This write up mainly deals with the IFFI 2009 programs/peripheral activities
(including food stalls) held on the Campal promenade/croniche
(a stretch from Kala Academy to Panjim Market) including Kingfisher village and Inox Courtyard.
In the first 3 IFFI festivals starting from 2004, there were up to 8 mini stages
where artists were performing simultaneously say from 5 pm onward. First stage was at out side Kala Academy’s Open Air Auditorium gate.
Second stage was at Forest dept. Gate (opp. F L Gomes Garden)
Third stage was right inside the Children park, near old light houseForth stage was near the newly opened FOREST restaurant
Fifth stage was opp. Old GMC
Sixth stage was opp Dempo house/Panjim Market.
Seventh was in the Inox Courtyard/behind Old GMC
Eight at Bacardi /kingfisher village
Besides, there were programes at Caranzalem grounds, film screening at Miramar beach etc
(Ther are pics and video clips of all festivals/stages except 2004)There peripheral activities were withdrawn (Except Kingfisher village & Inox Courtyard) in the year 2007 and 2008.
This year 2009, they were back again with 2+2 stages viz.
Fist stage at Forest Dept Gate, by the cannon and hence named ‘Cannon Stage’.
Second opp Dempo house/Panjim Market named ‘TTAG Stage’
Third and fouth being Kingfisher village and Inox courtyard.
All programs started from 7 to 10pm
Now, let go in details as to what was on offer at each stage etc:
CANNON Stage:
As said, this was not an ideal spot for the stage set up.
It was blocking the entire footpath and people seen occupying part of the busy Dayanand Bandodkar Road. Footpath users were dangerously made to use the DB ROAD during 6.45pm till 10.15pm for 11 days. There were plenty of police and CRPF though. Some of them formed part of the audience.
Most programes on these stage were of repetitive nature
Same faces seen almost every day.
Suggestions:
No artiste should allowed to perform more than twice in 11 days time
There are many other local talents and they should be given a chance too.
The popular Mini orchestra of bollywood singing should be left in the end say from 9.15 onwards.
There should be 15-20 minutes of Konkani Cantaram/Music slot everyday
List of all programes of the day in order of appearance, should put up on a board at the stage itself or announced at regular intervals so that audience can join in for their favourite programes.
This will also allow them swap between the stages. This could also mean less congestion.
Another bad thing we have noticed that some men busy setting up their stage for their next show/turn while the previous one is till performing. This was really irritating.
One can see what I mean in the video clips from this stage.
Some of the programs here were Natya sangeet, mimicry, Magic show, joker dance, mime show, mini film orchestra etc
TTAG Stage
This stage mainly used by OMB (one man band). Clips and pics of each of such OMB available at flickr/Youtube.
One or two popular bands also played here such as L’ace, Purple Rain
Crowd here was never up to the expectations.
There were 3 or 4 shabby looking regular resident ‘ghantis’
They were seen dancing infront of the stage everyday. One of them was always half dressed i.e. no shirt or banyan. One was even seen with rug sack. Strangely, one of them seems a Goan but hindi speaking ‘ghanti’? with Goan Christian name, who was requesting bollywood music all the times and bands played at his requests as hardly any other requests were coming forth.
No matter how good is the band, there was hardly anybody there.
Some of the OMB played here are Jus’Leo, Heydn & Natasha, Robin, New Edition, Johny etc
Inox Courtyard Stage:
Even when top bands playing, there was almost nobody to watch or listen to.
I simply could not believe this, yes there was almost nobody there. Often Zero.
No, you can’t even count me in as I was there purely with my video camera as a (net) reporter. As if that was not enough, while the band playing, almost every 10 minutes there goes a loud brass band troupe along with film personalities walking thru the red carpet linked from Old GMC building to Inox Multiplex.
The long red carpet lane was just infront of the stage say about 10-12 meters away.
Probable reason for almost zero audience are:
1. It was only meant for IFFI deligates but delegates come to Goa mainly to watch movies. They will be here at Inox only to watch their chosen/favourite movie.
2. Non-deligates had no access to Courtyard, except those had one day passes.
(even otherwise it would have made no much difference as mentioned in TTAG stage)
Popular band played here are Cascades, Emiliano etc.
Kingfisher Village
Largest crowd puller for the past 3 years.
There are two reasons for this:
1. Cheap booze or beer at whole sale price
2. Dancing floor for all
But this year, it was not as good as last years.
Initially, it was allowed to dance on the specially erected floor/platform but from 3rd day onwards the entire floor and it’s surrounding was cordon off making the crowd dance outside of the cordon., as if they didn’t care what happens outside the cordon.
It was so dark there, no proper lighting and was easy target for ant-social elements etc.
Other people came and got stuck watching DJ on the stage. Earlier,
they could atleast enjoy seeing people dancing on the floor.
The floor was there but was very sparingly used. Even the dance performers preferred the stage to the floor. This year’s winner of Kingfisher Voice of Goa too preferred the stage but sadly due to technical problem with her laptop (where prerecorded or synchronized music come from) had to perform on the floor which is again with poor spot lighting. On the stage too, dancers were performing behind the large/wide DJ disc table thus
obstructing clear view of the viewers.
Within the cordon there were 2/3 rows of chairs plus 2/3 sofa sets for VIPs
but hardly anybody seen occupying the chairs or sofas.
