The Indo-German Urban Mela, held under the aegis of "Germany and India 2011-2012: Infinite Opportunities" is the biggest, most privileged, most sustained and most integrated German road show ever to be showcased in India. A travelling exhibition across 5 cities in India, the Indo-German Urban Mela (IGUM), was a concept of pavilions traveling from city to city, over a period of 10 months, as it travelled to Mumbai in April, Bangalore in June, Chennai in August, Delhi in October and Pune in January 2013.
The event that kicked off with a bang in Mumbai and was followed by spectacular stopovers in other 4 cities, had over 5,50,000 visitors across the five cities. The response from Pune was a fitting grand finale to the entire project.
Conceptualised by internationally renowned German artist Markus Heinsdorff, the various gem-shaped pavilions incorporated the best of German and Indian innovation and design. Consisting of various differently shaped modules, the pavilions were arranged and adapted to the local conditions to create a unique temporary festival venue.
Over the 10 days in each of the 5 cities, the pavilions hosted interactive presentations by German corporations and organisations on topics and solutions related to "StadtRaume - City Spaces". A comprehensive programme, including cultural performances and conferences, were also organised at the venue. At the Beergarden, visitors got a taste of Indian and German delicacies.
Bajaj Allianz, BASF, Bosch, Deutsche Bank and Siemens were the main Corporate Partners while the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research was present as one of the Project Initiators and Institutional Partners. Numerous other businesses and institutions were participating as City Partner, Sponsors or Supporters, through pavilion presence in selected cities or showcasing events under the framework of the Germany Year in India.
This multi-faceted exposition attracted visitors of all ages, examining the impact of rapid urbanisation and challenges posed by the pace of change in Indian and German cities today. Issues like mobility, energy, sustainable urban development, architecture, cultural space, education and urban art were prominently featured through a prism of genres such as the performing and visual arts, science, education, technology and business. It created a unique “city-space” in the heart of the city, promising to entertain, challenge and engage the residents of the city it travelled to.
THE FIVE CITY TOUR:
MUMBAI - APRIL 13, 2012 - APRIL 22, 2012 at CROSS MAIDAN GARDEN
The travelling festival saw thousands of visitors flocking to the venue at the first stop of the tour. The Indo-German Urban Mela was officially inaugurated by Dr. Peter Ramsauer, Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs, Germany, on April 13, 2012. The venue offered the picture-perfect backdrop for the 15 attractive pavilions that showcased a vibrant selection of interactive presentations, conferences and cultural performances that were introduced by German corporations and organisations. Cord Meier-Klodt, Germany’s acting Ambassador in India, Dr Martin Brudermuller, Representative (APA) and Vice Chairman of the Board of Executive Directors at BASF, Subodh Kumar, Municipal Commissioner, Mumbai, and other dignitaries were also present at the inauguration.
Highlights at the Indo-German Urban Mela, Mumbai at a glance:
Schäl Sick Brass Band: The opening day at the Indo German Urban Mela Mumbai featured a concert by Schäl Sick Brass Band, the Cologne-based world music group, whose tunes span a wide variety of music traditions, from Afrobeat to Balkan music and jazz.
Parada Narrnia: Berlin-based experimental street theatre company Grotest Maru staged a performance of their production Parada Narrnia. The company’s half-hour performance, which featured stilt walkers and characters like the big white bird, the magic gardener, the sad prince and unicorn princess, was described as a “fairy tale” parade.
Stop Gaps Choir: The Choir mesmerised audiences at the closing event of the Indo-German Urban Mela. The programme included selected pieces from the choir repertoire, including "Freude schoener Goetterfunken", German songs like "Wochenend' und Sonnenschein". "Muss I den zum Stadtele hinaus" and others.
The Pavilions that lured visitors were:
BASF
Bajaj Allianz
Bosch
Deutsche Bank
Siemens
Lanxess
SAP
Lapp India
Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development (BMVBS)
Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC)
To know in detail about the Indo-German Urban Mela in Mumbai, click here
BANGALORE - JUNE 22, 2012 - JULY 1, 2012 at GROUNDS NEXT TO BANGALORE PALACE
The Indo-German Urban Mela, held at Grounds next to the Bangalore Palace pulled in more than a huge crowd during its next stopover. Visitors from all around Bangalore showed up in large numbers, exploring inventive ideas and solutions for creating better cities, relished savoury delights at the Beergarden and let their hair down with a colorful selection of programs and cultural activities to indulge thinkers and fun-lovers alike. The Urban Mela was inaugurated on June 22nd by German foreign minister Guido Westerwelle and the then chief minister of Karnataka, D.V. Sadananda Gowda, along with the representative of Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA) and senior vice-president & global head of SAP Labs, Clas Neumann.
