Ahmedabad, 16 May 2012

In recently held Gujarati film award function at Ahmedabad’s Jayshankar Sundari hall, Gujarati film super-star Naresh Kanodia and his brother Mahesh Kanodia rocked the stage with Gujarati film songs.

Veteran Gujarati film-star and former BJP MLA Naresh Kanodia has been awarded recently by Dada Saheb Falke academy in Mumbai, while Mahesh Kanodia, the brother of Naresh Kanodia is former member of parliament of BJP. He can sing in both male and female voices.

During their song and dance sequence, Naresh and Mahesh called all Gujarati film heroines present in the hall on stage. As many as six heroines ranging from Roma Manek to Mamta Soni responded and went to the stage to join the dance. A video of these moments is presented above.

Ahmedabad, 6 May 2012

In India, generally it is believed that politicians would never sing or dance, at least in public. But in rare cases we see some politicians singing or dancing.

Presented above in video is Ahmedabad’s Mayor Asit Vora performing as singer at an award function organized at city’s Jayshankar Sundari hall on Saturday, 5 May.

Vora is professional singer, and before becoming Mayor he used to perform regularly at various stage shows in Ahmedabad.

Even after becoming Mayor, he has been seen performing at various events, but rarely.

Enjoy the video in which the Mayor of the city sings.

Ahmedabad, 4 May 2012

Polio Foundation, a Gujarat -based organization set up way back in 1987 to help physically handicapped children, will celebrate its silver jubilee on May 5, 2012. It has also organized a musical night at Rajpath Club, Ahmedabad to mark the occasion and create awareness amongst various sections of the society. Well-known Gazal singer Manhar Udhas will enthrall the audience at the event. He accepted to perform for the event on an honorary basis for this noble cause.

Commenting on silver jubilee celebrations of the foundation, its chairman Dr. Bharat Bhagat said, “After its inception in 1987, Polio Foundation has come a long way to help the physically handicapped children. It started a rehabilitation center for cerebral palsied children in the year 2000 and also runs a multi-specialty center for the needy people since 2010.

Polio Foundation working in areas where others are not working or very few charitable trusts are working. Polio foundation is working hard to prevent blindness in diabetic by providing treatment to diabetic retinopathy patients. It is also performing cornea grafting surgery free of cost. Polio foundation also runs dialysis center.

Going forward, it is going to launch a special project called Retinopathy of Prematurity in Neonates (ROP) for the state of Gujarat. The total cost of the project is Rs. 1.25 crore and the state government has provided a grant of Rs. 65 lakh to the project. It is first of its kind project in Gujarat and second in the country. Apart from that, another special project called ‘Detection & Management of Diabetic Retinopathy’ is also in the offing.

The foundation has also received ISO certification. It is worthwhile to mention that on his visit Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Former President of India, was so impressed by the activities undertaken by the foundation that he himself donated in the foundation and provided help in preparing low weight calipers.

The main objective of Polio Foundation is to help the physically handicapped children by way of corrective surgery and giving them necessary appliances so that they can walk on their feet without anybody’s assistance. Initially from 1987 to 1992, the corrective operations were done only on Sundays but since March 1992, when Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation provided a special premises – a three-storied hospital in the heart of the city on a token rent of Rs. 1011 per year. These operations are done daily basis and all treatments, care and calipers are provided free of cost.

While the foundation also celebrates various festivals and special days like sports day and organizes seminars on various subjects, it also operates a Pediatric Orthopedic Surgery unit, Pediatric, Ophthalmology unit, Diabetic Foot care unit and undertakes diagnosis by Hi-Tech gadgets like Thesiowin, Canwin, Atherowin & Podiascan. For further information Dr. Mehul Shah, Managing Trustee, can be contacted at 9825051162.

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.