InJuCo

The trance virus that was initiated by hippie tourists during the early 1970’s did not take long to infect the Indian subcontinent. International acts at nature parties became a common form of musical fete, which resulted in exultant sensations across the country. The scenario ameliorated until 2006 – the year that witnessed the colossal failure of the first Indian Psychedelic Trance festival (Moondust), and the subsequent year 150 ravers were imprisoned on the auspicious “festival of colors” party in Pune. However, there exists a flip side to this particularly psychedelic coin, with the India section on the renowned Isratrance forum resurrected, and a large number of artists becoming conspicuously visible in the international market.

[2010] InJuCo – the Indian Juggling Convention in Goa – a journey

• written by Tom Shanti

Goa is that legendary Hippie destination for more than 40 years. I’ve only come there for the first time in 2004, but soon enough experiencing the last of the legendary “Goa parties” – back then still running all night and on a following day. And that was it in the beginning.

Where is the party?

Anjuna, Vagator, Chapora, Morjim and Arambol. Certainly it carried me for a while, hanging out on the beaches in daytime and dancing away the night. But more and more the parties got clamped down and the ‘scene’ drifted from solitary beaches and forests into nightclubs, which even started to charge entry.

After four years repeating the same game I was simply bored out of my skull - but inspired by the amount of international artists/ performers and by the European Juggling Conventions I started the first “Body Arts Convention” in 2008. The infamous Hilltop Motel in Vagator has been a welcoming host, the only trouble was with the visitors. They either had to drive 20k’s all the way from Arambol or simply didn’t know what a “Juggling Convention” was. “But don’t you know WHO I AM? I never pay cover charge!” was the best comment of Anjuna celeb I received at the door. Dude, you’re a stranger to my eyes but this is not a party and I’m certain you can afford 100 Rupees to cover for a whole day of (drug free) fun and workshops.

All in all I managed to donate the net profit of Rs. 10.000 to the “moving school” project in Arpora.

That’s been a promising start. So I decided to shoot for the moon, designed a website and flyers, promoted it on the European Juggling Convention in Karlsruhe and prayed. After all I had no location at this time. Hilltop didn’t respond at first and when they finally did, they raised their charges by 100%, offering no incentives on bar and restaurant. It’s always been intended a non-profit event, but that’s been too much of a risk (for the “one-man-show” it has been).

Paradise out of the blue

A friend knew friends who run a resort in Mandrem beach. The revelation! Only a few k’s down the beach from Arambol and now other friends offered to assist. This way a team of twenty people gathered, preparing the Convention for an entire month, pulling off one of the finest alternative festivals since Hippies arrived in Goa. In the first 6 days we welcomed 2.000 visitors. The crew pushed itself to the edge. Every single one worked so hard to make it happen, making it a home and breeding ground for an incredible experience. God(s) created the world in 6 days… and then came Goa police and they asked “You have a license?”

This basically meant: “Give us manna,” and - being reluctant - subsequently meant taking the 7th day (Sunday) off in Pernem Police Station, for 24hrs. I wondered if the gods had to postpone their Gala show by a week. We did.

But then again, this Gala show still turned out to be a climax. A cosmic 3hrs lasting orgasm so to speak, comprising the best acts of the Convention - at least of those who stayed long enough. It’s been something that Goa hasn’t seen before in this dimension, a firework of inter/national talents, captivating the audience and making time pass swiftly.

Yet I didn’t know what I got myself into, as the police justified the arrest: “Playing loud music without obtaining license from the competent authorities,” it is a criminal offence. According to the Environmental Protection Act threatened with a term up to 5 yrs in prison and/or Rs. 100.000 fine.

Serious stuff, making me spend a week in Goa on the back of my bike, sometimes visiting the same authorities twice a day, just to obtain permission to leave the country.

All good things come in three’s

Only this lingering court case made it impossible to perform promotion for the next event and to find a new location. “This (Mandrem Beach) is a quiet village. We don’t want such events here. When (local) people realized what you did here last season, they actually had a lot of objections,” was the comment of a local business owner, refusing my inquiry.

Only a week before the official start, we finally got a place. A team of 10 volunteers, 6 organizers and 4 local workers converted a mudpit into a festival area. It was the venues manager achievement to make it “the first 7 days festival ever to be officially licensed by the government of Goa”! But this achievement has been paid off with money, sweat and a lot of self discipline. Though it has been one of the season’s main highlights, it involved double the costs and only drew half the visitors of the previous year.

All in all

I’d be happy to pass on the flagstaff. I spend more countless hours driving to courtrooms and debating with authorities to solve “the Indian legal system mystery”. “You have to inquire within, why it doesn’t work out the way you want it to,” my friends told me after the 5th court session, in which no conclusion was drawn. Guys, this is India and that same day, there’s been a case up already 16 years old: “State vs. the LATE Mr. Fernandez”.

Don’t get me wrong: I for my part consider myself lucky enough. It’s been an invaluable experience. I’ve seen so much beauty in the mindless faces of the audience and learned tremendously. I’m certainly no longer bored out of my skull and will never feel this way again.

Since then - whenever I address the Universe - I’m very peculiar in regards of the tiny details.