Nagaland4Kerala … We care!

Nagaland4Kerala … We care!

Kohima: Nagaland cares. The people care. In collaboration with the Government of Kerala, the Nagaland 4 Kerala concert takes place Friday 24 to raise money for the flood affected people.

Theja Meru

As Kerala continues to grapple with the worst floods ever, Nagaland is doing its bit to reach out to the victims, thousands of kilometres away.
The Rattle and Hum Music Society is organising a concert – Nagaland 4 Kerala Concert – in Kohima on Friday through which the audience can donate to the flood-affected people in Kerala.
Rattle and Hum Music Society president Theja Meru was not only moved by the situation in which he saw the flood-affected people of Kerala but also resolved to do something for them.

Giving details about the idea of organizing the concert, Meru said, “Actually we have been for quite sometimes reading and seeing on TV the calamities in Kerala which is really beyond any imagination. We, being a music society and proximity with all the musicians, thought why not we musicians in Nagaland get together and do something for our brothers and sisters in Kerala. Thankfully, a very good team and very responsive musicians all of them came forward without charging any fees.”

Meru said the amount collected from the concert will go to the relief fund for Kerala flood victims. “Whatever we get from the concert, we will be sending it for Kerala flood victims,” he added.
“The images were quite disturbing and I thought no one is safe from natural disasters. Watching people get soaked in knee deep water and the torrential display of gushing waters inundating everything on its way and not sparing men, women or children was not only overwhelming but also quite frightening. I didn’t waste time and contacted my musician friends and band members and told them about my plan. It was done quite hurriedly because we didn’t want to waste any time,” Meru said.

Friday’s Nagaland 4 Kerala Concert is also being initiated in collaboration with the Nagaland government. So far six popular bands and solo artistes from Nagaland have pitched in for the concert. The acts include Lords of Rock, Tetseo Sisters, Rattle and Hum Band, Muno Shihu, Coloured Keys and Ethnic Future.
The concert will be held at The Heritage in Kohima and Meru expects an audience of over 1,000 people. Concert goers can donate of their own will at the venue and will also be able to donate directly through bank and online contributions.
For Meru, the initiative is not just about bringing people together for a humanitarian cause but also to throw a positive perception about the Northeast.
“The people of Northeast are just like any other Indians. Yet there are times when we are looked upon differently. We have large hearts and we feel the pain of the people in Kerala. I want to change the peception some people have about us. We are one nation and one country,” added Meru.