Home bound Global Gujarati
Besides personal, social and professional connections that generally compel NRGs to relocate to their home town, there is another reason which now-a-days are making them head for home. It is the intense yearning for pursuing creative projects like writing a book, participating in poetry exchange sessions and making a music album!
Take the case of this dual citizen of US Ghanshyam Thakkar. Thakkar is currently in town to finish composing his music album. He says, “Completing the recordings for classical fusion music that I have composed is the plan and to execute this idea I have planned to stay here. The rates for hiring studios and surrounding artists are quite affordable here compared to the US. And also, quality artists playing classical tunes are not easily available abroad.” Thakkar has recently extended his stay till February and plans to complete recordings for his music album in the city before he leaves.
Like Thakkar, there are other NRGs who too have clubbed creative projects with their plans of home-coming. Meenal Pandya, a US-based author in the process of writing a book on the city’s Pol culture, says, “Interest of doing extensive research for my book on community living in the Pols has this time pulled me here. I plan to dig into my roots and document the dynamics of this culture.”
Pandya, who has authored six titles on weddings, festival and other quintessential Indian subjects, has first-hand-experience of residing in Pol. She wants to share this with Indian Americans and the young generation of expatriates. To refresh her experience, she has made plans for extensive stay here.
Similarly, poet Mahesh Desai, from the who has formed Malela Jeev and Kavyo Ne Gazalo Nu Adan Pradan – groups for on-line exchange of poetry too plans to come to the specially to attend Kavi Samelan. Desai has also invited other members of these groups who are contributing to the poetic exchange from overseas to join him for the Samelans in the state. Desai says, “The experience of attending and becoming a part of Kavya Samelan on-line actually tempt me to attend such meets. As and when I learnt that Kavi Samelans by small literary circles are being planned in Ahmedabad, Surat and Vadodara towards the end of January, which will extend till mid-February, I have planned a trip to Gujarat to personally attend these meets.
