Hot performances, hot food, hot day! The 2010 Mela

Words and Photograph by Stuart Maxwell

The 20th Glasgow Mela  enticed more than 40,000 people to Kelvingrove Park as the flavours, colours and traditions of Asia blended with the scorching sun to produce a spectacular  festival on Sunday 20 June.

Sun-soaked spectators were delighted as traditional Indian performances were followed by the thud of Japanese drums  and Brazilian dance groups. As entertainment ignited throughout the park, on official stages and  spare patches of well charred grass, nostrils were tickled as fragrances of  oriental cuisine drifted through the air.

The Glasgow based Desi Bravehearts received a rousing reception from the crowd as their athletic dance routine dazzled with its bold artistry. Also performing was budding celebrity and singer JK, winner of Best Newcomer at this year’s Brit Asia Music Awards. The Hellenic dance group was another firm favorite, offering a newly choreographed routine, exclusively for this Mela, based on traditional Greek- Cypriot dancing.

As the sun continued to beat down it was hard to gauge which boasted the longest queue: the ice-cream stand or the beer tent. The paths of the park  housed market stalls offering the brightest of Asian fashion and foods.

There was also the chance for a seat in a traditional Indian rickshaw -  offering a few moments reprieve from the sun. With 40,000 people, there was no shortage of ‘Indian Summer’ puns being banded about!