Jai Ho! Indian concert on Australia Day
By IANSFriday, January 22, 2010
MELBOURNE - It is said that music transcends all forms of hatred. It will be used again to soothe the growing hostility between New Delhi and Canberra in the face of racial attacks on Indians in Australia.
Come Jan 26, the Australia Day that coincides with Republic Day in India, the Sydney Myer Music Bowl will explode with talent from across Victoria province’s diverse Indian communities when the two nations will celebrate the Jai Ho! Indian concert.
The concert will feature classical elements as well as vivacious folk dance numbers and culminate in a spectacular Bollywood celebration of song and dance.
Jai Ho! translates to “may victory be yours” and will ring familiar as the theme song to successful Bollywood film “Slumdog Millionaire”.
The Australia Day Jai Ho! Indian concert will feature its very own success story with Gary Pinto, Australian Idol back-up vocalist of Indian descent.
Popular Bollywood DJ and MC Richi Madan will be joined on stage by the renowned Dya Singh world music group.
Six-piece Bollywood band The Mumbai Mail will play a selection of Indian silver screen hits from the 1970s to today with three guest acts from Melbourne’s Indian community, flautist Vinod Prasanna, vocalist Gurmit Singh and a choir and veena ensemble led by Sivaganga Sahathevan.
A folk dance parade will also be held featuring 30 dancers and dhol drummers plus a special Bollywood performance by Indo-Jazz gurus, the Shiamak Dance Troupe.
The Jai Ho! Australia Day Indian concert is free at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl between 3.30 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesday.
