Bangalore:
Bangalore's new urban space, Rangoli, on the Mahatma Gandhi Road boulevard just got a new rhythm, thanks to Drumjam, a joint initiative of the international percussion movement and the Bangalore Metro Rail Transport Corporation.
The idea is to allow people to let themselves down, surrender to the sound of drums and in the process, bond with fellow city folks. Singer Vasundhara Das, one of the artistes behind the concept, told NDTV, "A Drumjam is a group of people sitting down and jamming on drums and percussion instruments. This is a worldwide movement."
At the jam, professional musicians play with regular Bangaloreans who just can't resist the beat. Even those who have never touched a drum join in. A visitor said, "I thoroughly enjoyed because there is room for participation and there is no inhibition. There should be more of such programmes across the city."
A little girl drumming away with joy said, "I like it because you can play together and you have to play to the beat. It makes a bang!"
"We are here to bond with each other because we are so caught up in our digital worlds that these days we don't have time for real relationships and real conversation," said Ms Das.
Rangoli is a public space set up by the Bangalore Metro to give back to Bangalore what they had taken away: the old boulevard along the Mahatma Gandhi road.
Vasanth Rao of the Bangalore Metro said, "Bangalore is a musical city. Given the opportunity, people would like to join together and have fun here."
Bangaloreans who wish to unleash the drummer in them now know where to go.