MUMBAI: Radio stations have outgrown themselves throughout the years, and the increasing popularity of the medium has empowered the role of these organisations in the society. And as we know, with great power comes great responsibility. With a day to go for Holi, the radio community prepares to continue its tradition of entertaining, enlightening and educating about the festival with music programmes, unique initiatives and day-long engagements.
Radio City – one of the leading radio network – plans to spread the colours of happiness in Lucknow with ‘Holi ki Shopping’ – a programme on the latest trends revolving around the festival, and ‘Sudarshan Chaturvedi’ – focusing on the updates of how the festival of colours is celebrated across the nation. In Mumbai, the radio station will provide two lucky couples a chance to celebrate the ‘colourful’ gateway weekend at a resort in Alibaugh through ‘Sabse Lambi Quiz’. A ‘Holi Party’ has been organised in Ahmedabad and Vadodara, where listeners get to mingle with the Radio City RJs and make the most of the festival. The on-ground activities extend to Jalandhar and Bareilly by Radio Mantra that includes celebrities like Richa Sony, Sanghmitra Singh and singers like Richa Narayan, Amit Gupta and Moin Sabri who will be performing at the Radio City party. ‘Haaya Kavi Sammelan’ will be played on Radio City Freedom, whereas Radio City Smaran will bring ‘Holika Ki Kahani’ – a programme that will revolve around stories related to Holi.
Oye! FM will focus on celebrating the festival through music – mostly, the latest numbers that have taken the industry by storm. ‘Throughout the day, Oye! FM’s ‘Sou Pratishad Rangeen Gaane’ will entertain the listeners with songs from the current era that have managed to bring ‘colours’ to the daily mundane lives.
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With a familiar voice and an influential personality, radio jockeys acknowledge the responsibilities that arrive with fame, and Radioandmusic.com spoke to few of the RJs from several radio stations about their opinions on this festival. MyFM’s RJ Meenakshi’s ‘unique’ Holi celebrations, in fact, began a day before. The RJ who celebrated the festival with the slum kids last year, chose another usually ignored section of the society for the same.
RJ Meenakshi – “I played with the widowed women of Fatehpur slum area. These women never celebrated the festival for 12-15 years. The expressions on her face really made my day. I always convey the same
message – It should not only be about colours. I have received a lot of love from the people that I have come across in my life, and this is my way of returning it. I am nothing without the society. People can enjoy Holi with the traditional methods, however, I would ask them not to spoil other people’s fun.”
RJ Naved – “I think the beauty of Holi colours is fading away. Playing with colours is an important part of the festival, I agree. But what we are missing out on (on a social level) is the respect and care for each other. The socio-political situation of the country needs to get better. People need to avoid venomous hate speeches irresponsibly spewed by careless leaders. As a Muslim, I played all the Hindu festivals during my childhood. Even the workplace never treats me differently. The people are nice, except few elements.”
Red FM’s RJ Naved provides a different perspective to the issues revolving water wastage and the government’s plea to celebrate Holi without water. “I find it absolutely absurd. I mean, let’s compare the water usage during the festival to the water wastage that happens throughout the year across the country. Burst pipelines, water thefts, water mafias, broken links, plastic disposal in water bodies have never received such intense reactions from the government. My message is – Play with water or colour or however you want, it does not make any difference.”
