Comments on: East and West Meet at the London Mela http://www.bollywoodbloggers.com/2006/08/19/east-and-west-meet-at-the-london-mela/ Bollywood blogged - international Wed, 07 Jan 2009 04:07:12 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: Maja http://www.bollywoodbloggers.com/2006/08/19/east-and-west-meet-at-the-london-mela/#comment-32 Sun, 20 Aug 2006 20:28:05 +0000 http://www.bollywoodbloggers.com/2006/08/19/east-and-west-meet-at-the-london-mela/#comment-32 OK babasko, when can I come visit you? :D Hey Buddha, it's too bad we couldn't meet at the Mela, I didn't know you were there too. It'd be interesting to read about it from your perspective too, I hope you do write a post about it :) OK babasko, when can I come visit you? :D

Hey Buddha, it’s too bad we couldn’t meet at the Mela, I didn’t know you were there too. It’d be interesting to read about it from your perspective too, I hope you do write a post about it :)

]]> by: michael http://www.bollywoodbloggers.com/2006/08/19/east-and-west-meet-at-the-london-mela/#comment-31 Sun, 20 Aug 2006 18:21:27 +0000 http://www.bollywoodbloggers.com/2006/08/19/east-and-west-meet-at-the-london-mela/#comment-31 oh babasko, you definitly have to write about that event, dear ;) oh babasko, you definitly have to write about that event, dear ;)

]]> by: babasko http://www.bollywoodbloggers.com/2006/08/19/east-and-west-meet-at-the-london-mela/#comment-30 Sun, 20 Aug 2006 17:56:04 +0000 http://www.bollywoodbloggers.com/2006/08/19/east-and-west-meet-at-the-london-mela/#comment-30 we´re lucky here. vienna has some (usually monthly) bollywood-themed parties and there the mix between desi (guys mostly) and white guests is pretty even. and when you go to special festivities like a diwali mela or (like last week) to an independence day cricket match you´re at first eyed curiously and then heartly invited to join. so plenty of occasions to dance ;) and make friends for us here we´re lucky here. vienna has some (usually monthly) bollywood-themed parties and there the mix between desi (guys mostly) and white guests is pretty even. and when you go to special festivities like a diwali mela or (like last week) to an independence day cricket match you´re at first eyed curiously and then heartly invited to join. so plenty of occasions to dance ;) and make friends for us here

]]> by: michael http://www.bollywoodbloggers.com/2006/08/19/east-and-west-meet-at-the-london-mela/#comment-28 Sun, 20 Aug 2006 17:31:37 +0000 http://www.bollywoodbloggers.com/2006/08/19/east-and-west-meet-at-the-london-mela/#comment-28 thanks, both, for sharing your discoverage. its sad, sometimes, when cultures can't mix. at bollywood and beyond party "bombay boogie night" it was most the same: the heavenly dancers were allmost asians. the only oriental styled wedding in austria between an austrian and some arabic women there was one part of the party western styled dancing and then some arabic moment where mostly the arabics danced - but not real any mixing up. oh, there is this asian-arabic gene of dancing we westerners haven't, but thats no explanation why we don't try it :) thanks, both, for sharing your discoverage. its sad, sometimes, when cultures can’t mix. at bollywood and beyond party “bombay boogie night” it was most the same: the heavenly dancers were allmost asians. the only oriental styled wedding in austria between an austrian and some arabic women there was one part of the party western styled dancing and then some arabic moment where mostly the arabics danced - but not real any mixing up. oh, there is this asian-arabic gene of dancing we westerners haven’t, but thats no explanation why we don’t try it :)

]]> by: The Buddha Smiled http://www.bollywoodbloggers.com/2006/08/19/east-and-west-meet-at-the-london-mela/#comment-27 Sun, 20 Aug 2006 10:42:02 +0000 http://www.bollywoodbloggers.com/2006/08/19/east-and-west-meet-at-the-london-mela/#comment-27 Hey, Just discovered this site through the blog of a friend, Beth Loves Bollywood. I was at the London Mela last week as well, and was about to write a post on it, especially on how its a good way to showcase India to people who may not be totally clued in on it. The Bollywood steps were fantastic, especially the part where they turned the water on and had a bit of a rain dance going on! I'd agree with Maja that about 40% of the music was Bollywood, with the rest being taken up by Bhangra and British Asian sounds. There was even an impromptu dance off at the BBC Asian Network stand, which was good fun to watch since people were getting seriously competitive. I went to the Mela in a big group of seven people (three of whom were Italian, of which two had never been outside Italy), so it was really cool to see how they reacted to such a different culture. (The lowest point was when they burned their mouths on some uber-spicy chhole bhature) One of the guys really got into Bhangra - he wanted a CD to take back home with him with the music! Good to find this site, and look forward to reading a lot more about Bollywood here! Peace and much love Hey,

