Have Voice, Will Travel! Mangala Music Club Celebrates ‘ Mega Meet’ on Decennial Year
Have Voice,Will Travel! Mangala Music Club Celebrates ‘ Mega Meet’ (Deepavali and Children’s Day Celebrations) on Decennial Year, along with Mangala Music Family Club, on Sunday, 17 November at Hotel Foodlands, Mangaluru
Mangaluru : “Have voice, will travel!”is the phrase for singers. You could be a star someday. If you have singing talents, don’t hide it — instead get up to the microphone and show you can really sing. You never know, you could be just another Indian Idol someday.And to get started, make your next night out a karaoke night. The Japanese started karaoke, and later the rest of the world followed it. Bars, taverns, clubs, restaurants and private gatherings are all hooked on to karaoke — because it’s part business booster, part therapy and keeps the crowd singing. Karaoke keeps the crowd going and stuffed. And it’s about having a good time, that’s all!
Karaoke is getting so popular, an increasing number of newbies are getting braver. More people are participating who’ve never sung before. I think even TV shows on singing talents like “Indian Idol” has something to do with this ongoing fascination. Also, the ongoing mania may be karaoke’s purported healing power in many ways — it can be psychologically therapeutic, it can be physically therapeutic. Music can change people for the better, that’s for sure. Since the rise of karaoke around the world, karaoke contests have become a phenomenon of mainstream culture, giving non-professional singers opportunity to showcase their talent, win prizes, and at times, travel the world.
In photo L_R : Er. Vinayak Pai-Treasurer; Er. Vishnu Vijaya Mayya-Secretary; Er Vimal Keerti Jain- President; Er. Rajendra Kalbavi- Vice President; and Er. Sudeep Shetty-Joint Secretary
And locally here in Mangaluru, we have a club named “Mangala Music Club”, where amateur and budding singers come to the microphone and unleash their hidden singing talents- and some of them who are so amazing just like the original singers, get a laud applause from the audience, and also get a prize. How cool it is? It all started in the year 2010 when Four Civil Engineers (later co-opted yet another Civil Engineer to join their Band) started singing during their Engineering Association functions, a few songs after formal proceedings. Members liked it so much, that they wanted more. The same continued in following functions. Slowly people started demanding songs in every get together. Unfortunately all were not getting chance as the time was limited after every formal program. This prompted the “panchapandavas” to start a platform where singing itself was the main agenda- and they named the platform as MANGALA MUSUC CLUB (MSC).
The oldest and the First Singing Club of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi district started originally by Five Engineers in March 2010 with an intention to provide a platform to amateurs and upcoming singers so that they can move to limelight. The members meet every first Monday and 3rd Monday every month. Having more than 75 members it has now started a family club called ‘ MANGALA MUSIC FAMILY CLUB’ where ladies and children are allowed to sing. Members can sing any language song including Kannada, Hindhi, English, Tulu, Malayalam and Tamil are popularly used. Now celebrating its DECENNIAL Celebration, Mangala Music Club organised a Mega meet of both club members, on Sunday 17 November 2019 at Hotel Foodlands, Mangaluru from 5 pm until 11 pm. President of MMC Family club Ms Swetha Jain and Secretary Ms Vinutha Pai also graced the occasion.
Inauguration of the programme comprising of Deepavali and Children’s Day was as done by Former President of Karnataka Konkani Sahitya Academy-Kararagod Chinna, along with guest of honour- entrepreneur Madhava Suvarna. Inaugurating the programme in his witty speech Kasargod Chinna said ” Singing during Karaoke will help you unleash your burning voice, discover talent in your stars. It’s nice to note a bunch of you folks here have made it a passion. Sources reveal that Karaoke relieves stress and anxiety, providing us with a pleasant feeling of well-being. This is because when we sing, we breathe more deeply and at the time lower blood pressure and cardiovascular rhythm. For this reason, I recommend other people who need a break or a little more of relax in their daily life to take up Karaoke. It will also help you find the current hot songs, favorite singer now, musicians and any kind of music you like. Indeed a good hobby selected by you all. Hoping that one day some of you will be the new singing sensations in the Country”.
