[caption id="attachment_202693" align="alignnone" width="550"]
Members of Rattle & Hum Music Society[/caption]
‘Nagaland4Kerala’, a relief concert for the victims of the devastating floods in Kerala will be held at The Heritage (Old DC’s Bungalow) in Kohima on Friday evening at 5 pm. The event, being organised by the Rattle & Hum Music Society of Nagaland in collaboration with the government of Nagaland, calls for support and help from the citizens of Nagaland to reach out to the people of Kerala who are suffering from monsoon related catastrophe.
The concert will feature renowned Naga artistes-Lords or Rock, Colored Keys, Tetseo Sisters, Rattle & Hum Band, Ethnic Future and Muno Shiu.
Talking to media persons this afternoon at Dream Café in Kohima, Rattle & Hum Music Society president Theja Meru said considering the enormity of devastation happening in Kerala, the organisation made a spontaneous decision to reach out to the people of Kerala by putting together a concert to raise funds for the affected people there.
“The amount we collect might be negligible but we’re doing it with a big heart,” says Dr. Tolto Metha, the secretary (administration) for Rattle & Hum Music Society.
Responding to the criticism from various quarters as to their decision to organise the event for the disasters in Kerala while Nagaland was facing its own share of calamities, Neingulie Nakhro, secretary finance of the society stated that they were not neglecting their own people by organising the concert for Kerala but the ‘humane side of it did not come out as intended’.
Acknowledging that many people may have misconstrued the intention of the organisation, he said the donations were not being solicited to increase the bank balance of anyone but to give out to the affected people in Kerala as a small gesture that the people of Nagaland were in solidarity with them. He also clarified that the proceedings of the donation drive would be handed over to the proper authorities in Kerala not on behalf of the Rattle & Hum Music Society, but as a contribution from the people of Nagaland reaching out with a message of love.
On people questioning the society why they were taking to the platform of music, which is a form of entertainment, to appeal help for people who were in distress, he simply asserted that music was a medium that can connect people. He apologized to the people who felt the Rattle & Hum Music Society was being insensible to the Nagaland situation. He further welcomed suggestions and ideas to do more for the victims of natural disasters in Nagaland.
Meru supplemented to this by saying Rattle & Hum Music Society was a body that promotes music, art and culture, and through this event, he hoped other organisations and artistes would be inspired to do more for those suffering in different parts of Nagaland as well. He expressed appreciation that all the artistes as well as the event partners have stepped forward voluntarily to participate in the event without any charge.
Meanwhile, Nakhro said the society was encouraged by the donations which were already being made towards Nagaland4Kerala since August 22 and he appealed to all who cared to contribute to the cause.
He informed that there will be free will donation at the concert venue while for direct contribution, one can contact him at 8837346067. Bank and online contributions can also be made to Rattle & Hum Music Society, A/C No: 1147102000001748 IFSC-IBKL0001147, IDBI Bank Ltd, Kohima Branch. He added that contributions would be received till August 30.
