Cherry Blossom Festival strikes the right chord

Shillong: On a day when the whole of India was slowly plunging into despondency as the Aussies were marching towards victory at the ICC World Cup final in Ahmedabad, the mood in faraway Meghalaya was that of awe and jubilation as maestros like Lou Majaw and Ronan Keating belted out popular popular numbers on the concluding day of the Cherry Blossom Festival. They not only set the stage on fire but also provided the perfect balm to heal broken hearts of cricket lovers. Brimming with over 30,000 people, the RBDSA sports complex on Sunday was witness to a fiery performance by none other than the legendary Lou Majaw. Such was the intensity of his music, time almost stood still for all those present there. No sooner he ended his show at 9pm than entered Ronan Keating, the 50-year-old Irish maestro, whose voice has captivated hearts for decades. The moment he stepped on to the stage, a transformative energy surged through the crowd. As he began with ‘Lovin’ Each Day’, his voice, a perfect alchemy of warmth and passion, lifted the shroud of gloom, igniting a resurgence of life in the festival.Keating, an enigma of the music world, held the audience spellbound. People of all ages — the old with their memories, the evergreen middle-aged and the young with their dreams — found themselves swaying, dancing, weeping. Each note he sang was a key unlocking deep wells of nostalgia, as he journeyed through hits like ‘Words’, ‘If Tomorrow Never Comes’, and ‘Love is a Rollercoaster’.Every song was a masterpiece, a bridge spanning across time, connecting disparate hearts. His renditions of ‘Father and Son’, ‘When You Say Nothing at All’, resonated with a haunting beauty, an echo of timeless love and longing. “This was the best part, the highlight of the festival. He just lifted our spirits in the best possible way he could. I would remember this night forever,” Galo, a 45-year-old who travelled from Guwahati for the festival, said.Before Ronan Keating’s performance, the Cherry Blossom Festival in Shillong was already a whirlwind of musical talent. The Blue Temptations, a decade-old Blues rock band, captivated with their unique brand of blues, including a memorable Beatles cover. Local acts like Da Minot blended traditional melodies with rock, while Khasi band Snow White fused Khasi music with modern genres on Saturday, the second day of the festival. Hybrid Theory’s heartfelt tribute to Linkin Park and Ne-Yo’s electrifying presence further elevated the event, showcasing a remarkable mix of global and local talents across three stages.Ne-Yo said he loved the crowd’s energy. “The energy and enthusiasm of the crowd are unparalleled. Shillong, with its cherry blossoms, provides the perfect canvas for artistic expression,” he asserted.The finale of the Cherry Blossom Festival was marked by an electrifying performance from SANAM, a band beloved for their soulful Bollywood renditions. The band captivated the audience with hits like ‘Kya Hua Tera Wada’ and ‘Yeh Raten Yeh Mausam’. Lead vocalist of the band, Sanam Puri, said, “It’s been an honour to be part of this festival. Meghalaya’s love for music truly stays unparalleled.” Tourism minister Bah Paul Lyngdoh, who graced the festival on the final day, said, “This edition of the Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival has been the most successful in terms of footfall of tourists as well as the line-up of the artistes. The music has been eclectic ranging from traditional Khasi melodies, Bollywood to grunge and reggae. It has been heartening to witness the convergence of music, nature and culture in such a beautiful way.”(The writer went to attend the festival on invitation )
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