The Indian Weekender, 30 September 2022

6
NEW ZEALAND
Friday, 30 September, 2022
Read online www.iwk.co.nz
Yeh Dil Chahta Hai more
DEV NADKARNI
Rachit, Dil Chahta Hai afforded generous
billing to Auckland’s talented voices
Quite expectedly, popular Auckland
Ankita Ghatani and Arpita Chanda who
singer Rachit Bhatia’s ‘Dil chahta
contributed handsomely to the show’s
hai – Unforgettable melodies
overall appeal.
to modern classics’ left a rapturous
Ankita is clearly a rapidly rising star
audience asking for more last Friday (24
on Auckland’s musical horizon. Arpita
Sep) at the Dorothy Winstone Centre.
excelled herself on the night. Raul
Featured regularly in most Hindi film
Cardoza, who completed the quartet
music concerts over several years now,
of singers, performed adequately in his
this was Rachit’s maiden gig under his
comparatively narrow range of lessmelody-more-rhythm
own banner Rachit Music.
type numbers.
It was a dream first gig: a sellout, as it
As well as Rachit’s dynamism on
should have been, given both the superb
stage complemented by Raul’s own
quality of the product (Rachit) and the
energetic manner, the show was a visual
packaging (the slick promos). It marked
delight with frequent and interesting
the twentieth anniversary of Rachit’s
costume changes by the four singers
first stage performance.
against Chai Rajapurkar’s quick-changing
The show had a lot going for it. The
digital backdrops.
repertoire, which aimed to cover six
The complement of musicians was
decades of popular melodies, was
exquisite, praised by Rachit throughout
an excellent mix representative of
the show.
the varied flavours of different eras,
Don Dilantha’s violin and guitar
composers and singers.
electrified the interludes while the
Selections from the decade of the
experienced and talented Hemant
1990s resonated particularly well
Thakar and Cloyd D’Mello’s keys
with the audience, given the dominant
suffused the soundscape.
demographic at the event.
Deeksha on her Saxophone was
Blessed with an incredibly versatile
excellent and so were the percussion
voice, the ever-smiling, thigh-slapping,
duo Nigel and Kris.
cavorting and prancing Rachit
The characteristic resounding richness
has an alluringly energizing stage
of the tabla and dholak wielded by
presence that would be the envy of
the super-talented Navneel, though,
many an entertainer.
sounded rather subdued by the louder
He is equal parts singer and
and flatter sounds of the drums.
entertainer; the complete
Unlike several recent Hindi film music
audio+visual package.
shows, the sound at Dil Chahta Hai was
He straddles the stage with the
superbly balanced.
paced but is a raagmalika of four broad canvas to choose songs from,
same ease, dexterity, energy and
Junoo was the show’s MC.
classical raags – Khamaj, Bihag, Des picking the right mix would have been a
finesse as he traverses through a range
Those who left Friday night’s show
and Chhaya Nat in sequence. What’s daunting task and Rachit’s team did an
of musical genres.
wanting more, take heart. Rachit has
more, it’s sung in both the Hindustani excellent job of it.
His excellent rendition of just one
announced another show in early 2023.
and Carnatic styles in quick, alternating The selection was both popular
iconic but extremely complex number
sequences by Dey and Kumar with all and eclectic from a range of eras and
proved his awesome talent beyond
manner of voice inflections.
composers. A particularly clever way of
doubt: Ek chatur naar from the popular
Rachit nailed it exceedingly well singing extending the range of selection was
1968 film Padosan.
for both the original voices – something through medleys, of which there were at
This R.D. Burman-composed song,
not for the fainthearted.
least three – all executed with aplomb
sung by the legendary Manna Dey
While ‘unforgettable melodies to and with multiple singers.
and Kishore Kumar, is not only fast-
modern classics’ gives one a very Though designed primarily around
Twenty organisations attend HOTA Forum meeting
IWK BUREAU
Hindu Organisations, Temples
and Associations (HOTA)
Forum hosted a meeting of
over 20 organisation executives
and representatives in Auckland on
Sunday (September 25) at the Shree
Swaminarayan (ISSO) Temple Complex
in Papatoetoe.
An invitation only meeting, which was
postponed due to Covid-19 pandemic in
2020 and 2021, was hosted by Hindu
Council of New Zealand.
HOTA Forum brings together leaders,
executives, and volunteers of multiple
Dharma-based organisations to have
an in-depth discussion about the
success, challenges, and big issues
facing the community.
The HOTA Forum was launched at
the third NZ National Hindu conference
held in May 2010. It acts as a platform
to bring together multiple Hindu
organisations, temples, and associations
throughout NZ.
Since its start, a Hindu organisation,
temple or association voluntarily
takes lead in hosting the HOTA
forum for a year.
The host holds on to the Ekta Shankh
(a symbol of unity) as the baton
symbolising their lead of the programmes
“Strong focus on youth
enables our next generation
to actively participate in
shaping the inclusive future
of Aotearoa. We need the
next generation to start
visualising and working
towards to building a
pluralistic society in New
Zealand,”
for the year. Over 55 organisations have
been active members of HOTA since
its inception and the interest to work
together have been growing.
The focus this year was youth
leadership along with the standard
discussions that occur during the Forum.
“Strong focus on youth enables our
next generation to actively participate
in shaping the inclusive future of
Aotearoa. We need the next generation
to start visualising and working towards
to building a pluralistic society in New
Zealand,” said Nitika Sharma, General
Secretary, Hindu Council of NZ.
The day resulted in several discussions
that have been grouped into high level
themes by the host with action plans in
place to implement and bring to fruition
the discussions.
At a high level, social cohesion,
belonging, inclusion, Hindu phobia,
misinformation, support from
government agencies, engagement with
politicians and government agencies
stood out as key themes.
The successes of the Hindu community
as contributing citizens of NZ also
formed a large part of the discussions
The day concluded with politicians,
government agencies and public
representatives attending the day to
hear about the discussions, deliberations,
and outcomes of the day.
The chairperson of the Religious
Diversity Centre, Jocelyn Armstrong,
attended the open session commenting,
“Everyone I have spoken to told me
that it was a good day of discussions
and diving into important issues
for the community.”
A full report will be compiled and
circulated. Membership to HOTA Forum is
open to all Hindu organisations, temples,
and associations in New Zealand.
Contact Nitika Sharma on forum@hota.
org.nz for details.