Just discovered this site through the blog of a friend, Beth Loves Bollywood. I was at the London Mela last week as well, and was about to write a post on it, especially on how its a good way to showcase India to people who may not be totally clued in on it. The Bollywood steps were fantastic, especially the part where they turned the water on and had a bit of a rain dance going on!

I’d agree with Maja that about 40% of the music was Bollywood, with the rest being taken up by Bhangra and British Asian sounds. There was even an impromptu dance off at the BBC Asian Network stand, which was good fun to watch since people were getting seriously competitive.

I went to the Mela in a big group of seven people (three of whom were Italian, of which two had never been outside Italy), so it was really cool to see how they reacted to such a different culture. (The lowest point was when they burned their mouths on some uber-spicy chhole bhature) One of the guys really got into Bhangra - he wanted a CD to take back home with him with the music!

Good to find this site, and look forward to reading a lot more about Bollywood here!

Peace and much love

]]> by: Maja http://www.bollywoodbloggers.com/2006/08/19/east-and-west-meet-at-the-london-mela/#comment-26 Sat, 19 Aug 2006 18:36:40 +0000 http://www.bollywoodbloggers.com/2006/08/19/east-and-west-meet-at-the-london-mela/#comment-26 As far as I could see, only the Asians danced, the Westerners just bopped their heads or tapped their feet along to the beat at best. It wasn't really a mixing of cultures because the Asians were in the majority there, so for us, it was more the case of observing their culture and also joining in the celebration in our own way. There <i>was</i> a stall with Caribbean food next to all the Indian food, though. There was some Bollywood music, probably about 30, 40% of the programme. In the second picture, they are dancing to the song Darshan from Bend it like Beckham. All the songs that Bollywood Steps dance to are from films, there were some other groups doing Bollywood dances too, and I believe Pascal of Bollywood only sings old filmi songs as well, but there was also a lot of bhangra, classical/folk, electronic music, hip hop ... Something for everyone, and yes, everyone should visit it, definitely! In fact I was just thinking how much I'd like to go again next year. As far as I could see, only the Asians danced, the Westerners just bopped their heads or tapped their feet along to the beat at best. It wasn’t really a mixing of cultures because the Asians were in the majority there, so for us, it was more the case of observing their culture and also joining in the celebration in our own way. There was a stall with Caribbean food next to all the Indian food, though.
There was some Bollywood music, probably about 30, 40% of the programme. In the second picture, they are dancing to the song Darshan from Bend it like Beckham. All the songs that Bollywood Steps dance to are from films, there were some other groups doing Bollywood dances too, and I believe Pascal of Bollywood only sings old filmi songs as well, but there was also a lot of bhangra, classical/folk, electronic music, hip hop … Something for everyone, and yes, everyone should visit it, definitely! In fact I was just thinking how much I’d like to go again next year.

]]> by: michael http://www.bollywoodbloggers.com/2006/08/19/east-and-west-meet-at-the-london-mela/#comment-25 Sat, 19 Aug 2006 14:17:16 +0000 http://www.bollywoodbloggers.com/2006/08/19/east-and-west-meet-at-the-london-mela/#comment-25 Thanks Maja, for sharing it with us. i will myself soon write about german bollywood and beyond filmi-festival. but its interesting, especially the athmosphere you've described. people joining some performing one with dancing - asian-indian ones or also westerners? is there really any mixing the cultures or more some showing asian culture to western (or even celebrate without noticing westerners?) how much was bollywood on london mela? much bollywood sound or less? and last not least: should everyone visit it? thanks for joining this site, maja greetings from germany michael Thanks Maja, for sharing it with us. i will myself soon write about german bollywood and beyond filmi-festival. but its interesting, especially the athmosphere you’ve described. people joining some performing one with dancing - asian-indian ones or also westerners? is there really any mixing the cultures or more some showing asian culture to western (or even celebrate without noticing westerners?)
how much was bollywood on london mela? much bollywood sound or less?

and last not least: should everyone visit it?
thanks for joining this site, maja

greetings from germany
michael

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