'Ring the Bell' or 'Bell Bajao' meet organized by #Indiblogger and #Breakthrough on Women's day at the British Council on Friday, March 8 was the first stop this weekend. I went out of curiosity and to spend some time with my daughter, who was also attending, and because I did not have anything else to do and my brain was getting scrambled doing nothing. As Rekha says in the ad, "Dimag ka korma ban gaya hai Korma".
Well, I am so glad that I went. There are many reasons for that feeling
The venue is beautiful, centrally located for Metro users like me and took me away from the daily humdrum of life.
The laser show displaying the campaign sign and a quiet woman's face in the background was quite strong. One could not ignore it. It repeated Bell Bajao, Ring the Bell.
From how I understand Bell Bajao means to distract some one who is abusing or hurting some one by ringing the door bell asking him some inane question.
This interruption in the beating session will rattle the man and give the victim the chance to escape or at least get some respite.
There were lots of bells decorating the stage and two big ones which were to be actually rung by the celebrities and main guests for the event.
The key note speaker and chief guest, James Bevan (British High Commissioner) did ring the bell apart from speaking well, relevantly and humorously. Speech available at this link. http://ht.ly/izbTW
Mahabanoo Mody Kotwal's reading of Vagina Monologues in Hindi was cutting edge sharp, effective and shockingly provocative as it used all the Hindi terms that we are used to hearing as choicest abuses all around us during the course of our lives. We are used to ignoring them to avoid embarrassment. Here, one could not ignore them. They were right there, out in the open, spoken in a neutral tone. Uff.
The panel discussion was like all other such. Lot of noise and almost no substance. The only relevant inputs were from the two ladies (whose names I did not catch) who spoke about how it really is after cutting all the Bu***** out from the political, NGO, do gooder nonsense. Even when the woman is elected to a post of power, she just signs. Her husband/brother/father is the one who wields the actual power.
Swarathma came on like a gust of fresh wind, all grassy, fun and full on energy. Fantastic music, audience participation and just plain old good fun.
The second panel discussion was like a forced something that had to happen because it was in the schedule. Rahul Bose looked bored to death and mouthed mumbo jumbo. Maybe he already knew about how much trouble he was in for his comment about reforming the rapists, earlier in the day.
Oh yeah, the video shown before the first panel discussion was awesome and it captured all the nonsensical things said by whoever, wherever including dented-painted, chow mein, short skirts etc. I am sure you get the idea. You have heard it a hundred times already and wondered if the people saying them were for real.
The part that everyone seemed to be waiting for, even if just to get the bragging rights, was Anoushka Shankar playing live. She looked so pretty and played so beautifully, ably accompanied by the flute, tabla and tanpura that it was all worth it.
One could forgive and forget having endured Rahul Bose immediately.
And last but not the least Anup....'s hurrr, hurrr to pump up the energy in the audience was really effective.
So, overall, it was a really enjoyable evening and I am really really glad that I went.
Thanks Indiblogger, Bell Bajao, Ring the Bell.
Well, I am so glad that I went. There are many reasons for that feeling
The venue is beautiful, centrally located for Metro users like me and took me away from the daily humdrum of life.
The laser show displaying the campaign sign and a quiet woman's face in the background was quite strong. One could not ignore it. It repeated Bell Bajao, Ring the Bell.
From how I understand Bell Bajao means to distract some one who is abusing or hurting some one by ringing the door bell asking him some inane question.
This interruption in the beating session will rattle the man and give the victim the chance to escape or at least get some respite.
There were lots of bells decorating the stage and two big ones which were to be actually rung by the celebrities and main guests for the event.
The key note speaker and chief guest, James Bevan (British High Commissioner) did ring the bell apart from speaking well, relevantly and humorously. Speech available at this link. http://ht.ly/izbTW
Mahabanoo Mody Kotwal's reading of Vagina Monologues in Hindi was cutting edge sharp, effective and shockingly provocative as it used all the Hindi terms that we are used to hearing as choicest abuses all around us during the course of our lives. We are used to ignoring them to avoid embarrassment. Here, one could not ignore them. They were right there, out in the open, spoken in a neutral tone. Uff.
The panel discussion was like all other such. Lot of noise and almost no substance. The only relevant inputs were from the two ladies (whose names I did not catch) who spoke about how it really is after cutting all the Bu***** out from the political, NGO, do gooder nonsense. Even when the woman is elected to a post of power, she just signs. Her husband/brother/father is the one who wields the actual power.
Swarathma came on like a gust of fresh wind, all grassy, fun and full on energy. Fantastic music, audience participation and just plain old good fun.
The second panel discussion was like a forced something that had to happen because it was in the schedule. Rahul Bose looked bored to death and mouthed mumbo jumbo. Maybe he already knew about how much trouble he was in for his comment about reforming the rapists, earlier in the day.
Oh yeah, the video shown before the first panel discussion was awesome and it captured all the nonsensical things said by whoever, wherever including dented-painted, chow mein, short skirts etc. I am sure you get the idea. You have heard it a hundred times already and wondered if the people saying them were for real.
The part that everyone seemed to be waiting for, even if just to get the bragging rights, was Anoushka Shankar playing live. She looked so pretty and played so beautifully, ably accompanied by the flute, tabla and tanpura that it was all worth it.
One could forgive and forget having endured Rahul Bose immediately.
And last but not the least Anup....'s hurrr, hurrr to pump up the energy in the audience was really effective.
So, overall, it was a really enjoyable evening and I am really really glad that I went.
Thanks Indiblogger, Bell Bajao, Ring the Bell.
