When was the last time you attended a music festival in the hills, looked up to a sky full of stars, dipped your feet in a river, and attended an art and wellness session? A weekend at The GAIA Festival is where you can experience this.
As part of The Lab Mag community, Mukta Khanna and Meghna Kanwar attended this two-day festival on 28 and 29 September. Nestled amidst nature, The GAIA Festival is located in Raison, Kullu which is 40 minutes from Manali. The GAIA Festival is a multi-disciplinary showcase of music, adventure, art, and wellness activities with the highlight being the backdrop of the Himalayas and the River Beas.
The 20+ artist lineup included musicians spanning across genres such as indie, live electronica, disco, house, and techno. Some of the interesting artists include Nadav Dagon, T Puse, Angata, Genish, Paloma, Disko Samosa, Vridian, and Bogus, among others spread across three different stages. Gaia Festival went beyond the music lineup with The Art Village where 25+ artists showcased their work and art installations. The festival also emphasises holistic wellness with sessions such as sound healing, acupuncture, breathwork, yoga, and more activities that nurture the mind, body, and soul.
Khanna and Kanwar both took a +1 along with them to the festival and while they come from different backgrounds, and age brackets, the experience was almost the same – unique, mesmersing, and magical! We spoke to them to get a first-hand account of their experience at the festival.
Khanna, 42, went with her husband Manav and they are both music buffs. Besides attending music festivals and electronic music gigs in and around Delhi-NCR, they share that they have attended bigger cultural festivals as well. “We attended a festival in Ranthambore where art, music, and other things came together so that is how we were aware that such kinds of festivals exist,” he states.
Whereas for 23-year-old Kanwar, this was her first festival experience. She admits that techno as a genre has never been her go-to option but despite that, she still enjoyed it. “The festival was so dope,” she exclaimed. “It gave me a good exposure and helped me understand that there are many variations and beats involved in techno.” One such artist for Kanwar was Nadav Dagon, who is known for his live sets that include samples, a hybrid drum set, drum machines, and other percussion to create tribal sounds, groovy bass lines, and catchy rhythms and vocals. “His setup was also so different. He was in the centre, with his drums around him and people circulating the stage,” Kanwar recalls. “It was an awesome experience in the middle of the jungle in the Himalayas and for a second it gave us the feeling of being at Tomorrowland, in our own country,” adds Manav.
What stood out for the Delhi-based couple was the audience and artist connection that was possible at The GAIA Festival. They admit that they had never heard of these artists but not only did they get to experience their music for the first time but also met them after the gig, and had a lengthy conversation – making it something they have never experienced at any festival.
With river Baes flowing on one side and a place secluded from the usual tourists, the location of The GAIA Festival was absolutely beautiful and relaxing. Coming from the hustle and bustle of the city of Delhi, this weekend acted almost like a detox for the Khannas. They woke up to the sound of chirping birds, dipped their feet in the cold river water, star-gazed, plucked fruits from the pomegranate trees near their accommodation, went on nature walks, and spent the night looking at the stars.
“What I liked the most was the crowd,” states Kanwar. She was under the impression that the festival would mostly just be some locals and artists but was pleasantly surprised to see people from all over the country and a diverse and fun crowd. From photographers, YouTubers, musicians, storytellers, and many other people, she felt it was a great place for socialisation and meeting like-minded people. She recalls meeting a guy named Girish in his 60s who was half-American and half-Indian. “It was mesmerising seeing someone that age attend a festival like this. The best part was that he loved India and threw similar kinds of parties all over the world,” she says. The Khannas, on the other hand, enjoyed the sound healing session in the art village, along with the face painting, jute bag painting, and jenga sessions.
As Kanwar and Khanna returned from The GAIA Festival, the post-festival blues were felt but they are convinced to return with a much bigger group next year. After we chatted with these two women, for the time, we thought that perhaps we would visit this festival but not for the music. Because, who wouldn’t want to wake up with the sound of birds chirping, watch stars at night, and dip your feet in the water, experience art and culture, all while grooving to some good music?