Vadodara, 1 February 2012

Vadodara based DJ Adee and RJ Roshan are doing exactly what Devang Patel and Vinay Dave were doing in early 1990s. Vadodara duo pick latest hit songs of other languages, they fix comic Gujarati lyrics and make entertaining spoofs that are instant hit on Youtube. They got success with Gujarati Kolaveri di, and here is their latest spoof ‘Bhondumal’.

Mumbai, 30 January 2012

Our Himesh Reshammiya’s this song is a Gujarati one.

Himesh sung a Gujarati cricket song for Mumbai based Jagran based Gujarati afternoon tabloid daily Mid-Day’s cricket cup.

It is presented in Youtube video player above.

Ahmedabad, 22 January 2011

He is known as folkstar, but those who attended Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation organized event of felicitation of folkstar Praful Dave would agree that Dave is not just folkstar but he is more like a rockstar. With his songs, style and skill of performance, Dave successfully rock the place where he performs.

Late in the evening on Saturday, Tagore hall was full, and after a brief session of felicitation and speeches, everyone was eagerly waiting to enjoy the singer and performer Pradul Dave.

And then Dave came, and for couple of hours, there was extravaganza of Praful Dave kind of Gujarati singing and music.

The atmosphere was festive with people spontaneously coming to stage and dancing, offering currency notes to Dave, shouting and suggesting titles to sing, and Praful Dave too dancing, singing and making fun through brief comments and remarks in the course of performance.

Praful Dave while receiving an honor from state minister Nitin Patel and Mayor Asit Vora, said that it was his dream to be honored in the city of Amdavad, which has been fulfilled thanks to Asit Vora and Gaurang Vyas.

Dave started the performance by calling some older ladies of his family to sing a song which was sung when he was born.

Prafulbhai’s wife, daughter and son were present on the stage. While his son played keyboard, his wife and daughter were singing in chorus.

Prafulbhai recollected yesteryears and in a lighter tone, described how he married to his enemy(dushman) Bhartiben Kunchala and had his first individual performance in this Tagore hall.

In the course of performance joyful Prafulbhai asked the audience, “do you have any problem if my wife and daughter sing here with me?”

Prafulbhai also invited his son to play dhol and asked the audience this was a unique occasion in which the father was getting award and his son was playing dhol in joy.

Prafulbhai asked the organizers to allow those who forced by inner joy or love for the music, wanted to dance opposite the stage, or wanted to come to the stage to bless him.

In the last phase of the programme, Praful Dave jumped down the stage and visited the audience with mike.

Praful Dave requested Ahmedabad Mayor Shri Asit Vora to dance. Shri Vora, very serious and introvert by nature refused to dance, but Praful Dave continued to request him adding that he had in past successfully made few Mayors dance. Initially reluctant Asit Vora succumbed to Dave’s request and stood up and clapped and with momentary performing a style of dance he sat down shaking hand with Dave.

Praful Dave later said that to make somebody dance is tough when a person is involved in politics. “Once I was in Junagadh and I wanted to make MLA Mahendra Mashru dance. Mashru is known as very serious person, but I told him that if he would not dance, I would complain to Narendra Modi. Mashru finally danced,” Prafulbhai said.

The function to honor Shri Praful Dave was held under AMC’s Samskar Chaura initiative.

This was fifth event of Samskar chaura.

As Mayor Asit Vora is himself a singer, Samskar chaura activity has received momentum in past few months.

The entry was free in this event, like every other Samskar chaura function.

Praful Dave, his wife Bhartiben Kunchala and daughter singing, while his son Hardik is playing dhol, people dancing

Prafulbhai making his daughter singing

Prafulbhai’s wife and daughter. They too sing

A master performer

Ahmedabad, 22 January 2012

Mayor of Amdavad city Asit Vora is generally known as serious, closed and introvert person. Some journalist friends describe him as tough nut to crack, but same Mr. Vora was for a moment made dance yesterday by legendary Gujarati folk singer Praful Dave.

In his felicitation function, Dave first proposed that he would like to make Mayor dance today. Dave sought support of audience present in Tagore hall. Dave went to Mayor and requested him to at least dance for a moment symbolically.

Dave told Mayor Asit Vora how he had earlier made the Mayors of Junagadh, Bhavnagar and Jamnagar dance successfully.

He said he had even made them Mayor of Junagadh Shri Mahendra Mashru dance.

Reluctant initially, Mayor Asit Vora later succumbed to Praful Dave’s request when Dave told him that Modi saheb would not get angry if he would dance.

Vora stood up and clapped and later for a moment raised his hands in a style of dance. After shaking hand with Dave, he quickly took his seat.

Some employees of Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation who were dancing too, appreciated Mayor’s gesture.

Later in his speech Dave thanked Mayor for accepting his request. Praful Dave added, “Junagadhs’ Mahendra Mashru is known as a serious person, but he too danced on my request after I told him that if he would not dance, I would make his complain to Narendra Modi.”

Dave said, “singing is easier, but not dance, because when kirtan reaches its ultimate height, then only nartan begins.”

“A person has to leave his ego to dance,” Dave further said thanking the Mayor.

last dhamki nacho

Ahmedabad, 25 December 2011

Famous folktale artist Ishwardan Gadhvi(popularly known as Ishardan Gadhvi) passed away today in Ahmedabad’s Sterling hospital due to lever failure and other complications.

Born on 5 August 1960, Ishardanbhai studied new SSC and PTC.