Masala FX: A kitschy, contemporary performance choreographed by Samir Akika in collaboration with Attakkalari Centre for Movement Arts, brought together dancers from Bangalore in a crowd-pleasing, catchy spectacle, and ran to a packed centrestage each time.
B-Boying Workshop with Storm: One of the pioneers of hip-hop, German hip hop dancer/choreographer Niels 'Storm' Robitzky conducted a 5-day workshop for young b-boys from Bangalore that peaked in a Breakdance Battle. It was an electric crowd puller, a clear indication of how much the hip hop movement has caught up with Indian audiences.
Metal Mania: Metal heads couldn't get enough of whacky hardcore sounds from Bangalore's very own Kryptos coming together with SudiAkrA, the lead vocalist from Germany's Arkadius.
The Pavilions that lured visitors were:
Bajaj Allianz
BASF
Bosch
Deutsche Bank
Siemens
Airbus
Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development (BMVBS)
Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC)
SAP
Lapp India
Metro
To know in detail about the Indo-German Urban Mela in Bangalore, click here
On August 24, the Indo-German Urban Mela kicked off with an opening concert featuring Chennai’s own percussionist A. Sivamani, along with German percussionist Christoph Haberer and flutist Michael Heupel from Germany. It was a memorable encounter that set the tone of the festival of events for the next ten days. On the third stopover of its tour, the grand fest was packed with remarkable activities, exhibitions, events and food to offer a unique experience for each and every visitor.
Highlights at the Indo-German Urban Mela, Chennai at a glance:
Eumel, the puppet: A two meter high puppet, constructed with sticks and operated by five performers, this curious, playful alien, was a hit with the audience.
Apparat: The electronica sensation from Berlin enthralled fans with his soulful performance on August 28 as a part of his India tour.
Rock Concerts: Chennai’s very own bands Witchouse, Ghostnote, Tails on Fire, 83 MPH, The Captains of Hook, Grasshopper Green, Muttu Sundu, Funkuation, Frank's got the Funk and TWKC performed to screaming fans.
Urban Campus: The critical urban talk series organised around a survey and practical design of urban development. In particular, the talks questioned the existing status quo of urban planning and critically addressed various issues related to urban transformation in Chennai and India in applied and innovative ways.
Theatre: The plays Pied Piper by MOP Vaishnav College and Scandal in Fairyland directed by Hans Kaushik were a hit with the audience.
The Pavilions that lured visitors were:
BASF
Bajaj Allianz
Bosch
Deutsche Bank
Siemens
Herrenknecht
Lapp India
Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development (BMVBS)
Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (IGCC)
To know in detail about the Indo-German Urban Mela in Chennai, click here
NEW DELHI - OCTOBER 27, 2012 - NOVEMBER 4, 2012 at INDRAPRASTHA "MILLENNIUM" PARK
BLOT! + Jahcoozi: Delhi audiovisual collective BLOT! and Berlin based dub electronica act Jahcoozi showcased a joint performance that features tracks in German, and gathered influences from contemporary Germany and India.
Urban Styles was a series of workshops in dance, music and art delivered by leading German based contemporary artists. Hip-hop music artist Akua Naru, dancer Can Benjamin Kazim Gülec and graffiti artist “Tasek” Gerrit Peters conducted workshops for Mela visitors.
Indian Ocean: Renowned for their vibrant performances, the band captivated audiences with their contemporary Indian music.
Novel Tree: One of the most romantic settings at the Urban Mela, Novel Tree was a celebration of Indian novels in English and novelists based in Delhi. Authors including Jeet Thayil, Rana Dasgupta, Indrajit Hazra, Ambarish Satwik, Amitabha Bagchi, Chandrahas Chowdhury, Anita Roy and Nilanjana Roy read from their published and forthcoming books.
Mardi Gras.BB: Blending swing, soul, funk, jazz and other genres, German brass band Mardi Grass.BB thrilled the Delhi audience with a medley of their musical numbers.
The Ska Vengers: A Delhi based band, they blended ska rhythms with elements of dub, punk, jazz and rap to come up with a form of music that was refreshingly different, energetic and highly danceable.
Witness To Change: Images selected from an independent publication and exhibition in Germany called Ein Tag Deutschland (One Day in Germany), and also from photographers who have contributed to PIX: A Photography Quarterly over the last year were displayed.
Starting Point #3: A collaborative dance piece created by German dancer and choreographer Felix Bürkle and Indian dancer Hema Sundari Vellaluru during a six month residency in Mumbai, it was based on the encounter of two people in a given space that just happens to be a public space.
