Back to Bloom
After two gruesome years of running behind professors and blackboard submissions, I finally made it back to my comfort zone, Bangalore. Or should I say Bengaluru? The chaos presented by Kempegowda International Airport felt just right as I stepped off the 12-hour flight and got into my best friend Shankaran’s new Toyota. The gorgeous sunset we were met with felt like an advance for the hectic traffic we were stuck with for the rest of our 2-hour journey for the 20 km back to my house. Those familiar with Bengaluru’s traffic catastrophe understand the long commute, with an almost snail-like nudge towards the final destination.
Well, this was just the beginning. Received by a tribe of my closest friends and family, the shackles of familiarity were too much for my free spirit. Much before I’d even landed in Bengaluru, two of my partners in crime, Aaditya and Dhrishath had planned our next adventure. Bloom in Green is a self-proclaimed, sustainable self-transformation festival that explores an unconventional method of renewing one’s energetic experience through live music and extraordinary workshops. The mornings were bustling with self-exploratory events that renewed one’s sense of being. You have a plethora of experiences to choose from, be it reflective stream-of-consciousness writing, rock climbing, mindfulness practices, yoga sessions, and even an ecstatic dance sequence.
Evenings were filled with lights, music, and two very transcendental dance floors. Carved out of the bedrock, with a walk that almost feels like a journey to the centre of the Earth, The Quarry Stage boasted an exquisite set of 10 subwoofers and the bassline almost knocked me off my feet. The Bush Stage on the other hand took me back to the Australian atmosphere with a semi-bush-doof experience fighting off mosquitoes with my dance moves as the instrumentals took my soul to another realm.
Now to the fact of the matter. Bloom in Green was initiated about 5 years ago to reinvent the music festival experience with a focus on reigniting the local economy in rural Tamil Nadu while ensuring sustainability and coexistence with the environment that nourishes us. The stage was set in the lush green backdrop of a massive multi-acre property with a focus on maintaining the natural atmosphere and vegetation while creating minimal alterations to the landscape via non-permanent housing and sanitation facilities. The foundational principles involved leaving no trace of our presence, extensive plastic reduction via reusable cups, filtered water availability as well as the promotion of local artisanal communities. The pathway between our tented accommodation (which I learned to set up among friends for the very first time) and the workshops was littered with tender coconut stands and bread omelette vendors that helped us regain some strength amongst the blazing sun and the night-long, power-filled dancing sessions. I fell in love with a particular prebiotic drink stand run by Atmosphere Studio that served these super refreshing blue pea flower, passionfruit, and pina colada flavoured beverages that just hit the spot and kept my guts going for the three days I was there. Quite unlike my fellow burger munchers who may have clogged a porta potty or two!
It was a refreshing change from the electricity of the city and made me wonder what life would be like if we all resorted to sipping tender coconuts and living in small tents. A simplistic approach towards life that echoes the primordial renaissance mentioned by the psychedelic messiah Terrence Mckenna. According to Statista, 1 in 3 Indians migrated from a rural setting towards urban settlements. I often wonder whether our modern decentralised information age will beacon a shift back, noting the peace of mind available to the common man if they choose to let go of a few modern conveniences here and there. Writing this article takes me back to my first day at UQ where Dr. Phillip, a beloved professor mentioned,
“Sometimes the best thing to do, as an Environmental Manager is, nothing at all.”
When he asked us what we think we must do as future environmentalists, I gave it a short thought and I still remember my reply,
“Sometimes all we need to do is think more, about less.”
