TURA:
The Meghalaya Grassroots Music Project (MGMP) was launched by ArtSourced in Garo Hills in the form of musical night cum pop up in collaboration with Meghalaya Tourism Department, The Meghalayan Age, The Mini Bazaar and Nostalgia Boutique Cafe. The two-day event was hosted at Nokma Council Building, Tura, starting from Friday.
The artist line up for the first night included names such as rappers KiDo AlpH and Riozer. On the second night, the crowd was serenaded by Snamrik.
Bryan Marak from ArtSourced said Garo Hills does not have a music scene per se, so this platform will help to firmly establish and elevate the same.
The project will last for a duration of about a year, with busking every Friday and Saturday and music shows in the evening.
He said this will also benefit the townsfolk. Stating that we hardly have any form of entertainment such as cinema halls, he added that people will now have something to keep them occupied each week.
Calling it an injection of opportunities, he said it is a good start for artists and musicians of the region.
He feels hopeful for the cultural scene that is slowly evolving here and said there’s a high possibility of seeing more talents coming up in the future.
“It’s a new dawn for A.chik artists. More opportunities will help break the cycle of only looking for government jobs and enable them to actually pursue their creative interests and passion,” he said.
 Pop up sale
The pop up sale, courtesy of The Mini Bazaar, is curated by Rudy Marak, an entrepreneur with a vision to elevate local enterprises. The pop up featured products ranging from traditional accessories by Seven Cherri, macrame art by Vero Crafty, clothing and accessories by Mimosa House of Threads, wine by Asame Wine and Charlie.
The Mini Bazaar started as a garage sale by a group of five friends at Marak’s house in Tura.
Having lived in Goa for six months, Marak had experienced the flea market culture in the city. She had even put up stalls there, in collaboration with Guwahati based Rikiboi Clothing.
When asked why this initiative is important for her, Marak told The Meghalayan it is a way of earning livelihood. It also helps in breaking the monotony of a small town where virtually nothing happens. “Coming back from Goa to Tura, the sudden quietness made me want to do something happening and lively, ” She added.
Marak is hoping to expand The Mini Bazaar to Guwahati and Shillong.