Goa's popular electronic dance music festival, Sunburn, that attracted revellers from all over the world since 2007 was stopped short of celebrating a decade this year. The state government's ban on the big beach gig, presumably under pressure from right-wing groups who bandied against it for being 'opposed to Indian culture', has led to the venue being moved to Pune.
Now, with the state currently hosting the debut edition of an eight-day long arts festival in the capital, Panjim, speculations are rife that Goa is looking at an image make-over.
The Serendipity Arts Festival being held along the 1.8 km stretch of the Mandovi River, an initiative of the Munjal trust for the arts and culture, was formally inaugurated by Goa CM Laxmikant Parsekar, Hero Corporate Service Pvt Ltd chairman Sunil Kant Munjal, along with other officials and dignitaries last week.
“Goa is a melting pot of cultures across geographical borders. We are thrilled to support the first edition of the festival. The scale and scope is a treat for the people of Goa and across the country. We are excited to be opening up some of our most cherished spaces towards this,” said Ameya Abhyankar, secretary to the CM of Goa.
The 16th century palace of the Muslim ruler of the state, Adil Shah, was historically a secretariat building in the colonial times. It was opened as a refurbished museum with the festival's debut. Several rooms house different exhibitions of this multi-disciplinary arts festival that focuses on music, dance, theatre, crafts, visual and culinary arts.
Speaking to THE WEEK, S.K.Munjal said the idea to name it Serendipity came from not wanting to title it Hero (after their company).
“Instead of proprietary, I want it to be a neutral platform for several people, institutions, and experts to get involved. It should showcase of Indian arts at a global scale, which India needs but doesn't have. We patronised the arts for the last 18 years under our Ludhiana-based organisation. My friends suggested that we do the same in Delhi. That is how the festival came about.”
How does he see this tying in with the corporate line. Is it CSR? “In the last few years, India has focussed on economy and geo-politics, with not much being done in the cultural space. With the country's vast size and diversity we can do a lot more, given that many crafts and arts are declining because they aren't viable for their practitioners today. One of the festival's highlights is the theatre work Talatum, a contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare's Tempest, set in a circus tent, and performed by circus troops from Kerala.”
What does he make of corporates generally not perceived as sensitive to the arts? “I think the impression is misplaced. People are individuals. Just like healthcare and education, there should be patronage for the arts too.”
Interestingly, as the Parliament passed the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Bill last week, the festival had roped in a young access consultant, Siddhanth Shah, who made the venues disabled-friendly with Braille signages and several photo and art exhibits converted into versions that could be experienced by the visually impaired. “We used non-serif fonts that would help even those with low vision to read them,” he told THE WEEK, adding that special photography workshops would introduce visual arts to the blind.
