Journalism of Courage
Everyone had booked their tickets in advance for a concept that is gaining prominence abroad and has recently reached our shores. Drumming in large circles an ancient concept that flourished among many tribes and was glamourised by counterculture bohemians in the 60s is now catching the eyes of many from various walks of life.
On World Peace Day,September 21,Cocoparra,in association with Taal Inc,gave Pune the opportunity to celebrate world peace by participating in The Largest Drum Circle Indian Chapter. The queue at the registration desk boasted variety in demographics. Mothers with their children on their laps,teenagers,grandparents and young adults they all scurried their way to the lawns; some bearing djembes (a kind of percussion instrument) on their shoulders,while some were handed plastic tubs and drumsticks. A certain enthusiastic participant went as far as bringing a huge dhol along. The lawn,which is the venues concert area,had a small square stage set up at the centre,circumscribed by chairs. At 4.30 pm,in the transient sunlight,the participants took their places.
Varun Venkit of Taal Inc took centre stage and greeted the audience,who greeted back with the thunderous collective beats of over 800 people. Amid the carnival atmosphere flowed unbound energy. In unison,the sound was on tempo.
As explained by Venkit later,the idea was to have some form of art intervention in peoples daily life as a de-stressor. Many people think they naturally lack rhythm,and this event was aimed at proving them wrong. Drumming for stress relief is a concept which is being practiced in the corporate scene abroad and in India; the over-all belief being if there is peace within,there shall be peace around.
An hour into the session,hands were already aching. The participants were given a break from drumming by being made to participate in breathing exercises,which they executed diligently. Thereafter,the participants commenced for the second drumming session,which was interjected with
west African songs such as Kilaylay and Moribarasa. Since the words were complicated,the participants were made
to chant the choruses generally comprising of sounds. The event was concluded by a performance by the members of Taal Inc.