The Pavilions that lured visitors were:
BASF
Bajaj Allianz
Bosch
Deutsche Bank
Siemens
Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Airbus
Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi)
Lanxess
DHL
Metro
SAP
Voith
Volkswagen
To know in detail about the Indo-German Urban Mela in Delhi, click here
PUNE - JANUARY 11, 2013 - JANUARY 20, 2013 at DECCAN COLLEGE GROUND, YERAWADA
This unique 10-day tour was officially inaugurated by Hans-Joachim Otto, Parliamentary State Secretary, Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology (BMWi), Prabhakar Deshmukh, Divisional Commissioner Pune, Michael Siebert, Consul General of the Federal Republic of Germany, Mumbai/Pune along with Bipasha Basu, Actress and Tapan Singhel, Representative Asia-Pacific Committee of German Business (APA) and Managing Director & CEO, Bajaj Allianz General Insurance on January 12th. The Indo-German Urban Mela, a unique blend of technology, science, culture and entertainment, which was a part of the 60 years celebration of Indo-German diplomatic ties was a huge success in Pune with over 1,50,000 visitors visiting various corporate pavilions and enjoying several cultural events and workshops.
Highlights at the Indo-German Urban Mela, Pune at a glance:
Midival Punditz: Tapan Raj and Gaurav Raina of the band enthralled the audiences as they performed at the Deccan College Ground.
Ma Faiza: The crowd enjoyed foot tapping beats as Ma Faiza took to the stage along with Bangalore-based violinist Manoj George.
Triple Trouble Trio: Their music is an ensmeble of instruments they play - a tuba, a beautifully played five-stringed banjo and drums. The music was supplemented by some incredibly soulful songs.
Amaan Ali Khan: The atmpsphere at the Deccan College Ground turned divine as the audience was engrossed listening to a variety of ragas played by Amaan Ali Khan.
Ronu Majumdar: One of India's top flautist carried away the crowd to an almost spiritual journey with the soulful tones from his bansuri.
Agnee: The rock band's music consisted of a medley of classic rock and pop with funk and jazz influences combined with the individual styles of the band members.
The Raghu Dixit Project: The people were wowed by Raghu Dixit's voice and versatility at the Deccan college Ground. The band played the blend of ethnic folk, Sufi and classical music.
Indian Ocean: Such is the fan-following of Indian Ocean that the Indo-German Urban Mela venue was overflowing with fans to experience the music of their favourite band.
DJ Ipek: DJ Ipek Ipekçioglu provided surprising breaks to the steady course of club music with her eclectic music and characteristic mixes as she performed at the Urban Mela.
Looping act by Ricoloop: Musician Rico Diessner, also called as One-Man jam, produced live music and his journey from the streets of Berlin to the stage as he conducted a workshop cum demonstration at the Urban Mela.
Theatre Workshop: Pune bases theatrical-playwright Vibhawari Deshpande conducted four days of workshop that included modules to teach basic theatrical skills and was open for aspirants with limited or no theatrical experience at all.
Hip Hop: Professional dancer and choreographer Justine Bhatt taught Hip Hop moves to the young and old during the workshop. With her energetic and flexible dancing, she inspired youngsters to move to the rhythm.
Storytelling workshop: Storyteller Jeeva Raghunath held a workshop titled "My Story, My Voice", which included hands-on exercises for storytelling tips and techniques, styles of storytelling, and also explored India through stories.
The Pavilions that lured visitors were:
BASF
Bajaj Allianz
Bosch
Deutsche Bank
Siemens
Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)
Indo-German Chamber of Commerce
Volkswagen
Lapp India
To know in detail about the Indo-German Urban Mela in Pune, click here
Among so many other pavilions, the Indo-German Urban Mela in all the five cities also had a Conference pavilion where Partners hosted a range of discussions, workshops and conferences addressing issues and solutions related to sustainable urban development.
A stage, a forum, a screen and a class, all at once – the Cultural Pavilion of the Indo-German Urban Mela in all the five cities - hosted musicians, brass bands, piano recitals, film screenings, conferences and interactive discussions on music or dance forms, sing-along sessions, as well as forums on educational opportunities in Germany. With a daily selection of programmes for each of the five cities of the Urban Mela, this pavilion offers a window of opportunities and avenues in entertainment and exchange of ideas.
With each city that it travelled to as part of the Indo-German Urban Mela, the official pavilion of the Goethe-Institut/ Max Mueller Bhavan was a space for exchange, interaction and displays of many cross-cultural and interdisciplinary arts. Since the start of the Urban Mela in Mumbai, this pavilion hosted art workshops from the likes of Gaurav Juyal, story reading sessions, photography and painting exhibitions, screenings and teaser language classes, as also a workshop on “dream cities”, proving to be a lively spot for visitors of all ages and interests.
The visitors to the Indo-German Urban Mela also had the opportunity to savour some Indian and German delicacies and drinks at the Beergarden — a replica of the German Biergarten, which is an important social space for friends and family to interact. The Beergarden was managed by hospitality partner Vivanta by Taj.
