Rave Party on Cocunut Island(St.Mary’s Island), Karnataka?
The recent party organised by the Udupi district administration and the Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation (KSTDC) to promote global tourism, has embarrassed the ruling BJP and the state. The Udupi district which is a stronghold of the BJP and a well-known pilgrimage centre for the Sri Krishna temple and the St.Mary’s Island, 6kms from Maple Beach. The beach where the ‘Spring Zouk 2012’ was organized by KSTDC in association with district administration and 3W concepts is considered to have been named by Vasco Da Gama, St. Mary Island, offering thanks to her for his accomplishments. The island comprising of 4 small islands is considered sacred by the minorities in the area and is also called coconut island.
Around 600 couples, mostly international tourists, attended the party and one of them was taped in camera while having sex in public. Reports indicate they were not the only one performing this act in public.Liquor and allegedly drugs were also available in the party. It was claimed as a proper rave party with hundreds of tents erected for the guests and booze and drugs in abundance.
Chief Minister D. V. Sadananda Gowda, on 6th of February 2012, ordered a probe into the matter and assured strict actions after the opposition party Congress, conducted a protest-march in Udipi last Sunday, blaming the government’s denial and inaction on the matter. They claimed religious sentiments of Christians were hurt with the island witnessing rave party. Gowda initially defended the three-day ‘international festival’. But he had to order a probe after a mobile phone clippings of at least one couple having sex during the party, reached local TV channels. The government and administration claims that the clipping may not be real as state cops were appointed there on duty while the party was taking place and no such incident was reported.
Well, BJP with RSS and Bajrang Dal being its allies has thrashed Indian couples in the past ,be it Valentine’s Day and many other occasions, claiming to protect the Hindu culture. The same organizations and their people eloped while such incidents took place in BJP ruled state. Does it not matter to the self-proclaiming saviours of Hindu culture to protest this incident, taking place in religiously important district for Hindus, if not the island?
We were very excited and interested due to artists and the trip from Arambol to Udupi so we decided to buy tickets. We bought the tickets online which were 3500 and then some fees and taxes just to be sure.
However, we do have other commitments with studies and the likes here in India. While we are here both of us are studying full time so we would have to go back to Arambol late sunday so we could do study work on monday. No matter, we thought and just packed and joined two friends and shared a taxi to Vagator. From there we were supposed to go by bus with many people but due to some problem we got another taxi instead and went all the way to Udupi.
The festival were supposed to start friday at noon (or maybe in the evening) and we arrived in Udupi early friday morning.
First we had to wait for the pre-sale counter to open and then we got our ticket. Then we waited for the ferry/boat which would take us to the island. It was late and our friends got on some kind of vip boat or whatever I think. People then returned from the island and said that nothing was going on and that the preparations for the festival really seemed bad and that nothing had been built or at least very sparingly. That is what I understood through some poeple with limited english (russians and some other people).
Finally we got on a ferry for the island and arrived. One stage was not even decorated. There was no information with timetable or such. The main stage (?) near the water was also not quite prepared for any big artists with speakers and such.
Some folk dancing happened on the beach but no artists were turning up at all. Then some more folk dancing on the stage which were nice I guess but it sure wasn’t Vibrasphere or Juno Reactor or any other band or artists…
I got in line to exchange my rupies to tokens so I could get some food. There were hot dogs and some forms of biriany. No vegetarian altarnative what so ever which is really astounding. Many visitors were vegetarians or vegans. I know artists are to.
The queue system was non-existant and just people bumping and being a bit hungry and angry since no festival was going on. Finally I got some food stamps. As for the prices it was very expensive with 100 or 150 rupies for the food.
I got my girlfriend and we stood in line for food. Not for hot dogs since she is vegetarian but for rice or whatever we could get. We got rice. Rice. For 100 rupies and for 150 rupies. There were some pieces of meat and sauce but just served from a big steel bowl. Not so tasty.
I understand high prices at festival but this was ridicoulus since no festival happened. While I was waiting in line all that had happened was more folk dancing my girlfriend said.
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Now. About the ticket price. It was 3500. But if you bought at gate it was 2500. It said 3500 only on the webpage. So it was a rip-off even there. Also some visitors said they could buy online after midnight thursday for 2500… This is not fair. More on tickets later.
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About the food and drinks. The price for beer was 130 or 150 for a small small can of kingfisher. And they were sponsoring! It said 45 rp on the can… High price. As I said I do understand higher prices at festival but the festival hadn’t started at all. Only folk dancing. No music. No highlight tribe. No nothing. And it was late evening friday.
I asked volunteers and people working at the festival and got no good answers. There were delays due to various creative facts such as:
– It’s an island (Yeah. You knew that BEFORE arranging no)
– Problem with transport (WHEN did you start to plan and bring stuff?)
– Just hold on it will be great (When?)
I asked for new timetable and it was ready or was going to be ready but wasn’t yet. A volunteer asked me to just wait and said entertainment would come. She suggested a smoke. I don’t smoke. I started to want some compensation.
Finally some really crap red bull speakers were placed on the stage and some sort of organizer said great and thanks and that some DJ would play. Earlier he had presented some of the folk dancers and said it was going to be DJ and dancing and music soon.
Still no timetable. Nothing. Finally a DJ started to play but the sound was horrible and the lights were like hitting him RIGHT in the eyes… No one said who was playing or when he REAL artists would play. No new timetable. Waiting.
We got tired and got to sleep. Close to the stage. No real artists from the timetable at all. For all night. No Vibrasphere. No Juno reactor. Nothing at all but real crap music on really bad redbull speakers. Sigh.
We woke up and the music was going on and being intererrupted. At noon a break. We asked people and they said highlight tribe would play at 2 pm or 4 pm or whatever… It did not happen. A break at noon. No music. Still no shops as promised. STill no real food. STill no festival. Nothing.
The first DJ started to play early in saturday night. Like 00.30 on the night to saturday.
More asking. No new timetable. No artists. I demanded to get to know when and were told to wait for some organizer who would come in an hour. He did not. I asked again. He would come at night… nothing.
Finally we just had enough much later and went back to Udupi. Had dinner. And took the bus home to Mapusa and then taxi to Arambol.
I heard later that highlight tribe might have played sunday night. But it is not possible to have all artists play from sunday I guess to monday and include all on lineup… And it would end sunday. So what did you do? When did you start the festival? When did you end it? It was soooo delayed and I’m not happy.