Mela 2003
Up to 8,000 people from around the South turned up to enjoy the first Mela in Hoglands Park which featured performances from top Indian Classical and Asian Fusion musicians, DJs and leading Bollywood and Bhangra artists. The Right Worshipful the Mayor of Southampton Councillor Parvin Damani delighted the audience by opening the Mela and letting balloons soar skywards – this signified the way the day went UP!
Held over nine hours, the festival offered the opportunity to explore the different South Asian cultures with music, food and fun – with everything on offer from up-beat Bollywood and Bhangra performances, music and dance workshops and yoga sessions to buzzing crowds around the Karaoke corner. Fine Asian food was available from eleven different catering units from as far afield as London. Fashionable clothing brand Puredesi, meaning ‘100 per cent Asian’ had travelled down from Coventry for the day to promote their latest line of clothing.
Star of TV comedy, ‘Goodness Gracious Me’, Nina Wadia also lent her support: “I think Mela has been absolutely fantastic – you’ve got sunshine, crowds of people and there’s so much to do. This is Southampton’s first Mela and hopefully the first of many – it’s huge and it’s absolutely brilliant.” As well as the music, there were dance displays, stalls for henna, art and community groups as well as a wide range of Asian food. There was even a chance to read the news at the BBC South marquee. The festival culminated in live music on the main stage in the evening sunshine. Musicians on the bill included Anuradha Shukla, Kawsar Habib, Leeds Brothers, RDB (Rhythm Dhol and Bass) as well as local DJs including Vinay Handa from Bombsquad.
In the Activities and Education marquee, everyone was given the opportunity to unwind by taking part in a yoga class. For the more energetic there were the South Asian dance workshops. Children of all cultural backgrounds from local schools, including St. Mary’s who participated in the Hello Project, delighted audiences with demonstrations of traditional South Asian dancing led by professional Indian dancer Vidya Thirunarayan. Vidya also teaches South Asian dance at Art Asia in Radcliffe Road, Southampton.
Quotes
"The festival was the culmination of 20 years work in promoting Asian arts in the City, it brings all the communities together to enjoy themselves. We got support from so many people and organisations to bring it all together" Vinod Desai, Chief Executive of Art Asia
"An event like this is fantastic and a real celebration of multicultural Britain" MP John Denham, Itchen, Southampton
"This type of event has got to be the way forward. This is a city that is going places and it’s the place to be" Hitesh Master of Southampton’s Heart to Heart, Bevois Valley