Stuff I wrote for my college campus newspaper - 6

Mother of all festivals

By Sanket ‘Fest Pest’ Kambli

Hey! This article isn’t about some famous college fest; it’s about an event which is being pegged as mother of all fests. This ten-day-long Mumbai Festival, which was postponed as a mark of respect to tsunami victims, originally scheduled to begin on January 7, would begin here from January 14 with a special programme at the Gateway of India, coinciding with Makar Sankranti. This fest is hoping to emulate the success of the Dubai Shopping Festival, a mix of consumerism, arts and entertainment which came to define Dubai and magnify its appeal. The Mumbai Festival will be spread across the city and split into different sections and events focusing on arts and crafts, music, food, heritage, youth and even a talent hunt. Both a big budget and big names have been roped in. Siddharth Kak from Surabhi will handle the crafts section, and walking good food guide Rashmi Uday Singh will travel the streets in a double-decker open-air bus to tickle the taste buds.Artist Sangita Jindal and star jazz performers like Ravi Colltrane, George Duke and Earl Kligh will also be part of the party.

• Food: A platter to please from Mohammed Ali Road to Khau Gali. Rashmi Uday Singh leads the way
• Crafts: Some of India’s best craftspeople will display their wares at reasonable rates at the Bandra Craft Mela
• Music: Jam with Almost Famous at Bandra Kurla or head for Gateway to hear the T Monk Institute of Jazz strike the right note
• Talent Hunt: The Limca Fresh Face hunt is on during the festival so keep that smile glowing
• Kids’ Corner: Indian Book House give kids a chance to relive those Amar Chitra Katha and Tinkle comics with fun events
• Art Wall: The 60-ft art wall at Marine Drive will be a canvas for some of the city’s best artists

While maintaining the basic intent of celebrating the spirit of Mumbai, the Festival Committee has rededicated itself to create multiple platforms for the citizens of Mumbai to reach out to tsunami-affected people, the Committee said in a release here. Whatever be the case, make sure you are part of this party, as you will surely find me there.

(Fest Details--Courtesy: Central Chronicle, Bhopal; Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd)