Let it not be said that we suffer from a dearth of music fests. Not one, but two festivals are going to take place, both in Rajasthan, and both fronted by two formidable cultural czarinas
Zila Khan and Malvika Singh
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Let it not be said that we suffer from a dearth of music fests. Not one, but two festivals are going to take place, both in Rajasthan, and both fronted by two formidable cultural czarinas. The first is the Ranthambore Festival, whose creative director, Zila Khan’s opening gambit of ‘Adaab Bibi Jaan,’ is virtually irresistible, is being presented by the Puqaar Foundation, and is ‘a not-for-profit effort in music and nature conservation’.
Vardan Hovanissian and Emre Gultekin
The Ranthambore Festival, to be held from January 27 to 29 at the Nahargarh Palace, is a not-for-profit festival, intended to be a unifying platform to bring together Indian and international musical luminaries, nature and wildlife conservationists, business thought leaders, and social influencers to consolidate, and supercharge the music and nature conservation effort, and influence a wide audience towards action.
The second, in early February is the Udaipur World Music festival, and we were alerted to its unfolding by none else than Malvika Singh, whose breezier, ‘Dear all, do forward this to all your friends and those who would be interested in this rather splendid fest,’ appears equally enticing, given that it is being kicked off by a ‘Promotion on the streets of Udaipur by Marching Band Kocani Orkestar from Macedonia’! And whereas Ranthambore promises to ‘showcase world music on a grand stage, while incorporating Indian folk and traditional genres in all the acts, the idea is to expose the audience to a plethora of sounds from around the world, while connecting all the pieces using folk and traditional music. Udaipur is no slouch either, with performances in the Jagmandir Island Palace in Lake Pichola featuring artists like Vardan Hovanissian on the Duduk, and Emre Gultekin, vocals and sax.
So which festival will we end up going to? As we were saying, let it not be said that we suffer from a dearth of music fests!
Diamonds are forever?
Two top diamond jewellers, both of whom occupy opposite ends of the retail spectrum, are said to have been raided over the weekend, but are nevertheless said to be amongst the most successful.
Both belong to the same community, and speculation on the bourse is that they are under the scanner for alleged hanky panky following demonetisation, when they are supposed to have assisted in some nifty backdating of invoices, etc, to enable their favoured clientele to guard their loot.
The south Mumbai showroom of the more celebrated one was said to be shuttered all of Monday and sources say that neighbours confirmed the same of his New Delhi offices. What’s more, the officers who were assigned to the operation, are said to have not been informed who they were shaking down until the last minute. As for the BKC offices of the second, they are said to have also been shut for the day according to sources.
Interestingly, what led to the raids is the fact that notations made by both were said to be in a script more easily discernible by the powers that be, who is said to have initiated the surgical strike.
All’s well...
All’s well that ends well. Author and fellow columnist Rosalyn D’Mello had posted a few days earlier, about being snubbed by this year’s upcoming JLF, by not having been invited to participate, on social media.
William Dalrymple and Rosalyn D'Mello
After all, there was no earthly reason for her book ‘A Handbook for My Lover,’ praised for its prose as well as its passion, not being included in this year’s roster. Rather than bitterness, D’Mello had struck a resigned chord, mentioning another lit fest that she would be participating in, which was equally prestigious.
However, such are the ways of social media, that it appears one of the festival’s director’s, William Dalrymple apparently, made a corrective gesture and extended an olive branch in the form of an invitation to a panel, which D’Mello gracefully accepted.
The power of social media? Not quite. Another author who’d also posted a more fulsome diatribe about being cold shouldered by JLF, though he too had richly deserved inclusion, had not earned an invitation. Jus’ sayin’.
Elementary?
Our Oolong tea-serving hostess friend was sulking. Travel had kept us away from her boudoir, and she was bursting at the seams to share her latest media scoop, given that she sees herself as something of a media groupie.
Barkha Dutt and Arnab Goswami
“Ever since the announcement of the exit of Barkha Dutt from NDTV, speculation had been rife about her next move,” she said, flicking pointedly through the pages of the latest Economist. “And whereas many swear that she will go digital, there are almost an equal number of self-proclaimed know all’s, who aver that it will be a news channel that she will be fronting and what’s more, it is being launched as a counter to Arnab’s imminent channel,” she said.
“Everyone knows that Goswami’s is being supported by the powers that be to create an influential global platform on the lines of Al Jazeera” she said, adding with all the zest of Sherlock about to solve a mystery to Watson. “So, it obviously confirms things.” Huh we said, obviously confirms what?
The OTSHF rolled her eyeballs wearily, “That we will have not one but two new news channels soon fronted by two broadcasting giants; after all which Opposition worth its salt would not launch a counter platform of its own?” And then, pleased as punch at her deduction, the OTSHF tinkled her little bell to call for more hot water.
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