PANJIM:
The much talked about Serendipity Arts Festival Goa 2017 serenaded, captivated, enthralled and entertained people from all walks of life. The pace and grand scale of the festival, the awe-inspiring set productions, the inspiring artwork and the mesmerizing sculptures and the opulent exhibits have bridged the gap of the dying art forms came alive and revived India’s cultural heritage and culinary promenade capturing every art, craft, and culinary connoisseurs’ heart. It has brought young talent to the forefront. All of whom were truly happy to be present on this stage.
Sunil Munjal Chief Patron & Founder, Serendipity Arts Foundation, shared his view on the closing day, saying, “We planned to see people come and enjoy the show and get a glimpse into the performing arts industry at a personal level. We have had almost 3,00,000 people who have attended our festival. The magnitude of visitors who have appreciated our artists, curators and organizers has truly humbled me. I am sure we will be back with a bigger scale which is grand and opulent next year. The audiences will be happy to see that we’ve fused so many forms of art on a world stage, and we hope to bring more excitement to the Serendipity Arts Festival catalogue next year. I thank everyone who have extremely supportive of this cause. The time spent with all the people who are responsible for the task of putting great things for the world to witness has been overwhelming for me. The excitement is still pulsating and I hope to see everyone here next year.”
The splendidly displayed arts festival celebrates it closing ceremony after eight days of extravagant and delightful performances with Coke Studios featuring Faridkot, the popular series with its signature mix of fusion music blending the Sufi influences, blues, bass and psychedelic rock. Along with a heart-thumping performance that sets people’s minds free with folk-singer, Mir Mukhtiyar Ali’s classical voice soothing the soul, fused with Rajasthani idioms, and a touch of Sufi poetry by Kabir and Bulleh Shah.
The groundbreaking multi-disciplinary performing arts festival which displayed an ensemble of some of the most intriguing performances enraptured every visitor, and dignitary over the past 8 days. The ten venues that were adorned and embellished with works of positively riveting art witnessed people returning for second shows and glimpses of more to satiate their inquisitive minds.
Audiences who visited every venue, and those who attended the finale, today, will return home with mixed emotions of joy and happiness and hope this festival never stopped; having seen some of the greatest artists performing side by side with some of the most brilliant upcoming new talented artists on a world stage is a story that will travel across the globe until 2018 the Serendipity Arts Festival’s 3rd edition opens its doors to public.
The earth-shattering performances and sheer magnitude of its effects will be forever ingrained in every visitors’ mind. Some the performances by the revered Shubha Mudgal who curated the River Raga, A Night in Harlem by Ranjit Barot, a renowned musician, both of whom serenaded audiences.
Theatrical dance treats of the likes of Shikandi by the talented Faezeh Jalali, Rhythm Divine by the famous Astad Daboo. Riyas Komu, a well-known artist who brought the Young Subcontinent, poet and culture theorist who presented the Anti Memoirs: Locus, Language, Landscape, all enthralled people who attended the shows. The Coconut Story by Odette Mascarenhas, who is a food historian and critic and the young chef who is a culinary expert Manu Chandra, who curated the boulevard of culinary delights and showcased some sumptuous Indian treats, received grand appreciation from audiences.
The visual exhibits brought in tremendous attention and appreciation such as the Josef Wirsching and the Bombay Talkies displays. The world of photography with some of the best-obscured imagery by Dinesh Khanna and Prashant Panjiar truly captured India’s essence and diversity and fused it with the contemporary and modern world.
Speaking on the celebratory closing Ravi P V Viswanathan, Chief Marketing Officer, Tata Consultancy Services said, “Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is very happy to have partnered with the Serendipity Arts Festival (SAF). We look beyond IT and promote different art events across the country, which help us showcase the culture of India through performing arts across genres.
For us at TCS, it has been a truly satisfying journey of encouraging, promoting, and nurturing the rich intangible heritage of India through these events across the years. We are happy to be associated with SAF-Goa 2017, which is thoughtfully curated across art disciplines, travels beyond boundaries with a refreshing perspective to art and culture. I am sincerely humbled to have been a part of such a massive production for the past eight days. Munjal has awakened the love of art in the country, and we hope that the festival continues to pick up the momentum it has gathered and grow to become an international feature.”
Serendipity Arts Festival -Goa 2017 powered by TCS will be remembered by all. Almost every person who visited the ten beautifully set up venues asked just one question– will Serendipity Arts Festival come back with a bigger catalogue next year, and the answer from all organizers– is “Yes”. All of the organizers are delighted with received the mass appreciation were humbled and grateful.
