Pithaly

4th March 2008 update on woodstock 2008: (through DNA India)

The much-hyped Indian Woodstock Festival seems to have run into problems with a clash between the organisers

The Eastwind Music Festival that Delhi witnessed last month drew the best of musical talent and was described as the Indian version of the classic Woodstock Festival. A few months earlier, though, a bigger announcement was made — there was to be an Indian adaptation of the Woodstock backed by Artie Kornfeld, the original Woodstock organiser. Whatever happened to that project?

Another story doing the rounds suggests a grand Woodstock Festival is happening in Goa with a line-up similar to Artie’s festival, which was being planned in Bangalore in partnership with the Art of Living. Some probing about the status of the Bangalore festival brought into light a dispute between the organisers. After Jackie Shroff, who was part of the deal initially backed out, two other members also seem to have left the project.

“Art of Living has also backed out because Artie doesn’t want to do it for a social cause. It seems like a money-making racket. So we pulled out. We got an email from Artie, who soon after his return to the US from India, showed disinterest in doing it the ‘social cause’ way. He said he was living off his girlfriend’s money and wanted to make some money out of the concert. This beat the whole purpose.

We immediately gave up the idea,” says Suryaveer Singh, who had 19% stake in the company Full Circle formed to back the project. The other stake holder and organiser Lalit Bhatnagar, however, rubbishes the rumours saying things are going in the right direction. According to him, the project is still on and Art of Living is very much a part of it. “Sri Sri Ravishankar is in the US and might be even meeting Artie for further discussions. People have quit the project due to personal reasons,” he confirms.

As far as the Goa Woodstock goes, it’s all a hoax according to Lalit. There are also groups on Facebook and other sites about the impending concert in Goa, which Lalit says is untrue and that the Bangalore festival is slotted for end of this year. Incidentally, Shillong is also being considered as the venue. The rift has left the people who quit the project with a feeling of betrayal. “We were the ones who put Lalit and Artie in touch with Art of Living,” rues Suryaveer. The festival plans to get some original acts from the original Woodstock including Santana and other acts such as Red Hot Chili Peppers.