artist? Find it for yourself, with 'Make me Famous'.
A Plastic bottle maze! Right round, round, circle, circle and here you are out! So what was this about? From what I understood, the maze made me imagine a city suffocating with plastic bottles(read, pollution) everywhere. Message? Try and make people aware with the message of 'crush the bottle after use' and yes, Throw it in a dustbin! Not on railway tracks, or the roads.
As we move on, The festival asks all of us to throw our Doubts, Sadness and Fears in The Pool of Shit and just forget them forever! (I did, you should too! Believe me, I felt lighter after that).
The festival sort of has a Mini-India feel to it. With colorful stalls from different states of the country; handicrafts, clothes, art work, bags, accessories, etc. the festival-street keeps you going.
What not to miss? A Rajasthani Man playing flute with his nose, delicious food and the folk dances happening every evening, The Puppet Show and lots more!
One of the coolest art placement among the rest is, "Under the table" (I named it so). This art/brain work will tell you what the real work is! What you have to do? You just have to tilt your head down and look into the mirror and then com up straight and find a different picture altogether. 
Do not miss the Potter sitting on the left of the exit of the Festival. get yourself a pot of the shape you like! (I got one, a little 'tedha' I made but I love it, soon gonna paint it ;) ). I spent whole my day, actually 2-days wandering on the art-o-cultural street. But you all? Do watch out for the film screenings and workshops happening @ different venues.
And, if you get tired of roaming on the street, sit on the amphitheatre and enjoy the serenity of various folk dances (starts 6pm in the evening). Just near to the Amphi', you will find a blue-lighten'd glass pots (hanging on a tree) embodied with the The India Gate, Taj Mahal, Leaning Tower of Pisa, Eiffel Tower, etc. Looks amazing when the sky is dark in the colorful lights of the festival. There is a lot and lot more to the Kala Ghoda Art Festival. This post is just a 2-days experience ki 'baatein' from what I saw and absorbed.
A perfect place for art lovers and Click buddies (I mean the Photographers).
I had an Art-full, Color-full, and Fun-full time at the Kala Ghoda! You should have too! :D
And yes, don't forget to tie your 2012-wish-to be wished before the world ends, to the "Wishing Tree". Its right there, search for it! There are some wonderful and Lovely wishes hanging on that tree :)


"Kabhi yeh hath uthatey hain duaoon main,Kabhi pedon par mannato ke dhage bandhane ke liye.Zindagi ke safar mai jitna bhi mile kam lagta hai,Jab tak saans hai dil karta hai mangney k liye.2012 ke baad saal zyada ho ya kam,Abhi Mauka hai aapki khwaishon ko ek pedh par bandhane ke liye."
The Festival is ON till the 12th of February only... Go! Go! Go!
P.S- I know a lot is left to mention here, so why don't you all do that for me? :) Leave in with your experience of What-not-to-miss at The Kala Ghoda Art Festival 2012!