There were up to a dozen pvt. Security guys around the cordon.
The popular band played here were:
Purple Rain, Symphony, Pure Magic, Lynx, Blue waves,
Tidal Waves, Brothers in arms, Soul Express, status 4 etc
A group from Bombay ‘AASMA’ also pulled lot more crowds.
Suggestions:
Allowing the crowd to dance outside the cordon is fine but it should be properly lit.
- So that some do not take advantage of cover of darkness thus avoiding any untoward incidents.
We did observe one or two minor sparks in the crowd.
- Other people too can enjoy seeing them dancing as they did all these years.
Everywhere, bollywood music was in high demand this is probably because more than 50% of the crowd were from the migrant community.
Kingfisher village pulled 65-70% of the crowd
Cannon Stage 20-25%
TTAG stage 3-5%
Inox stage 0-1%
Another mini stage at the entrance of Old GMC
Some time seen artists performing right on the red carpet
Also seen performing on the floor below the carpet.
Mainly of folk dances like lamp dance, pot dance, mini fashion show etc.
These dances are for whom ?
Answer: No one. Yes, no one at all (Another, waste of money).
There was no access to this stage not even to IFFI delegates.
The stage or the floor view was blocking by the huge 3 or 4 vases
there with plants in front of GMC. It between the promenade and the GMC,
there is busy two way four lane DB ROAD. Plus the local policemen/Women and CRPF in the middle and sideways.
Stalls
Some of them seen enchroaching their allocated space by putting up chairs and tables etc
Reasonably prices chicken and rice items.
Chicken biryani was available for Rs.50 a plate/portion.
We enjoyed the first two day but the third day onwards the quality was poor, basmati rice change to other local rice.
Yet it was selling like hot cakes.
Another one was Ice Golas Rs. 20 each, besides there were Belpuris, fruit juice stalls, pop corn/ sweet corn,
paum bhaji, gobi Manchurian/pokodde etc etc
Yet there was one stall selling energy drink cloud 9 for Rs.50 a can (250ml) seems not very popular with the crowd.
Hawkers Menace
They were every where in the middle of the walk-way causing obstruction to free movement.
Beggars Menace
Their mothers/elders too (with infants) were occupying the main walk way seated on the floor for begging.
These beggars are mainly the residents of Campal/Miramar, residing at Campal Parade grounds for last 5-10 years.
During this time their population increased almost by 4/5 fold. Don’t know if anyone is protecting them by taking hafta from them too.
They made good business (begging business I mean), kids seen holding plenty of 10 Rupees notes in their hand. Their parents were selling other latest toys items.
They are also seen at Miramar beach everyday selling balloons/toys etc.
They are the same one who sell X’Mas items caps/masks etc, Carnival items, Rainy season umbrellas etc.
They are also seen begging outside the eating joints like Mum’s Kitchen etc.
CCP should take stern action against them. Begging is also illegal.
Begging bring bad name to Goa. Any programes at mirmar, Campal,
Panjim etc they are always out there for begging.
Hope someone from the CCP takes notice of this.
Security:
Al the benches on the promenade from Kala Academy were fully occupied by Goa Police and CRPF.
Some of them were on the mobile phones, where as most of them were busy chatting or gossiping. They were in a group of 4-5. Yet many seen watching the programe from the nearby stage including red carpet (see pic)
At Inox, there were about 3 main entries/access. One from car park side, one to the right of Old GMC and one at the Maquinez palace. The gate at the Maquinez palace had no metal detectors as if terrorist do not use this gate.
The gate is often manned by the pvt. untrained security guys and all they looked for is the delegate ID card. Some delegates carry they cards in their pockets (including Goans delegates) and upon questioning,
they would show it and the security guys would let them in without even checking the card or the matching photo on the card
It also appears that security was only meant for protecting IFFI delegates and building such as Kala Academy, Inox etc. Where as the crowd on the promenade seems not given much importance.
Terrorists could easy target such crowded places making use of the available migrant beggars or the ‘Pixe’ (mad) who were loitering around.
Suggestions:
Ideally, there should be only two stages.
One at the Kala Academy end and the other at the Market end.
Both stages to provide goan cultural programs such as folk dances, songs etc
Each stage to display or announce the day’s programe so as to help people to swap the stages as per their likes and dislikes
There should be no live bands (Except at the Kingfisher Village or other village by other name)
The stage at Inox should be discontinued on economical grounds.
There should be a flying squad only to deal with hawkers and beggars
menace or the police be given instructions to do the job.
There are also two separate reports on day 1 and day 2, one may
Read here. More pics and videos also available here
http://iffigoablog.blogspot.com/
Some of the past IFFI clips
2006 – a tour
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7061472624041279104#
Iffi 2007 tour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OyP-FrabTgQ
2008 tour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eM7aiUgzh8Y
2009 tour
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgP2UfnqATc
2005 near KA – Konkani song
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ozqp2c1a0iM
Melwyn singing 2006
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuQL1psB2BM
Iffi Floats 006
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3caWiPeEhc
2007 – Portuguese Dance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RPX5tRSsV6s
2008 – Band Cascades
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NWkMQ1-xtaE
2009 – Band, Cantaram- Bollywood
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyUHGVcVY3k
for other clips/pics, please search youtube/flickr ‘ IFFI goa joegoauk’
Thanks for your time.
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