Being
in the profession of communication, I have had the privilege of seeing some
great and ‘oh-you-don’t-want-to-see-this’ trade fairs and exhibitions across
the country, but none have turned out as surprising as the recently concluded
Indo-German Urban Mela at the Deccan College Ground in Pune.
When
I hear the word ‘Mela’, with all due
respect, I am reminded of a dusty, rustic village scene with giant wheels, carts
selling titbits, children running behind a juggler or the candy-floss seller
and some food stalls! But when I heard the phrase Urban Mela, little did I know
what to expect considering it is more of an oxymoron – now how can a rustic
fair be urban at the same time?! The answers were interesting, intriguing and
as hatke as the concept of this Urban
Mela!
As I walked inside
the huge premises, I was welcomed by ‘pavilions’ (or tents as we would normally
call them), each wearing a unique design, shape and emitting beautiful colours
of light, making them look like sparkling gemstones under the moonlit sky! I
was told these designs are the brainchild of a German architect, Markus
Heinsdorff, who was seen taking enthusiastic architecture and design students
around a guided tour, explaining the concept of these innovative pavilions and
inspiring our young guns to experiment and play around with design!
While about seven or
eight different German companies based in Pune were showcasing various innovative
products, applications, solutions and technology for a smooth, seamless and
urban tomorrow, what really caught my attention were the City Simulation Game
by Seimens, a cool, chic and trendy single-seater electric car model by
Volkswagen, an easy window-farming model displayed by Deutche Bank and a Kid’s
Chemistry Lab at BASF. Each one of these presentations was interesting,
captivating, engaging and clearly the solutions for a hassle-free tomorrow!
A particularly sweet
looking, humble gentleman caught my eye one afternoon. He wore funny clothes,
painted his face, wore the best smile and described himself as a 75-year-young
clown with a soul! He started his act in front an enchanted audience of 12 year
olds with gibberish such as ‘Abra kadabra
hocus pocus filliboos' to go ahead performing several antics up his sleeve.
Adoring the kids sitting through his act, he said they were not his audience
but in fact, his partners and believes that are many forms of comedy but to be
a clown is more special because with people, Shiven can laugh at himself and
not at any other person and their disability.
While innovation, education,
technology were a stronghold of Deutschland, the Indian flavour and a ‘Puneri tadka’ were fitting in the form of some great cultural workshops,
shows and events. Theatre, dance and
music workshops, engaging workshops and activities for children, some amazing
concerts by home-grown talent such as Agnee, Raghu Dixit and Amaan Ali Khan,
Ronu Majumdar kept me and so many others like me entertained and asking for
more!
The
entire event was a seamless partnership between India and Germany, each
showcasing and blending their strengths to offer solutions for a better
tomorrow!
While
all this has been a truly fabulous experience, what stood out was flawless
detail in executing this event by the organisers – be it their efficient
shuttle service to and from the venue to the Parking Area, security or an
enthusiastic bunch of young volunteers eager to help!
This
one’s won me over and I can vouch that with such finesse of the west and warmth
of the east, this was one truly ‘urban mela’ that should not have been missed…
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