Started with just a dozen of members, now the club is seventy five plus members strong, and everyone gets a chance to sing, when they all meet first and third Monday of every month irrespective of any holiday, strike or festivities, unless there is an Earthquake? The promoters of Mangala Singing Club are : Er. Vimal Keerti Jain- President; Er. Rajendra Kalbavi- Vice President; Er. Vishnu Vijaya Mayya-Secretary; Er. Vinayak Pai-Treasurer; and Er. Sudeep Shetty-Joint Secretary. The Decennial celebration comprised of lots of singing, games and fun and frolic for everyone- and every one made the best use of the Sunday night, unleashing their hidden singing talents .Er Rajendra Kalbavi welcomed and compered the program, and Er C J Lobo conducted the games. There were lots of prizes for the winners in the games.
Speaking to Team Mangalorean, Er Rajendra Kalbavi- the Vice President of Mangala Music Club said, ” All members are given with equal chance on first come first serve base. Cycle is repeated till the end. Every quarter special program is done with competitions Anthakshari. Duets,. Etc and prizes are given to deserving singers. Eminent personalities of the film industry have visited in the past like-Music director, singer Gurukiran, Script writer actor V. Manohar, and Actor Santhosh Shetty, among many others. Few professional singers are members who regularly share new songs to the benefit of the members. Today so called bathroom singers have raised to the level of singing on a public platform. Children are also given equal chances when they join us for the meetings during their school vacations. And then there are a few members who were born here but had to move out due to their jobs or other assignments, but they still make it a point to stop by at the Monday Night of Karaoke when they come down to Kudla, and participate in the singing spree “.
Besides being fun, taking the microphone and singing with all our energy and passion, is very beneficial for health. Karaoke, of Japanese origin, has become a social phenomenon of its own kind in Asian countries and is one of the healthiest entertainments that there may exist. Whether singing a Bollywood tune or a Sandalwood tune or a Western hit, numerous studies say that singing is the best therapy for being happy. The possibilities karaoke offers are as endless as their play lists with the hits of today and the most popular songs of all times. It is enough to choose your favorite song and to unleash the singer we all carry within. Because better or worse, more or less intonation, all people have the ability to sing, because it’s part of human nature.
You don’t have to be a rock star, neither a gentleman nor a successful singer of the past decades, but when you put yourself in the shoes of your favorite artist for a couple of minutes, it is possible that you will discover abilities you didn’t know until then. It is possible that you go home with the satisfaction of having heard yourself sing better than ever, or – who knows – maybe in the future you will be the singer others imitate in karaoke… in either case it is worth a try and let yourself be surprised.
It allows you to lose your shame and shyness and in return, gain increased security before the eyes of others, increasing your self-esteem, self-confidence and your sense of humor. If you take a scale you can verify, that you gain much more than you lose. It’s a perfect excuse to move your body. It is a perfect way of socializing. Take note of these benefits of karaoke and get ready to enjoy the best First and Third Monday night of every month at Maharaja Restaurant-Mangaluru where the members of Mangala Music Club meet. And trust me there will be thousands of songs waiting for you to enjoy and entertain with a microphone in your hand. Be a star on the stage and not just in the privacy of your bathroom?
And coming to my personal life- I have been forced many times by my friends at the bars, pubs and clubs too sing during a karaoke night- but in case someday I decide to sing- I should be the last person for the night on the list- I don’t want to scare away the people by my singing? But I like to sing preferably in the privacy of my own bathroom, but me performing in front of a audience-No Way! And if I make up my mind to sing someday, my pick of the song would be “I Have A Dream” by Swedish pop group Abba, with lyrics which goes like this “I have a dream, a song to sing. To help me cope with anything. If you see the wonder of a fairy tale, You can take the future ever if you fail..”. Happy Singing! Happy Karaoke time! Long Live Mangala Music Club , and Mangala Music Family Club!
