February 24, 2012
A Conversation with Ekatva’s Founder, Nimesh Patel
Last year, we announced Monsoon would be lending a hand to Ekatva, a project we really believe in, run by good friend and extremely talented music producer Nimesh “Nimo” Patel. He’s out there fighting the good fight, giving 16 kids from slums in India the chance to record their voices and be heard all over the world. All of us at Monsoon wanted to help in some way, so we decided to build a website that could support the kids and spread their message as the show hit the road. A few days ago, we caught up with Nimo to discuss the children’s progress, the excitement going into this year’s upcoming tour, and how technology might help amplify their message.
Oneness. A space of wholeness and harmony with all. With Nature, Man, Technology, rich, poor, male, female, white, black, and so on. Ekatva is when we see everything else in ourselves. We decided the name of this project while reflecting on what the world most needs. And that was the answer we came up with: the world needs understanding of one another and love for one another. More selflessness. Through selflessness evolves oneness, Ekatva.
After over one and half years of training and development, the children have now begun to tour the show across India. They’ve done 12 shows so far, and now they’re getting ready to bring their energetic spirits to share in the US and UK this summer – May and June of 2012.
In their day-to-day lives, they’re always dealing with something. But it is the resilience they display along the way that melts the hearts of audiences when they shine beautifully on stage – as if they were professional performers. And it’s not just performance, but it’s the carrying and sharing of a message very profound, yet simple: Love All.
How have audiences responded to the children’s performances?
Better to ask them than me. Here’s a comment from someone in the audience who was at one of our most recent shows:
“Watched the Ekatva team perform at the town hall in Anand, Gujarat last night. What this small band of irresistible children and incredible volunteers have created together is an unforgettable experience that sparkles with beauty, wisdom, joy and the buoyancy of pure hearts. Feet tapped, hands clapped, eyes filled, hearts melted and heads bowed. Watching Nimo (Nimesh Patel) watch the children was an especial treat. He has transformed himself and them through this journey. Backstage after the show one of the dancers, an adorable tiny little boy, darted up with a shy smile and thrust a pink rosebud into my hand – a spontaneous act of kindness that touched and thrilled me with its simplicity, naturalness, generosity and warmth. It is that spirit and much more that Nimo and team have nurtured in these young beings. The ripples of their loving effort will spread far beyond telling. So grateful to have had a chance to witness their inner music and magic.” – Pavi Mehta
How does Ekatva leverage digtal tools like web presence, social media, and video to spread the message?
We want people to feel connected to the journey of the children and not just to the performance. We have used various forms of social media to connect with people, near and far. Some people might not be able to attend the show, but through stories on our blog, videos on YouTube, we hope that they feel connected with the spirit of Oneness.