Ishardanbhai gave number of programmes in Gujarat, India and abroad. His one of the memorable performances happened just next to the Niagra falls.

Late Gadhviji is survived by his son Brijaraj and daughter Rannaba, Miraba, Shraddhaba. Morari Bapu presented him Kavi Kag award on 27 February 2009.

Anjani no Jayo: His one of the best works

Ahmedabad, 25 November, 2011

Dj Adee And RJ Roshan have created Gujarati version of Kolaveri Di.

Lyrics begin with ‘why this chokri always kharchaadi.’

And presented below is original Kolavery Di:

And how can you miss this Sharad Pawar slap song in tune of Kolavery di

And at last, one more Gujarati Kolavery di, this one from Rajkot

It is made by Shailesh-Utpal and sung by Urvashi Pandya.

Ahmedabad, 18 October, 2011

Presented above are the videos of music event of Ahmedabad international arts festival. The event was organized at city’s Vastrapur lake based open theater. Various performances are separated in different videos above. Enjoy.

Ahmedabad, 10 October, 2011

India’s very popular legendary ghazal king Shri Jagjit Singh(70) is no more. He passed away today morning at Lilavati hospital where he was admitted for last some days after brain hemorrhage.

Shri Jagjit Singh had special relation with Gujarat. Few people know that Jagjit Singh got his first break with a Gujarati Bhajan in ‘Bahuroopi’ movie, way back in 1966.

Jagjit Singh gave his voice in Shyamal Saumil Munshi’s album Hastakshar’s title song.

In fact Jagjit had one full album of Gujarati songs to his credit. Big Music had launched his first Gujarati ghazal album ‘Jeevan Marann Chhe Ek’ with 8 melodious tracks. The lyrics of the album are by the eminent Gujarati poet, Abbas Vasi “Mareez”. The ghazals were composed and sung by Jagjit Singh for this album.

In 2001 in a public function under the title ‘My life my story’ in Mumbai, Jagjit Singh in his speech said ‘when I was struggling, one Gujarati bhai had given me his hand.’ Emotional Jagjit Singh then shouted, ‘Where are you Ajitbhai?’ Gujarati composer Ajitbhai Merchant was sitting on the back side in audience. Jagjit Singh again shouted ‘Where are you Ajitbhai?’ When Ajitbhai raised his hand, Jagjit Singh came down from the stage and took Ajitbhai over tht stage. He hugged Ajitbhai. Both Ajitbhai and Jagjit Singh had tears in their eyes. Singh had specially invited Ajitbhai to ‘My life my story’ function that was held in Mumbai. He later sung Ajitbhai’s song in his Ghazal album which is presented above in video.Ajitbhai’s four decades old ghazal composition ‘Raat Khamosh Hai’ was sung by Jagjit Singh in his album Muntazir.

Jagjit Singh had chosen Amdavad for his first attempt of Ghazal symphony with 30 artists. In a press conference at Rajpath club before the programme he had said that it was his first attempt of handling 30 artists in his singing career spanning over 45 years.

Padma Bhushan awardee Singh told reporters, “Why Ahmedabad has been chosen for this unique event is because I feel that people here appreciate good music, and it is safe here.” “Gujarat is a disciplined state under the Modi government,” he added at that time.

Reacting to the news of maestro’s death Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi said on Twitter:RIPjagjitsingh He was to be here with us a few days back but could not, due to his ill-health. So sad! Gujarat has lost a wellwisher in him.

In a setback to Gujarati singer Devang Patel, a local court of central Gujarat’s Anand has refused to give him his surrendered passport.

Bakrol’s Vijay Viththalbhai Patel and his friends had filed a case against Devang Patel, Kalpesh Bholabhai Patel, Vinod Ambalalbhai Patel and Sandip Patel in 1997 for breach of agreement and non-payment of lakhs of rupees that according to Vijay, Devang and his associates had taken from him as investment in their company Patel audio activists.

Vijay alleged that Devang and associates didn’t return his money as promised.

The court in Anand had asked Devang Patel to submit his passport in this case. Accordingly Patel surrendered his passport(F7425113). The passport was then given back to Devang when he requested it to go on stage show abroad. However he had to again surrender passport in the court after he returned back in India.

But in middle of this week, when Devang again requested court to give him his passport back for some time for foreign stage shows during Diwali, the court refused relief to Patel in this regard. Devang Patel will now have to cancel his foreign tour.

Amdavad, 5 October, 2011

Presented above is Amdavad based musician/composer/singer brothers Shyamal Saumil performing at Karnavati club on S.G.Highway. Shyamal Saumil Aarti Munshi’s garba performance is considered one of the best in Amdavad. Lots of people not only come to play Garba but also to listen to them. Every year they try to do something new. Their SMS garbo is hit in Navratri. Last year they brought internet garbo. This year their Mallika piece is super hit.

This garbo ‘Taari haale Mallika se maari haale kon se?” was originally written and composed by Shyamal Munshi and Saumil Munshi for Red FM’s CD Red Raas. While live version presented in the video above is excellent, you would also like a recorded version in CD which is presented below with lyrics. If you want to download the song, this is the link where other Garbas of Red Raas – 2 CD are also available.

Ahmedabad, 3 October, 2011

And you thought only prop used on Garba grounds is Dandiya? No way, our video camera person spotted some interesting props being used on Garba ground this Navratri. Watch them all ranging from kartal, wheel, spray bottle, peacock feathers among others.